Enjoyable Escapism (Die Hard 4.0 (DVD))

Member Name: tommy7

Product:	Die Hard 4.0 (DVD)
Date:	19/04/09 (132 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unbelievable action scenes

Disadvantages: Some people will hate it

"Die Hard 4.0" is a film you will love or hate depending on what type of movie you like. To be fair by the fourth instalment I can't imagine too many people being caught out by what is an all out action fest for almost the entire running time. The previous Die Hards at least had a basis of a plot, this one feels like a collection of action scenes with the storyline only there to facilitate the change of venue.

This time John McClane (Bruce Willis) is instructed to pick up computer hacking expert Matt Farrell (Justin Long) and to bring him in for question. McClane doesn't know much more than this at this point and whilst he is apprehending the suspect the first attempt is made to kill Farrell. From this point on, its action all the way, can McClane protect Farrell until they establish why he has been targeted?

This is a film I thoroughly enjoyed. As mentioned above, it is not challenging in any way and some of the plot elements have been used in the previous three films, i.e. the constant threat to a member of McClane's family.

However, if action is your thing then you can't go wrong here. I would say there are four, if not five separate incidents in this film which were the most outrageous, ridiculous things I have ever seen on film. But that's what's great about this film, it doesn't pretend to be anything else, it is pure fun from start to end.

One of the things which works best is McClane's relationship with Farrell. Normally I dislike this kind of sidekick set up but it definitely works here. There are constant jibes between the two characters, McClane usually astonished at how out of shape Farrell is and Farrell not believing that someone can be as computer illiterate as McClane. All fairly predictable stuff but it just works well here. You can tell that each actor is enjoying playing their respective parts.

The evil doers this time are Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) and Mai Linh (Maggie Q). I felt that Olyphant was miscast. He wasn't particularly convincing in any aspect of the role. However, Maggie Q was excellent and really added to the film. Thankfully her screen time was probably more than Olyphant.

Willis had clearly put in a lot of training for this role. Coming 13 years after the last Die Hard film it is not easy for a 52 year old to play the part of a convincing action hero. He is superb in this role and I hope that he will reprise the role once more.

I guess the one thing the film does raise is the total reliance we have on computers these days. If someone could take over the main computer networks and control the data then the world would grind to a halt, quite a scary thought. This film is actually based on an article mentioned in the opening credits, it's called "A Farewell to Arms" by John Carlin and can be read at

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.05/netizen.h tml

I should mention I picked this up in HMV for £3 and it can be bought online for similar prices. Its well worth the price of a rental.

Here's hoping for the fifth instalment!

Summary: Check it out.