I just watched “Live Free or Die Hard” DVD, also known as “Die Hard 4.0”. I was trying to catch it in the cinema, but somehow that didn’t happen. I’m glad I finally caught up with it.
I was something anxious and worried about this new “Die Hard” episode. After all, the previous parts were so good, and it’s been more than 10 years since the last one (the last one was “Die Hard: With a Vengeance” dated 1995). With this new one be as good as those parts? Isn’t Bruce Willis too old for this? I had no clue, but follow-ups to some other films of the past proved to be worthy (*cough*Rambo*cough*) – that gave me hope.
“Live Free or Die Hard” turned out to be as good as the previous movies. And maybe even better. For one, special effects and the whole visual craft went a long way since John McClane had a gun in his hand. Even watching it on a 15″ screen gave me shivers sometimes. I imagine how impressive some of these scenes looked in the cinema! Sometimes, of course, it goes a bit too far – like in that scene with a fighter jet, truck, and bridge – but in action movies with Bruce, Sylvester, and Arnold it is always better to go a bit too far rather than not come close enough.
Another thing that I was worried about before watching this film was the computer theme. The 4.0 is the title of the film suggested that there will be a lot about computers. Plus I saw the trailer, and it was obvious that we are back to square one with graphical user interfaces for searching, tools with progress bars for password breaking, and all sorts of communications, security, and general IT terminology. Well, the computer side of the film was as bad as you can get it. But, on the other hand, it was so unrealistic from the very beginning, that I had no problems abstracting it away from the real life. Meaning that in my mind there was this natural separation of how computers work in real life and how they work in this particular movie. So that wasn’t a big problem.
Overall, the film was very nicely done, entertaining and in the same mood as the previous ones. So I got what I expected and even more so. I’ll give it a firm 7 out of 10.
It seems as though Bruce is never bored of rolling off of burning buildings and cars smashing left n right :) Well done to him again. Was the IT jargon in the movie on the dot or was it like “The Net” with Sandra Bullock with all the sillyness?
Mario,
regarding the jargon, how should I put it … there were a few terms used properly. :)
As I said, it was easier to look at it as if they are doing quantum physics of which I know nothing about rather then to try and make sense of their terminology. Here are the good guys, here are the bad ones, and here are the weapons of all sorts to measure the powers. Everything else is irrelevant. :)
I’ve seen the movie on a big screen and at least twice at home.
Which means I like it.
Although the Old Good Bruce is getting older, he’s still running fast, frowning as if he’s the only one concerned with the future of the whole Universe and making us feel sorry that the movie’s so short.
And you forgot to mention the Computer Evil – he’s cute )))
If that is cute, than I am on a wrong planet :)