LiveFreeorDieHard

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

I am old. I just realized the length of the Die Hard series is as old as I am: 22 (23 come 17th of June). Speaking of being long in the tooth, let me take you into Live Free or Die Hard.

12 years after averting New York’s destruction, John McClane is working off the beaten path on spying on his daughter, Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). After a chewing out by his spawn, he is called out to retrieve a computer hacker pro in the form of “I am Mac” (Justin Long).

After a cool shootout, targeted for said hacker, McClane and Matt Farrell (Computer geek) team up to prevent a techno attack upon Uncle Sam and his patriots.

Sound lame?

At first, yeah I mean it is Bruce friggin' Willis teaming up with the guy I knew best as Brandon from Galaxy Quest. Oddly enough, both are a perfect match up and have some tremendous chemistry and banter and a friendship mostly. Now the plot sounds fairly lame because for me, cybercrime is almost a daily occurrence. Hell, I have already had my identity stolen from some jerk in Knoxville, GA, yet it’s normal for me. Luckily, it isn’t just computer hacking. It is about ripping America a new one in an almost eerie, Nostradamus like way.

Oh yeah, it was like a mind reader, yet predictable from tears ago. You know like that mole that grows a black head named melanoma?

Anyways, this film showed me some new ways that made me believe everything that was happening for real or could happen, except for one factor, Thomas Gabriel. I really like the idea behind this guy, but how he is portrayed is just off from expectations. I mean I like Timothy Olymphant, yet this role is fairly blank with absolutely little breath of fresh air. The henchman…er… woman played by Maggie Q is the best villain here, bringing smarts, sass and looks to the evil bitch, bearing than enough challenge for our heroes.

Now to talk about Fox’s choice of helming this film, Len Wiseman. Yes, the director of the Underworld films, the first of which I seen and totally liked. At this point, I was an absolute, and if you forgive the pun, die-hard fan of the series when I hear Wiseman was directing. Sure, I liked Underworld enough, with some interesting gunplay and some decent style, yet the CGI he employed was a bit overbearing.

Glad to say, he has wisely steered clear of major chunks of CGI except for one scene, but that was so kick-ass, all is forgiven. Wiseman clearly loves the series, and respects the non-CG roots it has burrowed, and mostly relied on tried-and-true physical techniques that are nothing but history to most nowadays. Bravo!

Anyways, this film is so awesome; you will even forgive the lack of an R rating that subdues the most famous catch phrase from the 80’s. Yeah, it’s that awesome!

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by Jake Scarberry