DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE

(May 1995, U.S.)

The release of DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE was interestingly timed. At that time, for the better part of 1994, there had been a small and successful release of action films that focussed on mad bombers and demolitions experts. Those films included SPEED, BLOWN AWAY and THE SPECIALIST. And so, THIS TIME (there are those words again!), our hero John McClane is pitted against mad terrorist Simon (played by the great Jeremy Irons) who's planting destructive explosive devices all over Manhattan. THIS TIME, McClane's back in his hometown of New York City, and THIS TIME he's joined by an unwitting partner by the name of Zeus (played by Samuel L. Jackson). Oh yeah, and THIS TIME, original DIE HARD director John McTierman is back at the helm.

So with this story, McClane not only has to stop the bad guys but he also has to play Simon's little mind-fuck games that will have him and Zeus hopping around from one part of the city to another in order to stop the bombs from exploding; one of them planted inside an elementary school in Harlem. But just like the previous two films, our hero's actions are not always successful. One exploding bomb manages to derail a subway train and inflict heavy damage in the downton Wall Street area. While playing Simon's game, McClane realizes that something's wrong and returns to Wall Street while Zeus continues to follow Simon's instructions. McClane finds Simon's men have raided the Federal Reserve Bank through the ruined subway system, making off with $140 billion in gold bullion from the vault, hauling it away in dump trucks (not a bad heist, I must say!). The action continues on a huge tanker and climaxes across the Canadian border where McClane will once again kill the bad guys and will once again say, "Yippie-kai-yay motherfucker!" at just about the time he's doing so. What else would movie audiences expect, right?

DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE takes on a new and interesting perspective when viewing it in a post 9/11 world. The explosion in the Wall Street vicinity feels different to watch in a world where global terrorism is on the minds of many Americans. Would Hollywood have filmed such an event in the streets of New York City after September 11th? Of course they would! Hollywood is filled with insensitive pimps and whores who don't give a fuck about anything execept their weekend grosses!

Well, my friends, I have to say that after three DIE HARD films in just a few days, I am completely "John McClane'd" out! So don't expect a post for LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD. I hated it!

Favorite line or dialogue:

John McClane: "I'll tell you what your problem is, you don't like me 'cause you're a racist!"
Zeus Carver: "What?"
John: "You're a racist! You don't like me 'cause I'm white!"
Zeus: "I don't like you because you're gonna get me KILLED!"