Bruce Has Still Got It

Die Hard 4.0 - 3/5

The original Die Hard movie is one of the best action movies ever made and completely redefined the genre. Despite a weaker second film, the trilogy stood as some of the best films of their type. That said, by all logic Die Hard 4.0 really should suck big time: An ageing star who hasn't had a big hit in years, reviving a franchise which died over a decade ago and returning to a role he is really too old to play.

Of course, the genre has moved on since Die Hard with a Vengeance graced our screens. Post 24, viewers expect their action to come in a more hi-tech package. So the terrorist plot here is a cyber-terrorist one. But John McClane wouldn't understand most of that, so early on he gets paired up with a young hacker (Justin Long of Dodgeball and Accepted) to help him. Just for good measure, we'll also give Bruce a teenage daughter (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) to get captured by the bad guys a la Kim Bauer. Oh, and people are kind of into martial arts films at the moment, so we'll make one of bad guys (Maggie Q, who wore the film-stealing dress in Mission Impossible 3) a bit kung-fu. And free-running's cool, so we'll make one of the henchman do that. And to a certain extent it really is that cynical.

But, thankfully for the fans, it works. Bruce, despite getting his ass kicked by a woman, shows he can still cut it as an action hero and the quips are note perfect. The pairing with Long (playing it relatively straight) works well and their generation gap, odd couple relationship keeps the film motoring. As a villain Timothy Olyphant (Go and TV's Deadwood) lacks the scenery chewing, grandstanding and scene stealing of an Alan Rickman or a Jeremy Irons, but has a masterful maniacal glint and holds his own. Winstead is also great and shows she is her father's daughter. But this is Bruce's film through and through and where it really pays off are in the great set-pieces - taking out a helicopter with a car, a fight in an SUV in an elevator shaft and the final juggernaut vs stealth bomber fight. In places, the CGI does show, but to be honest the actions so great you won't mind.

There are weaknesses here - acting was never Kevin Smith's (Silent Bob in his own films) strong point, and in his cameo as uber-hacker Warlock (entertaining though it is) you can sense the fanboy dying to burst out. There's also a slightly jingoistic undercurrent which surfaces in one rather heavy-handed exchange between Long and Willis along the lines of "This isn't a system, this is a country". Also, somewhere along the line from Die Hard to 4.0 McClane has moved from being unusually tough, but believably vulnerable to indesctructible superhero. I'd have to check again, but I'm sure he actually gets less cuts on his now bald pate as the movie goes on. But, I'm splitting hairs here.

So, this is no Die Hard or even Die Hard With a Vengeance, but it doesn't disgrace the series as many thought it would. It's a credible addition and throws down the gauntlet to the rest of the summer's action flicks. However, having seen the trailer, I suspect that a certain Jason Bourne might kick Bruce's ass back to the 80s.