Quite exciting if one ignores the first film

Rating: 9/10 (25 January 2003)

Despite a hokey promotional title of "Die Hard 2: Die Harder," this sequel to the 1988 smash holds up quite well on its own terms. New York City cop John McClane once again finds himself in a mess of terrorists and one-liners as he battles bad guys at a Washington, D.C. airport. The change of venue is fresh, and the action sequences here are every bit as exciting as in the original, though the plot drags in between. John Amos is entertaining as the head terrorist, and Dennis Franz gives a decent performance as a desk cop whose feelings for McClane are anything but respectful. Obviously implausible, but when one ignores the first film, "Die Hard 2" does quite well on its own.