Nothing Can Match the Original, But Not Bad!

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2003)

"Die Hard" is, bar none, my favorite action thriller. So I had mixed feelings looking toward this film, knowing that sequels are almost always a disappointment.
But actually, that made the film more enjoyable: it was better than I expected, by far. Not as good as the original, but very nice. They managed to completely invert the geometry: instead of one constrained skyscraper full of terrorists, we got a huge, snow swept airfield full of terrorists. But still, stuck in the middle of the mess, we find John McClain (who even manages to joke about how he misses a nice, normal Christmas). McClain and a couple of airport police against a well-organized terrorist conspiracy... The terrorists don't stand a chance!
As for major failings, I saw only two. The surprise twist near the end was telegraphed way too much, so it didn't surprise me at all. And the climactic rescue at the end that brought in the endangered aircraft just seemed too implausible even for John McClain.
Still, those were two flaws in an otherwise decent action flick. I'd definitely watch it again.