Entertaining sequel.

Rating: 6/10 (17 June 2004)

The original Die Hard wasn't the most plausible movie ever made, but it tried to rationalise some of its action and stunts. Die Hard 2: Die Harder completely does away with believability and goes for a comic-book level of reality. Of its type, it is an entertaining and well-made film. Fairly frequently you may find yourself groaning with despair at some of the unlikelihoods (for example, how long do those grenades take to detonate when the bad guys corner Willis in Esperanza's plane cockpit?), but the breathless pacing and spectacular set pieces should just about win you over enough to get a thumbs-up rating out of you.
Story, as already mentioned, is pure fantasy. One year on from his escapades in Part One, John McClane (Willis) is awaiting the arrival of his wife's plane at Washington Dulles Airport. On the same evening a team of heavily armed, ruthlessly organised mercenaries, led by Colonel Stuart (William Sadler), seize control of the airport. Their objective is to liberate a Central American revolutionary named Esperanza (Franco Nero) who is being flown into Washington under armed guard. They threaten to start bringing down planes if anyone tries to foul up their elaborate plans. But of course, McClane - as we all know - is a dab-hand at thwarting terrorists, and once again he single-handedly takes them on.
The film might have fared better were it not a Die Hard sequel. McClane wouldn't go through an ordeal like this twice in his lifetime, so immediately the film becomes a joke in terms of logic and feasibility. Also, there's a bit too much posturing. A good example is near the start when bad guy Sadler is practising his karate moves naked in front of a mirror, and also as the bad guys prepare to head off on their evil mission they march down a corridor in their headquarters, each man coming out of his room with ludicrously immaculate timing to join the back of the queue! However, Die Hard 2 makes up for its weaknesses on other levels. The set pieces are excellent, including a hair-raising plane crash, a snow-mobile chase and a fight on the wing of a moving aircraft. Similarly, the dialogue is well written, veering expertly between knowing humour and square-jawed declarations of courage. On the performance front, Dennis Farina steals the show, etching a memorable portrayal as an abrasive airport cop.
Die Hard 2 asks for a massive suspension of disbelief. If you roll with it, you'll be entertained. If you take it too seriously, you'll end up shaking your head in despair.