Very entertaining action film, while not being as good as the first film

Rating: 8/10 (13 June 2010)

I do agree with anybody who says that Die Hard with a Vengeance is not as good as the original Die Hard. Then again it did have a lot to live up to, seeing as Die Hard is a real benchmark in the action genre. This film in a very good franchise is still very, very good, and does try very hard to keep to the spirit of the original film.
While perhaps running a little too long, and the beginning is rather slow, the film does move briskly and has slick direction, as well as more than its fair share of tense, funny and witty lines in the script. The plot, made up of two stories really, is cleverly balanced and actually doesn't fall into the trap of becoming convoluted or derivative, and the score was very well done, with musical and comedic touches. Die Hard With a Vengeance is also very stylishly filmed with fluid cinematography, great effects and dazzling scenery coupled with authentic sound effects, and there are plenty of explosive set pieces. And the acting was great, Bruce Willis is terrific as John McClane, while Samuel L. Jackson always the solid actor matches him perfectly, and their chemistry is what makes the movie enjoyable. Jeremy Irons is also excellent as Simon Gruber, perhaps not as good as Alan Rickman in the original who was the epitome of evil, but he is still good, playful and threatening.
Overall, very enjoyable entry in a very good franchise. 8/10 Bethany Cox