One of the finest action films ever

Rating: 10/10 (9 April 2000)

Die Hard With A Vengeance has a lot to live up to. The original film changed the way action pictures were made and made Bruce Willis and director John McTiernan in demand. The 1990 sequel was an example of exemplary craftsmanship by director Renny Harlin, and grossed $117 million in the US, adding to a total of $237 million worldwide. In this 1995 film, John McTiernan returns and so does John McClane, to his hometown of New York.
In the morning of a hot day of a hot New York summer, a bomb explodes at a department store, throwing everyone into panic. The bomber, called Simon (Jeremy Irons), telephones the police and orders that the suspended McClane (Bruce Willis) complete a series of tasks or more bombs, which have been hidden around the city, will explode. While doing the first challenge in Harlem, McClane picks up shopkeeper Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson) to help him. They continue to jump through hoops for Simon as the plot unravels, exhibiting a gold heist and some terrific chases.
The action in this film is outstanding. At one point, Simon orders McClane and Zeus to get to a pay phone at the Wall Street subway station in 30 minutes (they are about 90 blocks away). Commandeering a taxi, they blaze through rush hour streets, cutting through Central Park (literally) and following behind an ambulance to cut traffic. This chase is absolutly exhilarating, because it uses the city as a major character instead of just a backdrop. The way it is filmed adds immensly to the thrills and the entire movie continues this way. It leaves you breathless.
The acting is also very good, with Irons, Willis and Jackson rounding out the top spots and Grahame Greene and others doing nicely in supporting roles. And to keep the movie from becoming too unpleasant, the humor of the Die Hard films shines right through. While Willis can still pull the wisecracks, the best scenes are in his banter with Jackson, who is also very humerous.
The best thing about this movie is that it is fun. Its the perfect summer movie: it gives you the feel of a day in the summer in the city, it is action packed, funny and just plain fun. Some people say that it strays too far away from the other 2 films but I disagree. Taking away the claustrophobia of the first 2 and switching it with a wide expanse boosts the originality of the series, along with the fact that it works very well.
Note: Die Hard With A Vengeance was the highest-grossing movie worldwide of 1995 ($365 million). Hint, hint, Fox. Lets see Die Hard 4.