Effective thriller--images eerily presage 9/11

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2005)

Nothing terribly original, from either the viewpoint of the Die-hard series or the genre, nevertheless effective and exciting. McTiernan, returning from the original, proves his skill at large-scale destruction and general mayhem. Several of the huge explosions in various parts of Manhattan, shot in a realistic hand-held reportage style are especially sobering images after 9/11. Overall, very similar to the original film, with Euro-Psychos wreaking havoc upon New York instead of L.A.
Willis plays Willis playing McClane, which is not a bad thing. Irons and Jackson are enjoy enthusiastic and theatrical performances in their roles. The only minor downside is the absence of Willam Atherton, who's always fun to watch.