Really well constructed and great chemistry between the two leads

Rating: 7/10 (4 August 2008)

When I heard about Die Hard with a Vengeance coming out and heard that Samuel L. Jackson was gonna be in it, I was thrilled. I had just seen Pulp Fiction and the expectation to see two of the stars of that brilliant film interact was almost too good to be true.
Jackson and Willis do not disappoint. Their verbal sparring is hilarious and the writer of the script made a wise decision on making Jackson the smarter character. The only scene that I thought was a bit of a letdown comes in the middle of the film where Willis and Jackson have an argument about racism. What is that? Are they trying to prove that all people are racists underneath it all or did the writer think it was funny? Either way, it's not funny and it doesn't prove a point.
Never mind. Most of the rest of the movie is a joy, fast paced and entertainment in its highest form. Credit must also go to Jeremy Irons who made an interesting villain, although a bit cartoonish. The sex scene with him and the female villain, Sam Phillips is too ridiculous to be sexy. I suspect, it was thrown in because the director thought it was necessary to show a little skin. There isn't really a female character with a strong part, and we all know why Sam Phillips' character had to be silent. Even so, the sex scene offers nothing but a cheap laugh.
The action scenes are pretty believable, except for a couple of scenes involving a truck in an aqueduct and the scene where the villains make their getaway. To have one scene after that was a bit redundant and made the film drag on a little long but I guess they had to make time for McClane say his famous catchphrase.
Beware! If you saw the most recent Die Hard (Live Free and Die Hard), Die Hard with a Vengeance has much more hardcore violence, but the violence is so over the top and cartoony that you don't really think that it is that shocking if you have seen the other Die Hard movies.
If they decide to make another Die Hard bring back the character of Zeus. I was a little disappointed that Samuel L. Jackson didn't at least have a cameo in the 4th movie. Maybe you can't use him in a movie rated PG-13.