Mixed feelings

Rating: 6/10 (27 June 2007)

The fourth part of the Die Hard franchise brings up mixed feelings in a longtime fan. In short it can be summed up in the words that this is a pretty good action film but not a very good Die Hard film.
The plot revolves around a group of terrorists (or whatever you want to call them) taking down the computer infrastructure of the United States. A well chosen plot line, considering how much is run by computers these days. The attack starts off small but grows exponentially in its destructive power as the story flows along. Its a good premise but I don't think it was executed to the maximum of its potential. The sense of danger and Armageddon that such a thing would cause isn't reflected too much in the film. This would have added a lot to the film and from Die Hard 3, one can see that a strong plot and storyline carry a film very well.
All the classic Die Hard characters are there but it isn't McClane who stands out the most. Justin Long plays a hacker who by coincidence happens to be with McClane when the attack happens and he stands out. His witty lines even rival those of the main character himself and overall it is a joy to see him on screen. McClane however is only a shadow of his former self which we saw in the first three films. The PG-13 rating (instead of an R like the first three) has really watered down McClane's vocabulary and if you're a fan of the franchise, you'll know exactly what I mean. He does have some occasional witty dialog but nothing like what it was in the first three. It seems like its just thrown in there to make this film more of a Die Hard film but unfortunately it doesn't work well. Bruce Willis doesn't feel like McClane at all anymore. The villain, played by Timothy Olyphant is exceptionally weak. The Gruber brothers are on a whole different level and even the somewhat lackluster main bad guy of part 2 towers over this guy. He doesn't come off as menacing or threatening at all. He is given some witty dialog but it just falls flat. The police chief, the guy who helps McClane all the time, is rather forgettable, something I can't say for the guys who played the corresponding character in the first three films.
The film is directed by Len Wiseman of Underworld fame. He also has a background in TV commercial and music video production and it really shows here. Heavy color correction with the addition of heavy blue hues and the dimming out of colors gives the film a somewhat alienating look while as the first three kept things simple and thereby made you feel as if you were there. The camera-work, accompanied by the editing, is the usual quick cut, constantly move the camera type that has become so common these days. Not that it looks bad- its quite sleek looking actually, but its simply not Die Hard. Due to this and the slightly overly fast pacing, the film never manages to make good use of the surrounding settings, a very key part to the first three films. The pacing is like in too many modern films- things for some reason need to happen fast and be rushed.
The action is OK I suppose. Although the previous films also had some pretty over the top stuff, this film takes it even further, all the way to the point where it just isn't that fun anymore since too much suspension of disbelief is required. But aside from that, I found the action quite enjoyable. The special effects were of course top notch and I was glad to see that many things were done for real and not just via CGI. And the score, by Marco Beltrami, was also excellent with some great tunes very fitting for an old school action film.
Overall, not a bad action film but it pales in comparison to the first three.