A perfect action movie - that's how you do justice to a franchise

Rating: 9/10 (21 February 2016)

I'm not particularly fond of action flicks but I really enjoyed the first Die Hard movie which has become a true classic and made John McClane an iconic character. I found the second one dumb and a real snoozer, and I thought the third one was okay (not as good as the first one, but still entertaining and rewatchable). I didn't have high expectations for the fourth instalment so it came as a genuine surprise to me how good Die Hard 4 turned out to be.
It basically follows the same tried-and-true formula, and yet it manages to bring in promising new characters (like Matt, the hacker or McClane's feisty daughter), clever twists, intense, original and amusingly over-the-top action, and expand on McClane's family story, as well. It is a smartly written, fast-paced fun ride from start to finish and the amount of money spent on it clearly shows on the screen. This time it's not only McClane who becomes utterly bruised and battered by the end, but a whole city. Bruce Willis is in top form, proving again McClane's role was tailor-made for him.
After the first viewing I ranked Die Hard 4 a close second in the series, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time, maybe even more. Good story, great thrills, great stunts, great visuals – a perfect popcorn action movie. Now that I think of it, it might be better than the first one. A rare achievement.