Far Better Than the Last Die Hard, it Kicks Some Serious Ass!

Rating: 6/10 (21 November 2007)

As far as the first 'Die Hard' goes, it's my all-time favorite action film. I wasn't expecting much out of 'Live Free or Die Hard' due to how terrible the last Die Hard sequel was, but I have to tell you I was pleasantly surprised. 'Live Free or Die Hard' isn't anywhere near as great as the first two, but it's certainly better than the third. On an action scale, 'Live Free or Die Hard' has more of it than the first three films combined. The action sequences are ridiculous, unbelievable and impossible of course, but at least they are thrillingly entertaining. Bruce Willis is great playing a bad-ass once again, and the supporting cast is surprisingly strong. Timothy Olyphant, probably best known for his role as Seth Bullock on the critically-acclaimed HBO Western 'Deadwood', plays the internet terrorist villain with great intensity and a touch of dark humor. Justin Long, whom you probably remember from 'Dodgeball', is humorous as Willis' sidekick, and it's always nice to see Kevin Smith (writer/director of Clerks, Clerks 2, Dogma, etc.), even though he isn't that great of an actor. Although, 'Live Free or Die Hard' is wildly entertaining, it isn't "great" film-making in any sense. The dialogue is sometimes so cheesy I wonder if a member of the animal kingdom wrote the screenplay. Also, the plot takes some tremendous leaps. However, if you want to be entertained with a bunch of booms and bangs, there's really no other film I can recommend more than 'Live Free or Die Hard'. Grade: B-