A Hamster, A Fire Sale and Fogerty

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2007)

Greetings again from the darkness. Bruce Willis reprises his role as NYPD's supercop, John McClane, in by far, the best of the series since the original. Director Len Wiseman brings a fresh look and young eyes to the franchise and wisely and cleverly incorporates a story line that appeals to the Gen Y audience.
Rising star Timothy Olyphant ("Deadwood") makes a wonderful virtual bad guy who was disrespected by the federal government when he dramatically demonstrated how insecure the U.S. systems were. Cast aside like Lex Luthor, he attempts to gain his revenge by shutting down society and bilking billions from Americans. Olyphant is aided in a most beautiful way by the lovely Maggie Q (MI:III) who gives Willis a run for his money and is the subject of some of the film's funniest lines.
Ultra-hacker Justin Long gets dragged through the mess by Willis because he is a target of the bad guys and because he is smart enough to stop the bad guys ... oh, and also because Wiseman wanted some appealing youth to accompany Willis on this mission. Along the way, Long and Willis encounter uber-hacker Kevin Smith in a terrific segment that almost allows the viewer to catch his or her breath.
Last, but certainly not least, Mary Elizabeth Winstead appears as Willis's daughter and the casting couldn't be better. Ms. Winstead was last seen in Tarantino's segment of "Grindhouse" and is obviously ready for meatier roles. Look out for this girl.
The "Die Hard" series has always been about action and heart with a dose of comedy. Director Wiseman takes the special effects to a whole new level and the scenes with Willis and Long are really good. As for the comedy, it is probably the funniest in the series. Check this one out for a truly good time at the movies!