It died an honourable death

Rating: 6/10 (26 July 2007)

The unfortunate thing about sequels is that they will always be compared to their predecessors. I would not consider this movie as a segment in the Die Hard franchise, but more of a movie to stand alone. It carries few of the characteristics of the original trilogy, and lets face it; Willis ain't as young as he used to be. For me it doesn't quite live up to the prequels, although a throughly enjoyable if not fantasmical movie it is.
The Story is essentially about a terrorist, who is punishing the government for what they did to him. He punishes them by stopping pretty much everything including electricity and telephone lines in Washington. This, of course evokes complete havoc within the city, and rendering the government useless. So, it's up to a hacker and Willis to save the day, and it's certainly an explosive journey.
The plot is relatively strong, although completely unrealistic, although it manages to keep an audience entertained.
The script is so so, although people don't really go and see the movie for the dialect between characters. Willis still has a few gems in there though.
The acting is good enough, although Willis of course manages to carry the movie on his lonesome, and the hacker becomes more like an irritating sidekick rather than a co-lead. Disappointed with the villain though; he just lacked that certain pizazz that Alan Rickman and Jeremy Irons had. The chemistry between hero and villain also fails to live up to the standards of the prequels.
Last but certainly not least; the special effects. This movie has been pumped full of them. Yes, they are impressive, and particularly the helicopter in the tunnel stunt, but completely unrealistic (especially the jet part).
In conclusion, this movie will appeal to both the hardcore adrenaline junkies, and for those who just want to enjoy themselves. Good on the surface, but lacking in depth. Nevertheless, the end result was not too disappointing