Best action since 'Casino Royale'

Rating: 9/10 (30 June 2007)

I didn't think this was as good of a movie as 'Casino Royale', or the original 'Die Hard' (which is the gold standard of modern action movies) but this is certainly one of the best action flicks to come along in a while. Not the most believable plot ever written either, but it's not entirely outrageous, and provides a reasonable stage for Bruce Willis to act out his John McLane in a way that is extremely entertaining and memorable.
Bruce Willis maintains all of the John McLane wit and attitude that fans love, but he's an older, more confident version of the character in this film. He's obviously been through this a few times before, and a lot of his self-disbelief that was a hallmark the first film is gone here; he's seen it all before, and goes about his ass-kicking in a very straightforward and almost businesslike manner this time around. Mind you, he's never the stereotypical cocky action-hero, but he's clearly much more accepting of his situation, and his role in it.
Justin Long is also very enjoyable, providing a humorous foil to McLane's machismo, with complaints about his blood-sugar and asthma contrasting to John beating and shooting his way through bad guys. I was worried that it would get tiresome, but it never really did; I have to say that Long is a very good actor, and he and Willis have great chemistry.
As mentioned in another review here, some of the hacker/tech scenes were a little hokey, and a lot of people these days have a pretty good understanding of technology and realize that some of the feats the super-hackers pull off aren't exactly possible, regardless of their skill. But this doesn't really hinder the entertainment value of the film.
The action scenes are fantastically choreographed and shot, and have a level of brutal realism that reminded me of Casino Royale, which is a very good thing. Personally, I could have done without the scene with the fighter jet, but oh well.
Overall, it was a really good movie for what it is; a fun summer blockbuster action sequel. Worth every penny of the admission.