Action-Film-o-Matic

Rating: 2/10 (5 July 2007)

I don't know what to say about this flick other than "don't believe the hype." Once that new movie smell wears off, what some are calling "one of the best action movies of 2007" will ultimately be forgotten in five years much the same way how Die Hard 2 faded into the background. My biggest gripe about this flick is that it isn't a Die Hard movie, it's just another summer blockbuster with an overblown effects budget. You could replace John McClane with another smart-ass bald guy and get the exact same picture. The only reason this is a "Die Hard" movie is to sell tickets, plain and simple.
Die Hard 4 is the Hollywood Action-Film-o-Matic machine at work, creating what is essentially formulaic action porn - everything that happens in between the action sequences and explosions is filler, and if you had this on DVD, you'd skip to the "good parts" and forget the rest. This flick shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as the original. A lot of people are telling me that I'm expecting too much from what is a great "popcorn flick". I just can't help but get upset when I see one of my boyhood movie gods muddle through this much mediocrity. John McClane and Bruce Willis are too cool for this shite.