It is over the top at the end

Rating: 6/10 (5 July 2007)

This latest Die Hard movie was over the top. Especially near the end, but on the whole, it was fairly good up 'til then.
We've been wanting to go to the movies for a long time, and we were unable to find a movie we'd be willing to pay to see. We loved the Die Hard movies in the past, and were happy to finally see a movie we could enjoy together, finally, hoping that our dollars would encourage more good movies in future.
Unfortunately, it was disappointing to see the ridiculous nature of a fighter jet attacking a truck - and losing the fight.
One of the reasons one watches a Die Hard type film is the clear good guy vs bad guy nature of the films. One clearly roots for the good guys, and is delighted when the ultimate demise of the bad guys is carried out - spectacularly.
Having our hero go up against an Air Force pilot forces us to root for or against a good guy - on both sides. It ruins the joy one might have taken in their defeat, no matter who loses.
It's unfortunate that Hollywood does not get it. People need to care about the characters in a movie, and one needs to root for good over evil to truly enjoy the fight. Simply pitting two good guys against each other for a spectacular fight is not a good plot turn.
I wanted very much to love this movie, and was so hoping for a more upbeat movie, as the previous Die Hard movies had been. I can forgive over the top, but I'm sincerely disappointed by the depressing nature of the characters, and situations. John never wanted to do what he was forced to do in any of the previous movies, but he clearly enjoyed defeating the enemy, and we enjoyed watching him do it. This time, he was mostly just defeated, out of his element, and the bad guys were unrealistic, and tame. (Really? No terrorists - just computer geeks?)
I still urge you to go, to encourage more movies along this genre, but I sincerely hope Hollywood can get a grip on reality, and figure out how to make a movie with characters we can clearly root for or against. Life is not a bunch of grays, and there really are bad guys out there. We really need to hope there are some real good guys, too, and I'd like to see some in a well produced movie. Anyone Listening?