A Die Hard for a New Generation

Rating: 7/10 (25 January 2008)

John McClane's daughter is all grown up. Which makes her the perfect target for international terrorists. So when the computer systems of America (electricity, security and more) go under... John McClane must deal with threats both foreign and domestic! Justin Long joins the cast as a hacker who designed security systems for a variety of questionable groups, also inadvertently giving them access to the things he ought to have been securing. He seems a likely choice, being the face of the Mac on commercials. And he looks like a hacker (much smoother than he is in many other roles -- such as "Dodgeball").
Bruce Willis comes back in full force. The older he gets, the tougher he gets. I'd be more than happy for a Die Hard 5. (If Bond can have 22 films, McClane can have 5.) Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the love of my life and the entire reason I watched this in the first place. I wish she had more scenes, but for what she was given she did fine work. (Again, with a sequel, she could be more involved and fight the bad guys directly, you know?) Kevin Smith is what dropped this film from an 8 to a 7. I love Smith's work, especially his earlier stuff. But he's a horrible actor and here only plays a cheesy version of himself. So, boy, that's lame. A balding hacker in his mom's basement? Cast someone else or write it out of the script next time.
Quick thoughts: the cgi effects were okay, which shocked me. I thought they'd overdo it, but even the flying cars were acceptable. The pg-13 rating was very nice. You'd think a violent action film would need an R, but I think they squeezed R-level action into the PG-13. And last: are all computer experts ninjas? It seems to be skilled in hacking, you also have to be a black belt in everything.
Anyway, a great sequel and I am surprised to find myself saying so. Winstead, Willis and Long shine... get this one in your personal library.