Thoroughly entertaining action-film

Rating: 8/10 (30 June 2007)

Granted, it's not *that* much of a Die Hard film... but were any but the first, really? Yes, it is one of the new action films... infamous for their overwhelming and often noisy action and pacing, the dialog's constant attempts at making us laugh, and the martial arts(well, OK, that last one, I, personally, really don't mind). It's an acquired taste, and many don't care for it. However, what makes this considerably more watchable than the bunch is that the action really only gets to be downright overstimulating for the very last bit of the film, that the pacing, whilst by no means slow, isn't overwhelming... and that aforementioned attempts, by the dialog, for the very most part *work*. The theater I watched this in was almost constantly either impressed by the action, or in stitches from the last line or exchange. This may not be the same Die Hard we know, but it's still a pretty good effort, and McClane is about the same(if his language has been toned down noticeably, due to the producers going for less than an R), and he's always cool to watch. He's joined this time by Matt Farrell, as portrayed by Justin Long, who played a dork in Galaxy Quest almost a decade earlier. Long has grown up(and is now playing a big dork), and he plays off Willis very well(there could maybe have been one or two less jokes regarding the difference in physical fitness between the two, but that's about it). Some of the funniest exchanges are between those two. Long's character could easily have been a cliché, with how many of the traits commonly associated with computer-nerds and dorks in general, but he really feels like a full character, and it's great to see Long get this opportunity to prove himself, and he definitely pulls it off. The bad guys don't let us down, either, with good acting capability on that end, as well(I won't reveal who portrays them here). The film is entertaining and thrilling from start to finish. I wasn't bored for a second. The action is exciting and well-done, and it maintains much of the realism of the earlier films(though it is kicked into high gear). There were a few bits where you could tell that Wiseman started directing with Underworld, but it never felt as though McClane should have been fighting fantasy creatures. Wiseman definitely knows how to do action, and I would say that his abilities within story-telling are improving. I will most definitely keep my eyes on his work in the future. Kevin Smith's role is short but good. The casting and acting is all quite good. The plot is good, and the concept is reasonably relevant(and definitely involving and interesting). There are some nice nods to the original Die Hard in this film. All in all, I liked it, but I also only liked the first films(excluding the third, that one, I did not care for much at all), so the fan-base might not particularly enjoy this. I recommend it to anyone who likes Die Hard as a franchise and/or the character of John McClane. The hard-core fans will probably find this too far a stretch from the first film, and the previous two sequels. 8/10