A Good Day To Die Hard

2013 / Director. John Moore

Uppercase letters are required when stating that Die Hard 5 is CRAP! What has happened to the action series that I love so much? (And yes, I even enjoyed DH4). Once an endearing and sympathetic action hero, John McClane has been reduced to an arrogant, self centred and simple-minded twat. He spurts abuse at Russia civilians because they can't speak English and he ridicules his son for becoming a spy. He has lost all regard for humanity really and it's a sad and disappointing direction for the character to go. I'm surprised that Bruce Willis would allow it. The film begins with him jetting off to Moscow to find his son. Within minutes of landing in Russia, McClane finds himself caught up in a high speed demolition derby of mayhem. He discovers that his son works for the CIA and he screws up a 3 year long operation. And so father and son are stuck with each other as they rampage across Russia, destroying everything in their path. This is a really really stupid movie. Of course heightened action is expected from a Die Hard movie but where there first 3 movies relied on plot, character and structure... the last two instalments have sacrificed all of that for over produced explosions... but at least John was still likeable in part 4 and he faced off against a classic villain. THIS script is shit. The acting is woeful and the catch phrases are tiresome. Bruce Willis spends the whole movie saying "I'm on Vacation" and of course... "Yippee Ki Ay Motherfucker". Yawn. Geographically Russia is the largest country in the world and yet every American film set there ends up at Chernobyl... as though that's all Russia has to offer. Again, yawn! A sixth and final chapter is in the pipeline after which Willis is retiring the character. I would suggest one of three options. 1) give me $10K and 3 months and I'll write it... 2) Don't bother... or 3) Get serious about it and wrap up on a high because Die Hard 5 SUCKS!

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