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PanicLord · 05 Dec 2016, 23:24

Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Now that's how to make a sequel. Ok, so the title sounds like a spoof, and in a way, it is a much more popcorn action flick than the previous movie. However, while they have undoubtedly ramped up the bullet and explosions count, this film manages to avoid my dreaded VERY LOUD NOISE syndrome, where sequels just become marketing exercises ticking off boxes (see also A Good Day To Die Hard. Actually, don't, but you know what I mean).

Bruce Willis is still a one man tour de force. He OWNS the screen and is again superb. You root for him and want him to succeed. He is put through real jeopardy. OK so you know he's not gonna die. But the jeopardy is real. He is not Superman and does not survive ludicrously impossible assaults - everything is just about plausible, from an action movie point of view.

The explosions are bigger, but they are actually used fairly sparingly, and are part of the story, not just tacked on because there hasn't been something enormous exploding for x minutes.

The chief policeman is initially an arrogant fool, but reports into an intelligent and honourable man in charge of the airport, who is in turn assisted by some good and intelligent people. The good guys tackle the situation intelligently rather than making things worse. Even the chief comes round in the end.

The bad guys motives are political this time round, and were probably quite a hot topic at the time. Believable, if just a little less interesting than chasing gold.

Minuses? Well the bad guys are played by less interesting actors this time round (they are not bad at all - just not Alan Rickman, RIP), and you never really secretly want them to succeed. You want them taken down. There are also quite a few logic problems (e.g. if a succession of planes are going try an emergency landing using fire to guide them in, wouldn't they leave really big gaps between them, and more importantly, move the first one down out of the way so they don't all pile up)... but that is really nit picking. It is not an essential part of the plot that throws you off, just a slightly amusing hole to pick if you are in the mood.

All in all though, thoroughly entertaining, slickly produced sequel that is different enough to largely avoid repetition, but with enough that's familiar to make you comfortable that you are in safe hands.

A well deserved 4/5.

05 Dec 2016, 23:24	#6435
PanicLord Mega Loafer Join Date: 18.06.2003 Location: At The End Of The Line Posts: 2,652	Die Hard 2: Die Harder Now that's how to make a sequel. Ok, so the title sounds like a spoof, and in a way, it is a much more popcorn action flick than the previous movie. However, while they have undoubtedly ramped up the bullet and explosions count, this film manages to avoid my dreaded VERY LOUD NOISE syndrome, where sequels just become marketing exercises ticking off boxes (see also A Good Day To Die Hard. Actually, don't, but you know what I mean). Bruce Willis is still a one man tour de force. He OWNS the screen and is again superb. You root for him and want him to succeed. He is put through real jeopardy. OK so you know he's not gonna die. But the jeopardy is real. He is not Superman and does not survive ludicrously impossible assaults - everything is just about plausible, from an action movie point of view. The explosions are bigger, but they are actually used fairly sparingly, and are part of the story, not just tacked on because there hasn't been something enormous exploding for x minutes. The chief policeman is initially an arrogant fool, but reports into an intelligent and honourable man in charge of the airport, who is in turn assisted by some good and intelligent people. The good guys tackle the situation intelligently rather than making things worse. Even the chief comes round in the end. The bad guys motives are political this time round, and were probably quite a hot topic at the time. Believable, if just a little less interesting than chasing gold. Minuses? Well the bad guys are played by less interesting actors this time round (they are not bad at all - just not Alan Rickman, RIP), and you never really secretly want them to succeed. You want them taken down. There are also quite a few logic problems (e.g. if a succession of planes are going try an emergency landing using fire to guide them in, wouldn't they leave really big gaps between them, and more importantly, move the first one down out of the way so they don't all pile up)... but that is really nit picking. It is not an essential part of the plot that throws you off, just a slightly amusing hole to pick if you are in the mood. All in all though, thoroughly entertaining, slickly produced sequel that is different enough to largely avoid repetition, but with enough that's familiar to make you comfortable that you are in safe hands. A well deserved 4/5.