Live Free Or Die Hard Review

HIGHS

• Some of the action scenes were really well shot. Great use of panning cameras and interesting angles that help add to the overall intensity.
• The first 30 minutes or so were actually pretty okay, but it was a constant downhill slide from there.
• The actress playing John McClane's daughter wasn't annoying. That's pretty significant, as more often than not that sort of character would be.
• Justin Long did a pretty decent job as the comic relief sidekick. But that may be my slight attraction toward him talking. I try to remain as objective as I can, but c'mon, he's a cutie.
• This movie will make you appreciate Die Hard 3 more.
  

LOWS

• Let's get one thing clear right off the bat. This is not a Die Hard movie. This is some other kind of action movie that happens to star Bruce Willis as John McClane. The similarities end there.
• I hate the fact that the movie was dumbed down to get a PG-13 rating. John McClane swears. A lot. He finds himself in crazy situations where dropping f-bombs is completely necessary and expected. A restrained McClane does not cut the mustard. It's almost as bad as trying to show The Sopranos on A&E...
• Some of the action was very unrealistic. John McClane is not a superhero. He's just a tough cop who does what he can to survive. He should not find himself surfing on fighter jets.
• The story is more convoluted than it needed to be and meandered a lot. The writers really wanted me to think what was happening was a big deal, but I just wasn't buying it.
• Really lame villain. He talked through clenched teeth and pursed lips and I just wanted him to die. You're supposed to hate the villain, but for different reasons. This guy was no Hans Gruber, let me tell you. He didn't even have an accent!
• The dialogue was pretty awful at times. Borderline eye-roll inducing, which is not what you want in a Die Hard flick.
• Some bad green screen work that is really inexcusable in today's age of top-notch effects.
• Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, that d-bag Kevin Smith shows up playing, what else, a big fat nerdy loser residing in his mother's basement. And seriously, my hatred for Kevin Smith aside, his acting was atrocious. Stick with the silent thing, please.
  

Torrey's Opinion:
5- Strongly Recommended
4- Recommended
3- A Mixed Bag
2- Sub-par
1- Don't Bother

Random related fact: Jessica Simpson auditioned unsuccessfully for the role of Bruce Willis' daughter.