A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD - archive from 4th April 2013

Saw 'A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD' tonite - the fifth instalment in the franchise and probably the weakest so far. Our titular hero John McLean (aka Bruce Willis) is back again, this time chasing down his estranged son Jack (Jai Courtney) arrested in Moscow, and it transpires working for the CIA, although John believes his son is an underworld criminal doing the wrong thing on the wrong side of the law on the wrong side of the world!

Embroiled in political wranglings things get messy and the action ramps up when an attempted court case goes awry, the Rusky's turn the tables on everyone, weapons grade uranium gets involved and it all turns nasty in downtown Chernobyl. Hundreds of cars get trashed in an impressive chase through Moscow, shit gets blown up in all directions, there is collateral damage aplenty, more explosions than you can poke a stick of TNT at, and all the artillery that John, son Jack and the baddies can muster.

If all this floats your boat then you're in for a treat and actioner Bruce Willis delivers as you would expect with his usual smirk & swagger aided & abetted by his silver screen son who is not yet qualified to take over the reins from Dad. Made for US$92M it made about US$350M so I guess that this probably means we'll see 'Die Hard 6' at some future date - when John McLean gets his pension and cheap bus pass!

Directed by John Moore, it is all over in less than 100 minutes so at least it's a quick thrill for the 'die hard' fans of the 'Die Hard' franchise! Far-fetched, far-flung but enjoyable enough and the previous four are better . . . yippee-kaye-yay Mother Russia!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-