Seems Like Westworld To Me..."Vice"

Vice (2015)

Rated R

Starring Ambyr Childers, Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis

Directed by Brian A. Miller

The Story:

Welcome to Vice! The ultimate resort where anything goes, because all of the residents are robots. Fulfill your darkest fantasy. The only problem, Kelly (Childers) is starting to not completely reboot and remembering things that have happened to her before. Meanwhile, Roy (Jane) is a hard-boiled cop who thinks people acting out at Vice bleeds back to the real world and wants to shut the place down. This puts both of them in the crosshairs of Julian (Willis) who wants to shut them both down, permanently.

I hope I didn't make it sound too interesting... because it wasn't.

It was sooooooo boring.

I've yet to watch the re-imagining of Westworld on cable, but I have brief memories of the movie from the 70s.

My guess is they wanted to cash in before the new series came out.

I hope the series is more interesting.

Then again, I can't imagine it being any worse.

Willis and Jane cashing their direct to DVD checks, neither one mustering much effort to care, so I'm not going to either.

Currently streaming on Netflix if you're up for the challenge.

Final Grade:  F

It Takes A Thief..."Precious Cargo"

Precious Cargo (2016)

Rated R

Starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Bruce Willis, Claire Forlani,

Directed by Max Adams

The Story:

Karen (Forlani) has swiped some important information from Eddie Pilosa (Willis) and he wants to make sure she can't use it. As his boys try and track her down, she goes to meet her former lover, Jack (Gosselaar) an exceptional thief in his own right to enlist his assistance in the prize that Eddie is trying to get: millions of dollars worth of gems. But in a world of thieves, who can you trust?

As with all heist movies of any sort, the amount of twists, turns, and betrayals are part of the fun of the movie, so I won't elaborate on anything of the sort here.

For a budget B movie though, they do a very good job of keeping us as entertained as possible. I'm reminded of last year's Heist, both are films that delivered far more interest than other would-be blockbuster films with three times the budget.

The cast does a fine job, and Gosselaar acquits himself nicely in this film as the hero with a heart of gold, but also at least half a brain on knowing who he can and cannot trust.

Bruce Willis delivers a little more than a glorified cameo in this one, and he seems to at least be interested in what's happening in this one compared to some of his other straight to DVD fare.

Not the greatest heist / action caper I've ever seen, but the best one of the year so far.

:)

Final Grade: C+

I Really Didn't Like It... "Rock The Kasbah"

Rock the Kasbah (2015)

Rated R

Starring Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson, Leem Lubany

Directed by Barry Levinson

The Story:

Richie (Murray) is a music manager who hasn't found the next-big-thing in a few decades. So he takes his only client on a USO tour in Afghanistan, she freaks out and bolts. Richie is all alone until he hears a magical voice singing from a cave and discovers Samir (Lubany). He thinks she could be the next Afghan Star, except for the whole how Afghanistan treats women thing.

And yes, it's based on a true story.

The bad thing...

I was sooooo bored within the first 20 minutes, I wanted to turn it off.

I don't even remember if I did.

I think I fast forwarded to the end of the film to see the happy ending.

I was just happy it was over.

Talented cast.

Sloppy execution.

Now available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade:  D-

Bruce Willis Needs "Extraction" From The Direct To DVD Movie Realm

Extraction (2015)

Rated R

Starring Kellan Lutz, Gina Carano, Bruce Willis, D.B. Sweeney

Directed by Steven Miller

The Story:

Harry Turner (Lutz) has been training to be the best C.I.A. field operative since his dad, Leonard (Willis). He keeps getting denied because his dad keeps calling in favors to keep his son safe. When Leonard is kidnapped, Harry goes rogue to save him. Victoria (Carano) an ex-flame and current agent is assigned to bring Harry in, but they both will need to work together to find Leonard's kidnappers and stop something much, much bigger than they realize.

It's a movie about spies, so you need to be brief and vague on the review.

To its benefit, this movie is brief, clocking in under 90 minutes and it's not bad, so not a total waste of your time.

Contrary to movie posters and billing, Bruce Willis is not the star, it's Kellan Lutz who is being groomed to be part of the next generation of action heroes.

We were spoiled with our 80s and 90s action stars. They were often many things, but rarely wooden.

Most of the actors that are getting handed these franchises have little personality or charisma.

Lutz carried most of the Hercules movie a few years back.

No, not the one that was overshadowed by The Rock a few months later.

:)

He just doesn't do anything to stand out in the generic leading action star department.

Films like this aren't helping him much either.

So again, not bad, but probably a million other action films you can get to before you need to watch this one.

Final Grade:  C

He Was An Exceptional Thief... R.I.P. Alan Rickman 1946-2016

:(

Every great hero needs a great villain.

They elevate each other and make one another truly memorable.

In 1988, a little film called Die Hard was released and that movie catapulted Bruce Willis from television star to movie superstardom.

It doesn't hurt that it's one of the best action films ever made, my words, and the general consensus of just about anyone else who has ever seen it.

But...

Would it be nearly as good if not for Rickman's portrayal of master criminal Hans Gruber?

Not a chance.

Not bad for another actor of stage and screen who was making his first big budget movie.

He puts on a master showing as the calculating criminal with layers to his evilness that anyone who is cast as a villain should watch, just for pointers on how to help make your character truly interesting.

So while Willis went on to movie icon, Rickman became a great utility player, making many memorable roles and elevating the movies that he was in with his presence.

He brought energy to Sherwood Forest as the Sheriff and steals the movie right out from under Costner's nose.

Then he portrayed Alexander Dane in GalaxyQuest, the homage to Star Trek where his character, Dr. Lazarus, was the Spock to Tim Allen's Captain. He balances the role perfectly as the fed-up actor who hates being typecast but still loves acting.

And, while I've never bothered with the Harry Potter franchise at all, knowing that he played a main character in the films, it's about the only interest the movies had at all for me.

We'll see you again this Christmas, but it's going to be much sadder watching you fall from the top of Nakatomi Towers this year.

R.I.P. Alan Rickman.

Someday "The Prince" Will Come. And You'll Be Disappointed.

The Prince (2014)

Rated R

Starring Jason Patric, Bruce Willis, John Cusack

Directed by Brian A. Miller

The Story:

The Prince (Patric) is an ex criminal who got out of the game years ago when he attempted to take out the big bad guy (Willis) and instead killed his daughter.  Now, with his daughter missing, The Prince takes to the streets of New Orleans to find and rescue his daughter by any means necessary.

Remember when you have a successful movie and then everyone wants to make their version of it?

The pitch goes something like, "It's Die Hard, on a... "

Well, here they must have pitched, we get the guy from Die Hard, and we'll do something like Taken!

Because that's what you have, a half-hearted attempt at a crime/suspense thriller.

It's been done, many times, many ways, before.

Sometimes by some of these very same actors.

Which, no offense to Patric, but he doesn't have the charisma of Liam Neeson to carry an entire movie based on his ability to kill anyone, anytime. 

Instead, this will just be another direct to DVD resume filler for most, while we await the next Die Hard, or Taken.

Now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C-

"The Kid" Is A Mixed Bag Of A Movie...

The Kid (2000)

Rated PG

Starring Bruce Willis, Spencer Breslin, Emily Mortimer, Lily Tomlin, Jean Smart,

Directed by Jon Turtletaub

The Story:

Russ (Willis) is closing in on 40. He's an image consultant that doesn't really like his job, nobody really likes him, and he frankly really doesn't care much about anything anymore.  One night he comes home to find a kid named Rusty (Breslin) in his house. As the mystery unfolds, it would appear that Rusty is the 8 year old version of Russ and this is the classic, what key moment in life does Russ need to fix in his youth that will make his life better.  Or is it?

Also known as "Disney's The Kid", that should pretty much clue you in on how this movie will unfold.

My problem with it, is that it runs very slow throughout much of the plot.

I often argue that comedies, and family movies included, should run just about 90 minutes.

This one goes 15 minutes beyond that, and you feel every minute of it, and then some.

I'm not sure exactly where or why this takes place, but to me, the film just feels too drug out for its own good.

Once they finally figure out that Russ and Rusty are the same person, the race to the third act begins to pick up some speed.

Then, when it is revealed who caused the meeting between the two in the first place, you sort of shrug and say, "okay, whatever."

Never an intended consequence I would imagine.

Not a horrible way to spend your movie watching time, but nothing I need to rush back to do again.


Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It had been 14 years since I last saw this one. Nothing screams that I can't wait another 14 to see it again.

Mikey Is Now 25. Feel Old Yet? "Look Who's Talking"

Look Who's Talking (1989)
Rated PG-13 for language

Starring  John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, George Segal, Olympia Dukakis and Bruce Willis

Directed and Written by Amy Heckerling

The Story:

Mollie (Alley) is an accountant whose biggest client (Segal) is having an affair with her.  And then along comes unplanned baby, Mikey (Willis).  When Mollie goes into labor, she takes a cab driven by James (Travolta) to the hospital.  You can guess how this romantic comedy unfolds at this point, no?

Another Heckerling masterpiece.

Funny dialogue, great characters and wonderful music that helps tell the story is one of Heckerlings many attributes.

This film gets overlooked between Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless, but deserves to be mentioned with those cinema gems as well.

While everyone claims that Travolta enjoyed a career comeback in 1994 with Pulp Fiction, this was only 5 years earlier, so it's not like he had completely dropped off the map.  Alley was enjoying her tenure on Cheers and Bruce Willis was finishing up his Moonlighting stint and about to be Mr. Movie Star.

Lightning in a bottle that wasn't quite as successful with the subsequent sequels, but is still charmingly fun(ny) 25 years later.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Yes to both, I'd forgotten how much fun this movie really was.

Further Proof That Sequels Are Rarely As Good As The Original..."RED 2"

So close...

The Story:

Frank (Bruce Willis) is enjoying a quiet life with Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker) when Marvin (John Malkovich) comes calling.  He tries to warn them that danger is heading their way, but Frank wants to lay low and keep Sarah safe.  Oddly enough, Sarah is actually itching to see some action again, even though she is ill-prepared for it.  Then before you know it, trouble hits and the guys are on the run again, trying to figure out how to save the world and clear their names before they are killed.  This time however, it looks like Victoria (Helen Mirren) has been  hired by the British to make sure that Frank doesn't succeed.

Uh-oh!

I loved the first film.

One of my Best of the Year films, and one that I can watch at just about any time.

Was it the Morgan Freeman factor?  Hard to say.

They also had a much better 'bad guy' who was just doing his job, Karl Urban.

Here...

Not so much.

It's a muddled mess as they jaunt to Europe trying to evade nearly every government and assassin that is trying to take them down.

Including Frank's old flame, Katja (Catherine Zeta-Jones).

Here's a piece of advice for successful movies that want to franchise:

Don't hire Catherine Zeta-Jones for your sequel.

Ocean's Eleven rocked.
Ocean's Twelve...not so much.
Ocean's Thirteen thankfully regained much of the original swagger.

So I guess, that bodes well for Red 3!

:)

Instead, you've got Neal McDonough tracking the team, and he's great, but no Karl Urban.  Then you throw in an Asian assassin (Byung-hun Lee) plus everyone else after Frank...

And now you have to find time to squeeze in "The Package" (Anthony Hopkins).

They went with an "Everything But the Kitchen Sink" approach when they should have tried to dial it back a few notches.

Ah well, it wasn't a complete waste, but it was unable to capture the lightning in a  bottle of the first film.

Better luck next go round.

Final Grade: B- / C+ range.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Like I said, it wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as the first one.  I'm sure I'll get it though. : )

We Must Avenge Channing Tatum! "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" !

Get a piece of the Rock!

The Story:

Since the last movie, apparently all of the cool Joes are now gone, leaving only Duke (Channing Tatum) and Snake Eyes (Ray Park) as the only members still around.  They lead a new crew featuring Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki), Flint (D.J. Cotrona) and Roadblock (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson).  When all of the Joes are assembled to keep a nuclear warhead from falling into enemy hands, the President (Johnathan Pryce) orders them killed.  Remember, he's actually Zartan in disguise!  All of the Joes are killed except our new trio (and Snake Eyes...) and together they must discover who brought them down and why... before it's too late!

First, the lingering question of "Where did all the other Joes go?"... lingers.  I don't believe it was ever explained to satisfaction.  I think there was a throwaway line about after the nanomite incident... but that doesn't explain how your entire team disappears.  I was pretty sure everyone was still around when the last film ended.  If it was mentioned other than that, I missed it.

Second, the rumors of the movie being reshot to include more Channing Tatum (because every movie needs more Channing Tatum!!) proved false.  Yay!

If I spoiled that little factoid that Duke doesn't survive the film... well, sorry.  I gathered that piece of information from the trailer without even seeing the movie. :)

Sure, I was sad to see Duke killed, but it's a plot device, and if Scarlett, Duke and the rest are fodder, hasta la vista Duke.  When you think about it, every Joe is expendable at the end of the day, except Snake Eyes.

And apparently now, Roadblock.

Once again it is Dwayne Johnson to the rescue of a franchise.  He brought respectability to the Mysterious Island, and he proved to be an equal as the new guy in Fast Five, and helped propel Fast Six to even bigger box office heights.

Throw the guy into the G.I. Joe mix, and the guy owns the franchise from the minute you see him onscreen.

There is also the glorified cameo from Bruce Willis as the original G.I. Joe from which the unit was named.

A lot of fun, and as expected, even better than the original. 

And yes, I suppose the easiest explanation for the smaller cast, is you can tell a better story when you are only concentrating on a trio of heroes vs. over a dozen.

Plus, it's probably a lot cheaper. ;)

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't own it yet, but I'm hoping that situation works itself out in the future. : )

I Don't Remember "The Fifth Element" on the Periodic Table...

Hold on!

The Story:

The Fifth Element is the ultimate weapon against evil.  It saves Earth once, but it's getting too dangerous, and must leave the planet for safety.  Don't fear though, it will return to save the day in the future.

Welcome to the future!  The Fifth Element is on its way to save the day when tragedy strikes.  Scientists however are able to recreate the element in the form of LeeLoo (Milla Jovovich).  She escapes to try and complete her mission and is rescued by Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) former military, now cab driver.    It's up to Dallas to help LeeLoo save the planet from Evil, and evil's # 1 henchman, Mr. Zorg (Gary Oldman).  With a little luck from the clergy (Ian Holm)...it just might work!

I've got nothing but love for this film.

They had fun, but take the premise seriously...at least seriously enough.  : )  The tongue is never too far from the cheek as the situation dictates.

This is another Luc Besson masterpiece that he did double-duty on this time as both the writer and the director.

Gary Oldman runs around the movie as the scenery chewing bad guy, and he's just having a blast.

Bruce Willis plays to his strengths, the wisecracking hero who saves the day, and that's perfect for this film.

In fact, all of the supporting cast is enjoyable throughout the movie.  I suppose I should give special mention of course to Chris Tucker.

This was my first exposure to his work, and I would say that the first time I saw this film, I absolutely hated him.

Talk about annoying!

Then the years passed, and the Rush Hour series came along. 

Then I've come back to this film every once in awhile in the 16 years since it came out...

Does it trouble anyone else that all of these movies are getting up there in how old they are, or is it just me??!!

: )

Anyway, Tucker's annoying Ruby Rhod grew on me, and now I look forward to seeing him having a ball onscreen.

Naturally, you also can't overlook Jovovich's launch to movie stardom from this film.  She is a force of nature, and it has translated successfully to the Resident Evil franchise as well.

Movies like this are a perfect example of why I love movies.  It's a B movie that tries to entertain and have fun with itself, and it translates well to the audience.

I would imagine that many Sci-Fi purists might hate this film, but for this guy?

Works like a charm.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own it, and again, it sees a spin every 3-4 years or so.

Has Anyone Ever Calculated the Exact Coordinates of the "Striking Distance" ?

It's like Die Hard...ah, nevermind...

The Story:

Detective Tom Hardy (Bruce Willis) is a Pittsburgh detective who is caught between a rock and a hard place.  He has just testified against his partner (Robert Pastorelli) about using excessive force on a suspect.  On top of that, they are tracking a serial killer who seems to be one step ahead of the cops at every turn.  Everyone figures it has got to be a cop.  When a pursuit leaves his father (John Mahoney) dead, Hardy insists that there is a cover-up taking place, and fears that his uncle (Dennis Farina) and cousin (Tom Sizemore) could be involved.  When it costs him his badge, the years pass and Hardy is now river patrol.  There he is partnered with a new cop (Sarah Jessica Parker), but soon more victims that match the same m.o. as before start turning up in the water, and Hardy thinks the killer is back.

Whatever will he do?

Well, I have to say that this movie has held up rather well over the last 20 years.  I probably haven't seen it in about that long, maybe only 15 years...!!

Very little of this movie was retained in my memory.  So I thought, "maybe it was bad", or "I just didn't like it"?

Nope, it was fine, for what it is. 

It's hard when your leading man is Bruce Willis and he's coming off the heels of Die Hard. 

Granted, 25 years later, I've come to appreciate what Bruce brings to the screen in his roles.  I see him on the screen, and he always has to make the character different than what he's played before, but if he channels enough John McClane, normally it's satisfying to the audience.

However, this close to Die Hard, perhaps I was expecting too much from him?  Hard to say, exactly.

I'm not sure what was the disconnect on this one with audiences, but it is seemingly forgotten or dismissed in Willis' body of work.  Was there too much confusion in the plot on who everyone was?  Not enough action on the boats?  Was it just too slow and boring?

Hard to say.

Perhaps the reveal of the killer is too telegraphed and people didn't buy off on it.

I don't know.


The cast is full of great character actors, including the late, great Dennis Farina, who had not yet passed away when I watched the film, but has since passed since originally writing this review.  I hate to see him go out with this film as my latest memory of him, so perhaps a revisit to Get Shorty is in order? :)

Finally, I will say this, and I don't mean it in any way other than I'm going to say it, but:

Sarah Jessica Parker...the years have not been as kind to you as they have been to your co-star.

: )

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own Hudson Hawk, but not this one?  Hmm... seems like I've erred somewhere along the way.

I "Brake" For Good Movies. I Should Have Kept Going :(

It's like Die Hard...in a trunk of a car!

The Story:

Secret Service Agent Jeremy Reins (Stephen Dorff) awakens to find out he is being held captive in a plastic box in the trunk of a car.  Terrorists want information on "Roulette", where the President is being held during an attack on the Capitol.  But Jeremy won't talk, even when they take his wife, and he learns that there are others being held captive, and those captives turn out to be in the trunks of vehicles that are exploding across D.C. as car bombs!

To their credit, they take an interesting premise and turn it into a watchable movie.

The problem becomes, aside from voices, Stephen Dorff is all you've got to go with.  While he's a great actor, he's not exactly a "commanding the screen with his presence" kinda guy. 

Now, put Bruce Willis in the trunk of the car...

Dorff is more like the poor man's Christian Slater.  : )

Whether or not Agent Reins saves the day, well I don't want to spoil it for you if you plan on watching it.

Let's just say, what had been a decent enough movie up to that point, I can forgive many things...

But I can never forgive stupid endings.

And this ending...

Stupid.

Final Grade: C-.  Would have been B-/ C+ range until the end... now I'm dropping it lower!

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, I'm good.

Wrapping Up The Week Because It's "A Good Day To Die Hard"

A chip off the old block.

The Story:

John McClane (Bruce Willis) returns...but this time to the streets of Russia!?  It seems his son, Jack (Jai Courtney) is in a Russian prison, and John's on his way to try and help.  What he doesn't know, is Jack is undercover for the CIA and is trying to get some information from deposed Russian leader Kamarov (Sebastian Koch) before he is silenced forever.

Nothing says 'bonding moment' like fighting Russian extremists!

Okay, so I went to see this one in theaters, and I had a blast.  For what it is, it's the latest part in the legacy of John McClane.

At the time I gave it a B+.

Time passes...

The Sprinter chase is still a fun...

But the buddy-cop enjoyment of 3 & 4 vanish.

It could be the fact that the son is mainly in the same line of work as his dad.  He's not a novice thrust into this situation.  He's an equal...mostly.  Though still not quite as good at is as his old man.

I would say the least enjoyable aspect of this movie is Jai Courtney.  He is just a sour dude, from start to finish.  He's angry, and never stops being angry.

You would think McClane's family would give him some sort of break, I mean he's only saved the world a few times, and their mom too.

How does she repay him?  She divorces him.

No, instead, this one will wear the mantle of worst part of the franchise.

John McClane is not supposed to be a fish out of water.  He's supposed to be the fly in the ointment.

Again, this movie reeks of political intrigue moreso than heist caper. 

That appears to be the big undoing with the weak links in all of the less enjoyable films. 

Cops stop crooks.  Madmen driven by political schemes are best left to Secret Agents.

I want McClane...not Bond.


That said, if you do rent it/buy it... don't watch the extended version.  For some reason, they excise the most redeeming portions of the theatrical release, and all of the Lucy McClane scenes are removed.  Dumb move.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It sits on the mantle next to the rest of the franchise... but it will see the least rotation.  Once in a blue moon...

The Fourth for the Fourth..."Live Free or Die Hard"

I'm getting too old for this...

Whoops.

Wrong franchise!

The Story:

After over a decade, John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back in action again.  This time, he is asked to check on a computer hacker suspect named Matt (Justin Long).  He arrives in time to save Matt from an assassination attempt.  Now it's a race to get Matt back to the FBI and figure out what is going on.  It turns out that ex-Fed Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) is going to bring down the Federal Government by hacking into it and destroying it from within.  Only Matt has a chance of stopping him, and McClane is going to make sure he survives.  But when Gabriel kidnaps Lucy McClane (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)...

Well saving the world takes a backseat to saving his daughter.

This movie gets more right than it gets wrong in the franchise.  Say what you will about it, but it definitely was great to see Willis back on screen as John McClane.  Could they and should they have embraced the heritage of the film and embraced the R rating?

Probably so.

And I think that's where most longtime fans had an issue.  Not nearly as bloody or violent as its predecessors, and not nearly as much sarcastic profanity-filled snark from our hero.

Plus, I think a lot of people simply hated Justin Long.

Me, I liked the guy, and as was proved in Part 3, McClane with an everyman partner works.  Matt is clearly in over his head, but McClane is there to help out throughout the film.  Plus Long works as someone who is in so far over his head, he is just amazed at what looks like second nature to McClane, and he just doesn't see how that kind of heroism is possible.

Again, this installment straddles the heist versus political stance like part 2, but comes off more on the side of the heist, which is a good thing.

It was a nice reminder of how great the franchise was, and unlike say the 4th Indiana Jones movie, it didn't come back and run the franchise into the ground.

Yes, I'm willing to forgive the fighter jet surfing at the end, they had to get McClane off the freeway somehow... ;)

Giving this one a slight edge over Die Harder in the overall scheme of things.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: This one is growing on me.  : )

I'm In A New York State of Mind..."Die Hard With a Vengeance"

Do I look Puerto Rican to you?

The Story:

John McClane (Bruce Willis) returns, and this time New York City is being held hostage by terrorist Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons).  He's planted a bomb in one of the thousands of New York schools, but wants to play a game of Simon Says with McClane.  After inadvertently helping McClane with his first test,  Harlem shopkeeper Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson) is forced by Simon to help McClane the rest of the day.  Can McClane save the day again?

Ah... that's better.

John McTiernan returns to the franchise, and reinvigorates it with a return to form from the first, with a terrorist act covering up for an elaborate heist.

And why not tie this to the first even further by bringing the best villain family line back into play, as Jeremy Irons steps into the role of Hans' brother.

Yes, if you're going to do Die Hard, you might as well borrow all of the elements that made it work so well in the first place.

It's fun, and it crackles from start to finish.

The banter between McClane and Zeus is gold throughout.  Yes, there's even a subtle lesson in racism tossed in for free, but often overlooked because it actually works in reverse.

It could be argued that part 3 departs too much from McClane as the solo hero and enters buddy cop territory.

Eh.

I see the point, but at the end of the day, it's McClane with a novice who is along for the ride by force, not so much by choice.

While McClane doesn't do much of the claustrophobic sequences this go round, he ends up running amok in New York which can be even more unsettling than being trapped in ventilation or elevator shafts.

If you're going to close out a trilogy, again, like many franchises, you end with a solid bang that is better than the second while falling short of the first.

Die Hard with a Vengeance did that admirably.

They had no idea there would be another movie over a decade later...


Oh, and if anyone can honestly explain to me how they do the water jugs to disarm the bomb, I'd love to hear it.  I laugh during that scene every time because it makes absolutely no sense. :)

Final Grade: A

Rewatchabililty/Purchase Factor: My second favorite in the series, and just a fun movie to watch.  The chemistry between Jackson and Willis is a lot of fun to watch and enjoy.

If At First You Do Succeed..."Die Hard 2: Die Harder"

Déjà vu...

The Story:

Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) is flying back to DC to visit the parents.  John McClane (Bruce Willis) is at the airport to meet her.  John notices some goings-on that seem suspicious at best, but the airport police (Dennis Franz) aren't buying it.  Imagine everyone's surprise when Colonel Stuart (William Sadler) and his military brethren take over the airport and demand the arrival of General Esperanza to be turned over to them.  It's up to John McClane once again to save the day... by himself...

If he ever wants to see his wife again!

Renny Harlin steps in to continue the franchise, and he wanted to give us a film that was a radical departure from the original.

On that point, he scores!

The problem, and I could be wrong here, but I've finally noticed a pattern after watching these films a few times...

This film is not a heist film.

Remember, I've said in the past I'm a sucker for a good heist film.

Die Hard is the ultimate heist film.  Thieves, under the guise of terrorists, out to steal billions.

Well, in part 2, yeah, there's apparently money to be had by the traitors if they can get the general out of the US...

But they aren't stealing anything otherwise.

In a way, the political/military  aspect overshadows any heist that may be going on.

This is to the detriment of the franchise.

Cops take down thieves, not overthrow governments.

That said, Bruce Willis is back on point as McClane.  He's aided with some great supporting characters in the airport, including Dennis Franz as the cop everyone wants to see punched out.

Overall, it's a step down for the franchise.  It suffers what the majority of franchises endure with a sequel.

Still, it's better than most action films.

The problem with Die Hard, it set the bar so high with the first one, everything has paled in comparison since.  The fans expect more from this franchise.

Luckily, like Indiana Jones, John McClane would ride back a third time, and almost equal the greatness of the first film.

But then, I'm getting ahead of myself.


: )

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it and enjoy it, but it doesn't get nearly as much replay value as the bookends to the original trilogy.

It's a Good Week to "Die Hard"

Yippie-Ki-Yay...

The Story:

New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies out to Los Angeles see his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) for Christmas.  When he arrives at the Nakatomi Tower for the Christmas party, he has no idea that the party is about to be commandeered by terrorists led by the enigmatic Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman).  Managing to escape, McClane systematically takes down the terrorists one by one, but there is more to this group than terrorist motives.  McClane is going to save his wife...

Or die trying.

I think we all know where I stand on this movie.  It's in my personal Top 10 list of greatest movies I've ever seen.

It totally reinvented/reinvigorated the action genre of film in the late 80s.

We had grown so used to Stallone, Arnold, Chuck and the rest of the kick-butt generation, that McClane was an odd choice for a hero.

He's not big.  But he's tenacious.  His willpower alone is what sets him above, and apart, from the rest of the crowd.

It didn't hurt that Bruce Willis had charisma and charm to spare as the wiseacre.  Those who watched him on Moonlighting knew he would become a star.

Think John McClane is David Addison...with an attitude! :)

His one liners didn't come across forced, they came out as a snarky response to the bad guy... McClane was the everyman action hero.  He's not ripped and buff, but he would use his smarts and adrenaline to try and save the day.  That connection is one that the audience can grab and connect with.  25 years later, this movie still impresses as much as it did back in the day.

It really is a blueprint for how to make an action movie correctly.

The counterpoint for the everyman action hero, you have to have a great villain.

This is where most movies go wrong.  You can't just have a cardboard cutout/stereotype.

You need someone charismatic that audiences hate...but like.  Like to hate.  Hate that you like him.

Rickman owns Hans Gruber, so much so, that every installment since has been trying to catch that lightning in a bottle.  You've got the hero, but how's the villain? 

Sadly, every installment falls short, but when you come out this strong as a franchise, there really is nowhere to go but down.

I let the teens see Die Hard for the first time last year for Christmas...

Yes, this qualifies as a Christmas movie.

They sat glued to the screen.

I was so proud. :* )

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I loved it so much, I begged and whined a little... and they upgraded me to the Blu Ray set for Father's Day.  I have the best family ever!  It gets watched at least once a year... for Christmas! 

Die Less-Hard...or Something... "The Cold Light of Day"

Everything you thought you knew is a lie...

The Story:

Will (Henry Cavill) comes to Spain to visit his family who works for the American Embassy.  Or so he thinks.  Soon, his entire family is abducted and it's up to Will and his Dad (Bruce Willis) to save them.

 

You see, it turns out that dad is a spy working for the Agency, but his boss (Sigourney Weaver) may not be as helpful in returning a briefcase that they need to get their family back.  Matters take a turn for the worse when the father is killed, and it's up to Will to save the day.

On paper this must've sounded great!

However when you kill your greatest acting asset (Willis) in the first act of the film, you really have nowhere to go but down.

Cavill has the right look I guess, but his acting comes across rather wooden and emotionless.

Oh goody, I see that's who they've tagged to play Superman in the reboot.  This could get interesting.

Sigourney Weaver, "great actress", has given way to Sigourney Weaver, "may I have a check? Thank you."

But hey, this is like the 3rd Bruce Willis movie that I could say the same for him, so what can you do?  Even actors have to eat.

The movie is put together well enough to keep your interest for the duration, but it's nothing you haven't seen before.

Better.

And would be well advised to just watch that better movie again, and let this one go.

Final Grade: C-

Would I Own It: No chance, and re-watchability factor is pretty nonexistent.

"Lay the Favorite" in the Do Not Watch Pile

It sounded good on paper...

The Story:

Beth (Rebecca Hall) comes to Vegas to work as a cocktail waitress.  She instead gets hired by Dink (Bruce Willis) to help him with his gambling business.  This doesn't sit well with Dink's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) who wants the girl out of their lives.  Yet she seems to be helping Dink make some serious cash, so Dink is torn...  and the movie keeps going...

I don't know what to say about this one.

So yesterday, Bruce Willis is barely in a direct to DVD outing that is actually pretty good.
Today, he's in a direct to DVD movie that is a rambling mess.

Not funny enough to be a comedy.
Not dramatic enough to be a drama.

Not anything really.  I wouldn't even call it a dramedy. 

The acting chops of Willis, Zeta-Jones and Vince Vaughn are all for naught in this film.

I ended up watching this at 1.5x, and it still took forever to finish.

Save your time, save your queue rotation... skip this one.

Final Grade: D+

Would I Own It: I wouldn't bet on it.  You see what I did there?  That's funnier than any joke in this movie.  True story!