DIE HARD: WITH A VENGEANCE (1995, USA, 128m, 15) ***
Action, Crime, Thriller
dist. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; pr co. Cinergi Pictures Entertainment / Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; d. John McTiernan; w. Jonathan Hensleigh (based on characters created by Roderick Thorp); pr. John McTiernan, Michael Tadross, David Willis, Carmine Zozzora; ph. Peter Menzies Jr. (DeLuxe | 2.39:1); m. Michael Kamen; ed. John Wright; pd. Jackson De Govia; ad. John R. Jensen, Woods Mackintosh.
cast: Bruce Willis (John McClane), Jeremy Irons (Simon), Samuel L. Jackson (Zeus), Graham Greene (Joe Lambert), Colleen Camp (Connie Kowalski), Larry Bryggman (Arthur Cobb), Anthony Peck (Ricky Walsh), Nick Wyman (Targo), Sam Phillips (Katya), Kevin Chamberlin (Charles Weiss), Sharon Washington (Officer Jane), Stephen Pearlman (Dr. Schiller), Michael Alexander Jackson (Dexter), Aldis Hodge (Raymond), Mischa Hausserman (Mischa), Edwin Hodge (Dexter’s Friend), Robert Sedgwick (Rolf), Tony Halme (Roman), Bill Christ (Ivan).
The third in the DIE HARD series is a largely entertaining but increasingly absurd action vehicle for Willis, whose Detective John McClane is now divorced, alcoholic and jobless after getting fired for his reckless behaviour and bad attitude. He is called back into action, however, when a cryptic terrorist (Irons) takes New York City hostage in a lethal game of “Simon Says” and refuses to speak with anyone but McClane. Teaming up with a street-savvy electrician named Zeus Carver (Jackson), McClane dashes through the city, trying to stay one step ahead of a murderous plot. The byplay between Willis and Jackson is the real draw here and adds significantly to the tried and trusted formula. Irons, however, lacks the charisma Alan Rickman brought to the first film. The action and destruction are on a huge scale. As the movie progresses the action, though well staged, becomes increasingly outlandish and overbearing, despite the return of director McTiernan and the result is a feeling of too much of a good thing.
