DIE HARD 4
US, 2007, 129 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Long, Maggie Q., Cliff Curtis, Jonathan Sadowski, Kevin Smith, Cyril Raffaelli, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Directed by Len Wiseman.
Even older cinema goers who may not have been out for a while will recognise the title, Die Hard. And those who like an action thriller might get more than a little excited. Could a fourth in a series that is almost twenty years old be any good let alone better than its predecessors? The quick answer is a definite ‘yes’.
It is extraordinary how Bruce Willis has become one of the major Hollywood screen icons – and he shows no sign of flagging. Between 1985 and 1989, he appeared in 36 television episodes of Moonlighting. He also released some albums of songs. He was probably seen as something of a lightweight, especially when he appeared in his first feature film, a comedy, Blind Date. In 1988 came Die Hard and Willis was off, and in the film, literally running.
His character was called John Mc Lane. And John Mc Lane has become something of a Hollywood icon as well.
On his first Mc Lane appearance, Bruce Willis was 33 years old with terrorists led by Alan Rickman holding a skyscraper. Second time around he was 35 in 1990, saving an airport against Franco Nero. By 1995 for his third outing, he was 41, racing round New York to thwart Jeremy Irons. Which means that the question arises, how can John Mc Lane keep up the momentum at 52 as he faces security expert, Timothy Olyphant?
This is all something of a reminder about the past but also a preamble to saying that an ageing, bald Bruce Willis is fitter than most, performs a lot of action stunts and has to keep going in a plot that takes place over just twenty four hours without a moment of rest, anything to eat or a toilet break. But, while he is on screen, we don’t have time to think about this or work out all the logic or logistics.
The important thing for today’s audience is that the plot be set in the modern 21st century with all its problems. So, while Mc Lane is not particularly computer literate, he is given a sidekick, an IT geek who has unwittingly been part of a huge terrorist attack on the whole infrastructure of the US and who will have plenty of opportunity to rectify the damage. He is played very well by Justin Long who has appeared in a number of comedies, Dodgeball, Accepted… It’s a matter of Willis’ brawn combined with Long’s brains. The press notes say it’s their Yin and Yang. The pairing that does come to mind is something of a Laurel and Hardy odd couple.
But, they do work well together – and they do save the world.
One of the important facets of Mc Lane’s heroism is that he is not a comic-strip hero with superhuman powers. Mc Lane is a New York detective who uses ordinary and extraordinary things which are at hand, whether it be a fire extinguisher or a flying crashing car which destroys a helicopter. He tells Long that he was out of bullets!
This means that the older audience will enjoy the use of muscled wit and police experience. Younger audiences will be intrigued by the activity of brilliant hackers, the possibilities of computer links and the ‘Fire Sale’ which means that the terrorists are targeting everything from power utilities to money reserves.
Obviously, this is a modern ‘Boys’ Own’ action show with its breathless action and heightened violent conflict between good and evil.
1.The Die Hard series and popularity? Over twenty years? Bruce Willis as a screen icon? John Mc Lane as a screen icon?
2.The title, the tone, Mc Lane as a diehard type? His work in the past, buildings, airports, terrorists, criminals? The contemporary story? Mc Lane showing his age?
3.A technological age, the changed cultures, Mc Lane and his belonging to the past, the discussion about Creedence Clearwater? His recognising and using CB radio? Analogue in a digital world? Brains and brawn? Yin and Yang? And the touch of The Odd Couple and Laurel and Hardy? An effective combination between Mc Lane and Matt?
4.The Washington locations, New Jersey, the city, the streets, precincts, offices, the buildings? The simulated destruction of the Capitol? The countryside, the utilities sites? Authentic? The musical score – action and sentiment?
5.The situations, their credibility, the villain and his history with the Pentagon, American security after September 11? Skills, his team? The plan, closing things down, the fire sale? The results? Mad and ruthless? The FBI and the confrontation? Yet ultimate victory with single-handed heroes?
6.Mc Lane on heroes, ordinary people, using their wits, what was at hand, doing what’s right, no-one else doing it? Yet the sardonic touches, irony about pay and family life? Matt and the contrast with the computer geek, his experience, being saved, tagging along, volunteering to go at the end, the final heroics?
7.The plausibility of the events, the characters, the situations, imagining more – and then it happening on screen? And the power of survival?
8.The initial set-up, Gabriel, Mai, Trey, the huge staff, the vast complex for the computers, a computer world? Getting information from the hackers – then killing them? Going to kill Matt, the set-up? His not turning off the computer? Sending in the troops? Traffic chaos, the anthrax scare, evacuations of buildings, power going down? The TV, cell and satellite connections?
9.The introduction to Mc Lane, Lucy, spying on her, with her boyfriend? Showing his age? Her resentment towards him? The call, going to find Matt, the attack, the firepower, his saving Matt, his firing back, the danger of the escape, driving to Washington, the pursuit?
10.The FBI, Bowman and his using his wits, his assistants? Plans, the technology? McLane? and Matt and the information? The fire sale? The Capitol going up – and the simulated explosion? The videos – and the humour of the voices and words of the various presidents? The threats of what could happen? The plans and the details?
11.Matt, his computer background, having all the information in his head, being able to draw on it? His theoretical ideology, against the government? Facing real life and the world? Talking, Mc Lane and the clashes, listening to the music, the mobile phones? The pursuit, his recognising Mai’s voice? The chase, the helicopter, the crashes in the tunnel?
12.The fire sale, the decision to go to West Virginia, the drive, the building and its being occupied by the gang disguised as FBI? The ruthlessness in shooting? Mc Lane and Matt intruding, the various confrontations? Matt and the computer? Mai and the fight, the truck into the centre, the elevator shaft? The fight, McLane? hanging on for dear life, Mai’s death? Hauled to safety? Gabriel and his setting all the gas to West Virginia, the explosions?
13.Gabriel and Lucy in the elevator, the contact, rescuing her, holding her, the talk, the television contact with Mc Lane? The threats?
14.Mc Lane and the helicopter flight, setting it down, finding Warlock, the comedy with Kevin Smith, the real computer geek? The discussions, the revelations, the talk, discovering where the headquarters were?
15.The headquarters, infiltration, Gabriel and his shooting his staff, keeping Trey? Taking Lucy? The fights? Matt and the computer, the threat for him to change the program? The henchmen and the acrobatics and the fights?
16.Mc Lane, driving the truck, the stealth plane and its firing on him, the destruction of the freeway?
17.The build-up to the final confrontation, the threat to Lucy, to Matt? The shootings? Matt and his saving Mc Lane’s life?
18.The aftermath, the discussion about heroics – with the ironies?
19.A 21st century action film, terrorism from within, threats, dangers, ideologies, US personal motivations, vengeance?
