Movie Review: A Good Day to Die Hard

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Great action held together by a good plot

Cons: Forced family sub-plot, shaky cam

The Bottom Line:

Heart stopping action

Which is why we watch these films

So flaws are minor

"Relax.  I'm on Vacation."

Now, really.  You decided that the fifth entry in the Die Hard franchise should come out on Valentine's Day?  I've heard of counter programming, but this is a bit ridiculous.  Of course, it did give my roommate and I something to do.  And I found A Good Day to Die Hard to be a fun addition.

John McClane (Bruce Willis) is worried about his son Jack (Jai Courtney).  That's especially true when he finds out that Jack is in prison on a long string of charges - in Russia.  So he heads over there, arriving on the day Jack is brought into court.

But Jack is actually in prison and in court to help break Yuri Komarov (Sebastian Koch) out of jail.  Yuri is a political prisoner, and Jack is working with the CIA.  His father suddenly showing up on the scene turns his mission into chaos.  But as things spiral further out of control, will the two be able to work together to save the day?

So let's start with the bad.  First, there's shaky camera work.  It feels like it belongs in a Bourne movie and at times makes it hard to follow the action.  I really hate that style, so that was a turn off to me from the start.

Secondly, the fact that John is estranged from yet another family member.  Not only has the plot been done to death, but there is so little time for it here that it feels underdeveloped.

Finally, maybe it's just me, but some of the dialogue felt looped and added much later.  It put me out of the film a little bit.  This happened in several of the quieter scenes.

Outside of those scenes, the acting was good.  Okay, so depth of character and acting isn't really required here, but I bought the performances no matter whether the characters were fighting for their lives or trying to figure out their next move.

Really, these films are about the action, and here the film delivers.  Yes, it's over the top, so not all of it is believable.  But it is fun.  I was sitting there glued to the screen during all the scenes trying to see how they'd come out of it alive, much less in one piece.

And the story holds together fairly well.  I don't want to say too much about it, but like the rest of the film, it makes sense and does a good job of connecting the action sequences.

This film earns its R rating from the language and violence.  There's plenty of both.  And yes, that includes the famous catch phrase of the series.

While I don't think it's a date movie at all, A Good Day to Die Hard should please fans of the franchise.  So, guys, next time it's your turn to pick the movie, check this one out.