How To Crash A Fire Sale
Written: Aug 08 '07
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: Willis, Long, Olyphant, Smith, Winstead; good script, direction, action
Cons: Some of the action is a bit over the top
The Bottom Line: Do you believe in Christmas in July?
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| pmills1210's Full Review: Live Free or Die Hard |
John McClane is a cop that has come to learn all too well that terrorists love to do some of their dirtiest work around holiday times. In Live Free Or Die Hard, McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself involved in stopping another terrorist plot. One early July morning, New York detective McClane is spending his off hours around the neighboring state's Rutgers campus, keeping tabs on his estranged college student daughter, Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). During his personal surveillance, McClane gets a call from his captain, who knows where he is because the detective's car has a tracking device. The FBI has reached out to several local law enforcement agencies for a favor. Through his captain, the Bureau has asked McClane to arrest Matthew Farrell (Justin Long) as a suspect in the hacking of the FBI database. Farrell, quite unknowingly, has created a program that is meant to unleash disaster upon the country.
Farrell did this work for a fee, but the persons who contracted him to create this program don't want him to enjoy his payday. They have rigged his computer with C4 explosive, which will detonate when he hits his delete key. McClane gets there before Farrell can hit the key to his doom. During the arrest, however, the men find themselves surrounded by others who have grown impatient waiting for an explosion. These others fire on McClane and Farrell, but McClane's quick thinking saves the day.
A few hours later, the men arrive in Washington to a scene of pandemonium, with the help of Matthew's program. Still, McClane delivers Farrell to Miguel Bowman (Cliff Curtis), the Bureau's chief computer agent, who had called for Farrell's arrest. Bowman explains that other hackers involved with the terrorists were wanted for questioning, but each of them was killed by the same manner meant to kill Farrell. Bowman assigns McClane and another agent to take Farrell into protective custody. Their pursuers, however, know that their mission failed, and they ambush the men. Again, thanks to McClane, the bad guys miss their target.
Just after that, Farrell suggests that computer experts could use the last job he had completed to create a fire sale, which is meant to cripple transportation, economy, and utilities. To complete this fire sale, this gang must take control of a West Virginia power plant that provides utilities to the eastern seaboard. Some of them are at that plant when McClane and Farrell arrive. While there, they learn the man behind the fire sale is Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant), a disgruntled former FBI agent whose concerns about computer safety were ignored by the White House. After making his concerns known in a very dangerous way, Gabriel loses his job. Gabriel and his girlfriend, Mai Linh (Maggie Q), then assemble a team of hackers and assassins determined to carry out the fire sale, and bring America to its knees. After McClane kills members of Gabriel's crew, Gabriel discovers where Lucy is, and kidnaps her. McClane and Farrell, meanwhile, get assistance from Freddy "Warlock" Kaludis (Kevin Smith), a computer eccentric who warned Matt to "get disappeared" just before his arrest.
Live Free Or Die Hard, which is adapted from an article by John Carlin, is the first installment in the Die Hard franchise since Die Hard With A Vengeance in 1995. Live Free Or Die Hard delivers the same mix of action and humor that is associated with the series, thanks to a smart screenplay adaptation by Mark Bomback and fast-paced direction by Len Wiseman, whose previous films were the two Underworld movies. In one exchange between McClane and Gabriel, the detective tells his nemesis exactly what happened between one of the terrorists and the vehicle John used to dispatch said terrorist. McClane is still that flawed hero who has put career ahead of all else. Fortunately, he comes equipped with both good aim and better luck.
Willis is still in fine form as his most famous screen character. John McClane is a modern day Dirty Harry Callahan. McClane, like Dirty Harry, is married to his work. McClane, however, works for justice on a larger scale. He finds himself fighting organized terror with very little support. Yet, he knows how to stand up to terror, and possesses some of the best improvisational skills in law enforcement. He faces improbable odds at every turn, yet survives battles with bullets, flying cars, helicopters, and even a fighter jet. Through it all, he manages to proclaim some of his favorite words - "Yippee-ky-yay!" He may not always understand his family, but he understands his badge means he serves and protects with every bit of his being. Willis is ably supported by Long as a suspect who eventually provides more than expert computer knowledge and Olyphant as an ex-agent absorbed in his own self-righteousness. Smith is funny as the ultimate computer geek, Warlock. Winstead gets to show that she has some of her father in her.
Live Free Or Die Hard is a fun and thrilling tale of a somewhat average cop who once again is called to step up and face a major threat. John McClane is a man who apparently made the most of his police academy training, as he does some outstanding work in the field. He knows life isn't fair, and police work can often be thankless. When he gets the call, though, McClane responds to the utmost of his ability. When it comes to making a choice between living free and dying hard, McClane wants the former for all of us.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Action Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing
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Epinions.com ID:
pmills1210
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Member: Pat Mills
Location: East Chicago, In.
Reviews written: 955
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"Nothing in moderation." - Ernie Kovacs. Read and enjoy!
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