FOX 34 at the movies: 'A Good Day to Die Hard'

Reported by: James Eppler
Updated: 2/18/2013 10:14 am

On Twitter: @JamesEppler

Saying "A Good Day to Die Hard" is the worst of the "Die Hard" movies is really an insult to the others to even classify it with them. This isn't "Die Hard." They can say it is, just like I can say my dog is really a gold fish.

It doesn't make it true.

What made Bruce Willis' John McClane so appealing in the first three films is he was a flawed hero - a regular guy who suffered through these adventures he wanted nothing to do with, who bleeds when he gets hit, and tries to save lives.

Now he's nearly a psychopath who seeks trouble out, destroys half a city in a car chase, and has zero concern for innocent people in the way. It's an hour into this fifth "Die Hard" movie before he gets a speck of blood on him.

Oh, I almost forgot about the plot, like it matters. McClane has traveled to Moscow to rescue his son who's been arrested and charged with murder. John Jr. is played by Jai Courtney, who hates his dad for some reason, which gives us some ham-fisted bonding dialogue.

Direction by John Moore is choppy and poorly edited, and there's never any real sense these guys are in any danger. It's a cartoon.

And yet, I want one more "Die Hard" movie to end it right. But instead of getting bigger, the series needs to get smaller - going back to its roots.

It's the only way "Die Hard" doesn't die badly.  


Out of five stars

(The half-star is because of a funny one-liner about a cell phone.)

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