Die Hard 2: Die Harder - 1990

Gordon Company, Silver Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Directed by Renny Harlin

Cast:

• John McClane – Bruce Willis
• Holly McClane – Bonnie Bedelia
• Richard Thornburg – William Atherton
• Col. Stuart – William Sadler
• Maj. Grant – John Amos
• Capt. Carmine Lorenzo – Dennis Franz
• Leslie Barnes – Art Evans
• Mr. Trudeau – Fred Dalton Thompson
• Marvin – Tom Bower
• Samantha Coleman – Sheila McCarthy
• Sgt. Al Powell – Reginald VelJohnson

Story: John McClane is at another airport on Christmas Eve, but this time he's picking up his wife, Holly, as she is flying in. This time it's Dulles in Washington D.C., where Holly's parents live. Apparently John is now sporting an LAPD badge, so we can safely assume he has moved to LA to be near Holly as she continues her career with the Nakatomi corporation. Alas, John can't turn off the cop instinct and notices something amiss as he is waiting in the lounge...three men wearing military boots and acting suspiciously. He follows two of them discretely, but they enter a restricted area and he has a janitorial worker open the door and sends him for the airport police. As he approaches the two men who are busy doing something to a panel, they begin shooting, and a battle ensues, one that leaves one of the men dead while the other escapes. The airport police are treating this like a random luggage thief incident, but McClane uses a ink pad and gets the prints off the dead guy. He faxes the prints to Sgt. Powell in LA and asks him to run them. Powell reports back a little later, this guy is dead. Actually, the government says he died two years ago in a helicopter crash. So how was he alive and in the airport? McClane reports his information to the airport police Captain and the supervisor, Mr. Trudeau, but just as Trudeau orders Lorenzo to bring in all his shift commanders, the runway lights begin to go down, systems throughout the control tower shut down, and an ominous voice on the FAA frequency hot line warns them they are in control, and they have two minutes to tell their planes to circle at the outer marker. Col. Stuart and his crack squad of commandos have taken over the airport to free an inbound military general, and John McClane must once again save the day!

Review: At first, I thought the producers had lost their minds. Renny Harlin instead of John McTiernan on a Die Hard? But this one is as good as the first, if not better. Bruce Willis reprises his role as the indestructable John McClane, and like Al says, the insurance companies are getting nervous. This time McClane is up against a top notch crew of black ops commandos who have figured out every angle, except McClane. John is the fly in the ointment, and he does his best to counter every move the commandos make. The action scenes are exceptional, and the actors are perfectly cast. William Atherton and Bonnie Bedelia reprise their roles as well, and their interaction on the plane while John fights the bad guys on the ground adds an additional tension to the film that peaks your interest from the start. Dennis Franz as the irascible airport police chief compliments Fred Dalton Thompson as his boss. John Amos as the changeling Army major sent to foil Col. Stuart is priceless, and even plays up with McClane's character. Marvin the janitor is a perfect substitute for Argyle the limo driver, and the entire film proceeds with the pace and tempo that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what the heck is going to happen next. Rated R for violence, brief nudity, and a whole lot of language. Definitely collectible as #2 of the set of four.

Die Hard - 1988

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Gordon Company, Lawrence Gordon Productions

Directed by John McTiernan

Cast:

• John McClane – Bruce Willis
• Holly Gennero McClane – Bonnie Bedelia
• Hans Gruber – Alan Rickman
• Joseph Takagi - James Shigeta
• Karl – Alexander Godunov
• Sgt. Al Powell – Reginald VelJohnson
• Chief Dwayne Robinson – Paul Gleason
• Richard Thornburg – William Atherton

Story: John McClane, a New York cop, lands at LAX to begin a Christmas vacation with his estranged family. His wife, Holly, works for the Nakatomi Corporation, a hugely successful Japanese company in the final stages of completing their 35 story skyscraper in LA. Argyle, a limo driver, takes John to the building, where he discovers his wife is still listed under her maiden name. He arrives by elevator to the 30th floor, where he is greeted by Mr. Takagi, Holly's boss. Unknown to all, a group of terrorists has arrived in the building as well, and they systematically cut all connections to the outside world. Hans Gruber and his band of thugs enter the party and immediately take everyone hostage, except John McClane, who manages to escape to another part of the building. He singlehandedly attempts to thwart the terrorists / thieves through a battle of attrition, and the results are one of the strangest Christmas stories of all time.

Review: Okay, so who am I to argue with success? Obviously this franchise has proven immensely popular, given the further proliferation of Die Hards 2, 3, & 4. John McClane is Willis' most popular character, and a natural extension of his role in the television series Moonlighting with Cybil Sheppard. McClane is a street cop, a no-nonsense, shoot first ask questions later police officer who apparently gets the job done in the style of Dirty Harry. Alan Rickman is exceptional as Hans Gruber, the ex-terrorist with aspirations of becoming wealthy no matter how many lives are lost. As in most McTiernan action films, there is little background or lead in, just enough to let you know who the players are, and the action quickly starts and barely pauses. Bonnie Bedelia is excellent in her role as Holly Gennero, the top executive with people skills and a sense for reasonable control. She is the perfect executive who thinks of her people first and attempts to maintain calm under duress. Alexander Godunov plays Karl, the hot-headed terrorist on a mission to kill McClane for killing his brother. While no one will ever consider the Die Hards as Oscar worthy films, they are fun and exciting, and definitely collectible. Rated R for some brief nudity, drug use, and a whole lot of gratuitous violence. Like Vin said in xXx, “....think Playstation...Blow shit up!”