Die Hard 2 - Die Harder (Special Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Ladies and Gentlement put your seats and traytables back!
Review: Just a minor correction to the person who left an review for the movie on March 24th, it was not in new york city, it was at Dulles Airport outside of Washington D.C. Anways the movie rocked, and is definitly worth the purchase, ah instead buy the whole trilogy. The only minor flaw in the movie is when bruce is on the phone at the airport. it says "Pacific Bell" but note, that theyre on the east coast in d.c.? Thats Bell Atlantic's territory, oh well, so prop guys arent the best, but its still action packed!

Rating:
Summary: Non-Stop Action as Bruce Willis leaps in for a ride
Review: Bruce Willis Is in New York City again, at Dellis Tower. He awaits the arrival of his wife. Again, the setting is Christmas Eve. He battles it to the end to make you watch over and over again. I don't think this was the best Die Hard, though.

Rating:
Summary: Worthy of the "Die Hard" name...
Review: This first sequel gets picked on a lot, but taken on its own terms it's a lot of fun. Its biggest weakness is in relying on too many of the same characters and happenings as in the first movie. However, Harlin/Willis/et al. make these formulas work again, and the action scenes and explosions rank with the best of the series. Besides, any movie which ends using Jean Sibelius' 'Finlandia' can't be all bad. Excellent picture and great sound - turn the volume WAY UP!

Rating:
Summary: The Best Die Hard Film
Review: Die Hard 2 is the best of the series and an absolute must own for action fans. The DVD picture quality is the best of the trilogy. Why is it the best? The action scenes are the most fun out of all three movies.

Rating:
Summary: It's the 2nd worst movie of all time.
Review: The first and third Die Hard movies are great, but this one *****. I guess because Renny Harlin directed it. He's not my favorite director either. The series would be a whole lot better if this movie wasn't made. Wish I could put no stars but it won't let me.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Movie
Review: Die Hard 2 is a well though up movie. The action is intense and there is a deep plot. Bruce Willis is even better than in the original. Dennis Franz and John Amos compliment Willis in this film.

Rating:
Summary: ahhhh, the memories.
Review: I recommend this title to those who saw it way back in the day back in '90 and want to revisit (like me). Make no mistake that the genre has been done to death some time before and definitely afterwards. There are so many cliches in the sequences. However, this movie that 'launched a thousand careers' should not have that held against it. It was a joy going back and reliving all the action, no matter that it was predictable at times. Listening to director Renny Harlin's commentary was enlightening because he had no illusions of the limitations the genre has to adhere to, especially at that time. And gladly, he had a lot to talk about during the course of the film. Hardly any silence once he got going.
This, being the Special Edition, is the preferrable version of the DVD. Thank goodness the menus are not drawn out too long and I can access the options. Sometimes 20th Century Fox gets carried away with the menu effects and I have to wait too long to exercise my options (X-Men, anyone?). Two discs come in the package. And you can probably guess that the first disc is the main feature along with commentary and obligatory language, subtitle and audio options. And you might have guessed that the second disc is all the production and behind-the-scene documentaries (which, in total, is a little more generous than I expected).
But to reiterate, The movie is a little dated and the dialog is stuff you've heard before. Newer cinema buffs may not find much here if they haven't seen it. Rent first and decide. But fans of the series should not pass up the chance on this Special Edition. Yippee ki yay. Four stars, not quite five.

Rating:
Summary: Good action flick that perpetuates a myth
Review: I enjoy all of the Die Hard movies. They are great action flicks, and this one is no exception.

While McClane is at Dulles Airport in D.C. waiting for his wife to arrive, terrorists take over the airport's air traffic control system.

There are numerous "shootouts" with the terrorists and McClane, as in the other movies, is the reluctant hero.

Early in the movie, McClane is trying to explain to the airport's security director (Carmine) about the terrorist, and says: "That punk pulled a Glock 7 on me. You know what that is? It's a porcelain gun made in Germany. It dosen't show up on your airport X-ray machines, and it cost more than you make here in a month."

There is no such thing as a "Glock 7". This is a perpetuation of the "plastic gun" myth that was started in the mid 80's by an erroneous newspaper article about the Glock 17. This myth is still being hyped by many, including Kerry & Edwards during their recent unsuccessful presidential campaign.

It's always fun to see "facts" in movies (fantasy) get used in the real world. I guess some people can't tell the difference.

Rating:
Summary: Take that Twinkie out of your mouth and grab a pencil
Review: Renny Harlin (Exorcist: The Beginning, Driven, Deep Blue Sea, Cutthroat Island, Cliff Hanger, and A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master), the Finnish (like me) director (not like me) continues on with the story of John McClane, and his series of unfortunate events. Cutthroat Island is the only movie listed above that would truly aspire me to see his, however, I am amazed at how many people say this is their favorite Die Hard movie (my fiancée along with my brother-in-law). I personally think this is the weakest of the three Die Hards, and my favorite is Die Hard with a Vengeance, but I digress.

The best aspect (in my opinion) that Harlin added to this movie was his choice of bad guys/mercenaries he casted. Picture this, as the short black guy (Art Evans) is heading toward the control panel, surrounded by the airport swat team (who ever heard of such a thing), one of the swap team members says "hey a_ _hole, what do I look like to you," to two lackeys painting a portion of the airport on Christmas Eve. Who should turn around but the terminator himself (no not Arnold you fool), Robert Patrick?

Then, two cronies walk into a church, and the custodian is explaining to them how it is so sad they are closing this church down, he's been working there practically since it was built. Who guns down the custodian? Why it's Meat from Porkies. Then, who was that man at the airport, whose only part in the movie is cutting the power off to the airport tower, none other then John Leguizamo? Harlin casts two first rate villains, and Meat to pit against the great John McClane, as the beer commercial would say, BRILLIANT.

Lets be completely honest, what made this movie great was the fact the majority of the cast returned from the original Die Hard movie. Willis obviously cam back from the original, his wife Holly remained played by Bonnie Bedelia (Needful Things, The Boy Who Could Fly, Salem's Lot), William Atherton (The Last Samurai, Hoodlum, Bio-Dome, and Oscar) returns as the annoying reporter who gets hit with a stun gun instead of punch to the face, Reginald VelJohnson (Family Matters, Posse, Crocodile Dundee, and Ghost Busters) returns as Sgt. Al Powell.

In conclusion this is a very, very good movie. It is just not as good as its prequel or sequel, just my opinion. It still has a great cast, fairly good story, and great action sequences. Definitely belongs in your DVD collection, and is definitely a must see movie.

Grade: A-


Rating:
Summary: Die Hard 2 (1990)
Review: Not the best in the series. Bruce Willis returns, but without all the humor of the first. While battling terrorist again, you'll wonder why he's even trying. The spotlight doesn't shine to brightly on Bruce. The funniest part of the whole movie comes when McClane punches a guy in the mouth. You'll see why if you want to sit through this. Good title, Ok action.