Die Hard (Five Star Collection)

Starring:Bruce Willis, Reginald VelJohnson, Bonnie Bedelia, Alexander Godunov, Paul Gleason, William Atherton, De'voreaux White, Alan Rickman, Hart Bochner, Dennis Hayden, Clarence Gilyard Jr., Bruno Doyon, Andreas Wisniewski, James Shigeta, Robert Davi, Grand L. Bush, Matt Landers, Anthony Peck, Lorenzo Caccialanza, Joey Plewa
Director: John McTiernan
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

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Die Hard is the movie franchise that made a movie star out of TV star Bruce Willis, and created an entire action-movie genre of its own. In the original 1988 film, Willis plays wisecracking New York cop John McClane, who arrives at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles to meet up with his estranged wife, Holly (Bonny Bedelia), at her office Christmas party. As luck would have it, the company ends up in the middle of a terrorist plot led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his gang of expert killers, and with little help coming from outside, McClane has to pick off his enemies one by one. Thus was born the "Die Hard genre ", epitomized by such films as Under Siege ( " Die Hard on a ship "), Passenger 57 ("Die Hard on a plane" ), Speed ( "Die Hard on a bus" ), and Cliffhanger ( "Die Hard on a mountain "). But few measure up to the explosive brilliance of Die Hard. Director John McTiernan develops the action at a fast and furious pace, culminating in some fantastic set-pieces on the top of the building, in the elevator shaft, and in the building's outer plaza. Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza's script, based on Roderick Thorp's novel Nothing Lasts Forever, is smart, funny, and full of memorable lines (among them "Welcome to the party, pal!" and of course "Yippee ki-ay, motherf*****"), and the cast is perfection, especially Rickman as the cunningly evil villain, and Willis, whose McClane character--bloodied, beaten, bruised, and barely breathing, as he battles both bad guys and bureaucrats--is someone audiences could genuinely cheer for.

Directed by Renny Harlin, the 1990 sequel, Die Hard 2 (unofficially referred to as Die Harder), doesn't match the level of the original, but it's still an exciting thrill ride with some terrific action sequences. One year after the Nakatomi incident, McClane (Willis) is awaiting his wife's (Bedelia) plane to arrive at Dulles Airport when he stumbles onto a plot to paralyze the entire airport, including all the planes trying to land. It's up to McClane to take on the cadre of bad guys despite all the bureaucrats standing in his way, and before the planes run out of fuel and crash to the ground. The cast includes William Sadler as rogue military man Col. Stuart, Dennis Franz as the latest bureaucratic cop to get in McClane's way, Richard Thornburg as the annoying reporter from the original movie, John Amos as a special-forces commander, early-in-their-career John Leguizamo and Robert Patrick as terrorists, and future politician and Law and Order actor Fred Thompson as the head of air traffic control.

The third film in the series, Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), was again directed by John McTiernan and uses a different concept. The villain (played by Jeremy Irons) claims to have planted bombs all over New York City and gives John McClane (Willis), now alchoholic and separated, a series of clues to try to track them down. Along the way, he's aided by, and eventually teams up with, a Harlem shopkeeper named Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson). The interplay between Willis and Jackson is engaging, but better suited to the Lethal Weapon franchise it was previously considered for, and not till the end does the movie return to the familiar McClane-vs.-villains-showdown format.

The 2007 Die Hard Collection is a four-disc set that comes up short when compared to the previous six-disc Ultimate Collection , which is now out of print. That 2001 set had two discs for each film (plus, Die Hard was a Five Star Collection release). This set does away with all of the second discs, though it retains the features that were on the movie-only discs, including director commentaries and the seamlessly branched version of the first film with a scene added back in. There's also a brand-new fourth disc, but it's pretty minor. "Wrong Guy, Wrong Place, Wrong Time" is a 40-minute retrospective of the original movie. Wide-ranging but rather dull, it collects interviews with director John McTiernan, cinematographer Jan De Bont, screenwriters Jeb Stuart and Steven E. De Souza, other crew, and actors Reginald Veljohnson, Hart Bochner, and William Atherton. Also from 2007, "The Continuing Adventures of John McClane" looks at the second and third movies in the series. It's a mere 13 minutes and only interviews the two directors, Renny Harlin and (in new and old footage) John McTiernan. Last, three trailers for the 2007 film, Live Free or Die Hard, make this set look like something that was released merely to have something on the shelves while the new film was in theaters. --David Horiuchi

Description

Disc 1: **"Die Hard" Widescreen Feature with optional Commentary by director John McTiernan and production designer Jackson DeGovia **Additional scene-specific commentary by special effects supervisor Richard Edlund **Subtitled commentary by various cast and crew **Branching version with the extended power shutdown scene **DVD-ROM - script-to- screen comparison

Disc 2: **"Die Harder" Widescreen Feature **Directors commentary

Disc 3: **"Die Hard with a Vengeance" Widescreen Feature **Directors commentary

Disc 4 Bonus Disc: **Inside Look: LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD **Wrong Guy, Wrong Place, Wrong Time: A Look Back At Die Hard **The Continuing Adventures of John McClane

Customer Reviews:

Yippee-Ki-Yi-Yay.......2007-07-02

I just love the die hard movies and this was a perfect set to get. All of them together plus a bonus disc with interviews and commentary. Not to mention a free ticket to Live Free or Die Hard. I knew I waited to buy them for a reason!! There is nothing like a good action movie where the good guy always comes out on top!

One more movie to add to an already useless film franchise...........2007-07-01

what do Mr. Willis and lots of action sequances equal....Three very bad movies. Here you get to relive it all over again, with a fourth disk that showcases the hopefully last movie they will ever make (Live Free, Die Hard). A movie I already saw because nothing else better was playing and Mr. Willis as always showcases his non-acting talents and bad jokes. And a joke is what these movies are.

What is people's problem?.......2007-06-30

The Die Hard films are the greatest action series ever made. This is a small collection of the trilogy. It does not have all the extras of the six disc ultimate box set that was released a couple years ago, but you get what you are paying for here. For $30 you get the three films. You can look at it as only getting half of the old box set, but you are getting it for half the price as well.

This is a Die Hard set for people like me who don't care about a million extra features and just want to enjoy the movies at an affordable price. Don't get me wrong, it isn't like I dislike extras, but to be honest I only watch them once or twice, so to me it isn't worth the extra cash.

Nice cases, nice collection for those who don't got it!.......2007-06-26

Everyone wants to whine about how much this set lacks, it's a great re-release for people who don't have any of the movies yet and yes it does lack special features and if that's what you care for then yeah don't buy this, but if you just care about the movies straight up then buy the collection, it's a great price and some pretty cool artwork. And honestly, how many people re-watch special features? I know a few do but I mean, c'mon...

live free or buy this again?.......2007-06-24

This is a money grab, absolutly right. Better editions exist and they will release the box set again with the fourth film included a couple of months after it's been available on it's own. Isn't that the formula these days?

DIE HARD - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION (DVD MOVIE)

Average customer rating:

Great Movies, who's the swelled head that packaged them?
Die Hard - The ultimate Collection
Top Notch Action in LA, D.C. & NY
Die Hard = Action At Its Finest
Awesome action

DIE HARD - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION (DVD MOVIE)

Manufacturer: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005K3LX

Product Description

"Die Hard" - (1988, 131 min.) - Bruce Willis stars as a lone cop locked in a desperate battle against terrorists who have taken over a Los Angeles high-rise in the blockbuster action thriller that started it all! "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" (1990, 131 min.) - A rogue U.S. special forces unit celebrates Christmas by hikacking an entire Washington, D.C. airport. Their plan to crash all in-coming flights until an imprisoned dictator is released is flawless except for one detail: off-duty cop John McClane. "Die Hard 3: With a Vengeance" (1995, 124 min.) - When a psychopathic criminal who calls himself "Simon" plants bombs throughout the city of Manhattan, washed-out cop John McClane finds himself in a race against time: not only to defuse the bombs but to uncover the truth behind Simon's madness.

System Requirements:
Starring: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason, De'voreaux White, William Atherton, Hart Bochner, James Shigeta, Alan Rickman, Franco Nero, William Sadler, John Amos, Dennis Franz, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Graham Greene, Colleen Camp
Directed By: Renny Harlin, John McTiernan.
Running Time: (total) 386 Min., Color.
These films are presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2002 Twentieth Century Fox.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Christmas is not a good time of year in the McClane family. Especially for John McClane, who always happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But if it weren't for the heroics of this rugged, resourceful cop, many lives would be lost and megalomaniacal terrorists with various European accents would be having their evil way. In 1988, director John McTiernan and the phenomenal hit Die Hard introduced the world to maverick Sgt. John McClane (Bruce Willis) of the New York Police Department, and in the course of this film and two blockbuster sequels McClane was frantically saving lives, buildings, airports, schools, cities, and even his marriage from the threat of international terrorists, psychopaths, and cagey mercenaries. Now you can watch antihero McClane blast his way through all three movies. Witness his transition from a happy-go-lucky, slightly cranky cop to extremely burnt-out, partially alcoholic cop with a propensity to attract extreme violence and catastrophe. Yet the one thing that always overshadows his character flaws is his uncanny ability to spoil the schemes of stylish villains with slick names such as Hans Gruber (the nasty terrorist from the first film, played to perfection by Alan Rickman). Sit down, pop some corn, grab a bottle of Coca-Cola, and get ready to watch (in any order you please) the Die Hard Trilogy--a must for any action buff or fan of Bruce Willis, who owes his film career to the enduring appeal of these global box-office hits. --Jeremy Storey

Customer Reviews:

Great Movies, who's the swelled head that packaged them?.......2007-01-13

The Movies, what can I say they are great as always. The problem I have is the packaging. This collection of three Willis' films (6disks) takes up more shelf space than a five film "007" collection, or the 4 film (9disk) Alien collection. Now these are good/even great action flicks, but they are not 007, who has the swelled head in the production company?
Guys, I do buy DVDs because the quality is better, I also buy them because they take up LESS shelf space. So lets get with it?

Die Hard - The ultimate Collection.......2007-01-10

I bought it as a gift for my grandson. He was very pleased with it.

Top Notch Action in LA, D.C. & NY.......2006-09-03

Bruce Willis stars as NYPD Officer John McClane in the action packed "Die Hard" Collection- "Die Hard" "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" "Die Hard with a Veagence" Great brilliant action movies, the best action movies ever made, Willis is terrific & funny. Buy this action packed triumphs before ya see "Live Free or Die Hard" next summer

Die Hard = Action At Its Finest.......2006-08-31

The original 'Die Hard' is one of those rare movies that come around once every 10 years or so. If you look at any of the AFI lists of the greatest movies ever made, you will see this film make their list, the amazing thing being that the lists I am referring to are not meant for action but movies IN GENERAL. With an amazing cast, wonderful script, solid directing, this is a rare example of the perfect movie. If you love action movies and haven't ever seen Die Hard before, stop reading this review and go pick up the film. Even 18 years later, the movie had stood the test of time with barely a bump in the road, and it's the quickest 2+ hours that will go by.

***** HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION

Die Hard 2 is another fine movie and a wonderful sequel. The writers could have easily copied the same storyline as with the original Die Hard (see the Under Siege films), but instead they go a different route with another fine script. This movie only gets better with age for me. Another solid performance by Bruce Willis, fine directing and you have a sequel while not as good as the original, it's enjoyable to say the least.

**** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

'Die Hard With A Vengeance' is an odd film. Wonderfully acted and written at times, there are scenes which I think are even better than the original Die Hard. But then you have ridiculous moments like Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson falling 100+ feet and not killing themselves where the movie just falls flat. I think the script itself is even better than the Die Hard 2 story, but with 5 years time between the 2nd and 3rd films, this just doesn't have the same enjoyment as the other movies. Deciding to make Bruce Willis a divorced down and out drunk cop doesn't help you connect as well to the character as in the 1988 and 1990 films either, so this movie gets the lowest rating of the bunch.

*** RECOMMENDED

Awesome action.......2006-07-22

First, I love Bruce Willis! I love movies that portray the "bad guys" getting what they deserve in the end. Bruce Willis movies do a great job showing fans that. I also enjoy the fact that he is a family guy. Not a perfect father but he really does love them. In "Die Hard" (Collection) there are some corny parts but you can get past them quickly because they are so action-packed. The "Die Hard" (Collection) is NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT! Go Bruce!! :)

Average customer rating:

A near-perfect action classic
A classic that is much better than so many of its imitators
Funny/
"Yo-ho-ho" - first part if unique
Very re-watchable

Die Hard (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Bruce Willis , Reginald VelJohnson , Bonnie Bedelia , Alexander Godunov , and Paul Gleason
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002B15WE
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com essential video

This seminal 1988 thriller made Bruce Willis a star and established a new template for action stories: "Terrorists take over a (blank), and a lone hero, unknown to the villains, is trapped with them." In Die Hard, those bad guys, led by the velvet-voiced Alan Rickman, assume control of a Los Angeles high-rise with Willis's visiting New York cop inside. The attraction of the film has as much to do with the sight of a barefoot mortal running around the guts of a modern office tower as it has to do with the plentiful fight sequences and the bond the hero establishes with an LA beat cop. Bonnie Bedelia plays Willis's wife, Hart Bochner is good as a brash hostage who tries negotiating his way to freedom, Alexander Godunov makes for a believable killer with lethal feet, and William Atherton is slimy as a busybody reporter. Exceptionally well directed by John McTiernan. --Tom Keogh

Description

Bruce Willi stars as New York City Detective John McClane, newly arrived in Los Angeles to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia). But as Mclane waits for his wife's office party to break up, terrorist take control of the building. While the terrorist leader, Hans gruber (Alexander Godunov) round up hostages, McClane slips away unnoticed. Armed with only a service revolver and his cunning, McClane launches his own one-man war. A crackling thriller from beginning to end, Die Hard explodes with heart-stopping suspense.

Customer Reviews:

A near-perfect action classic.......2007-04-23

John MaClane (Bruce Willis) a cop from New York is meeting his estranged wife at her office christmas party in a high rise in LA. At the same time a group of terrorists/robbers is plotting to steal the bank bonds that are sitting in the company safe - and so McClane is plunged into a cat and mouse game, which will test all his resourcefulness...

Even after all these years this is still a great action film. It is brilliantly directed by John McTiernan who utilises all the nooks and crannies of the building to create a real sense of cat and mouse. There is also plenty of warmth and humour in the story to help relieve the unrelenting tension.

Like all good films Die Hard contains characters that we really care about. Like all good action films this is combined with spectacular action. The only thing that counts against it is that it goes on a bit long. Otherwise it is a near-perfect action film.

A classic that is much better than so many of its imitators.......2007-03-01

This movie has become part of the popular culture in a way that few movies have. One sees references to it in other movies, TV shows, and even some books. When it first came out it was considered hyper violent and extreme to the point of self-parody. And it is. However, so many other films have copied some of its elements that one can see past all the explosions and gun fights to see some of the other aspects of "Die Hard" that make the movie work in a way that many of the "big boom" movies do not.

One aspect is simply that Bruce Willis plays John McClane with a very nice mix of vulnerability and confusion to go along with his near super hero fighting ability. His trademark wise cracks also add some humor to a movie that could have been relentlessly violent. Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt Powell is also a great human touch to the movie. He grounds McClane and gives him a friend and supporter when the bad guys AND, the local cops, and the feds are against him. He also provides a balance for all the cops who assume that McClaine is one of the bad guys if not THE bad guy. That attitude is shown most directly by Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson (played perfectly by Paul Gleason who died too young in 2006 at 67).

Bonnie Bedelia plays Holly Gennero McClane in a very interesting way. In the beginning of the movie, she confuses us. Are we supposed to admire her independence in moving across the country with her kids and abandoning John or are we supposed to dislike her? That she uses her maiden name, in 1988 probably moved her a couple of feet into the unsympathetic category. And this is important, because our movement to admiring and then liking her is more powerful if we start not liking her much.

Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber gives one of the classic performances in film. Everybody who has seen this movie remembers this role vividly. And it put Rickman on the map as a movie star. It really is a great performance and a great villain. Alexander Gudunov was much better known than Rickman, and his scene chewing performance got him a lot of notice (and in a way type cast him), but it is Rickman's cool headed monster that we remember most vividly.

Clarence Gilyard, Jr. as the computer genius is also a role we remember vividly. Not so much for the technical wizardry the role requires of him, but his cold cheering for the destruction of the police trying to enter the building as if he were calling a football game.

William Atherton should get a special award in Hollywood for being willing to play these characters we all hate. He does it so well that it has to be hard on him when he goes in public because people probably treat him roughly, assuming he is one of the jerks from his movies. Here he plays the TV reporter slime Richard Thornburg. He isn't exactly "bad", but rather so solipsistic that he cannot see how they way he does his job is inhuman in the way it uses other people.

The movie has so many other wonderful characters who add their own touch to the movie that I cannot list them all. I think of the two FBI guys named Johnson, and Argyle down in the Limo waiting for McClane and then getting involved more in the story than he ever expected. Or Hart Bochner as the coked out sleaze Harry Ellis. Or James Shigeta as Takagi with just the right dignity and humanity. There are so many more nice small performances that make the film as good as it is.

A classic film telling a story that anyone who has seen the movie will remember.

Funny/.......2007-02-08

It is strange to say it is funny but it is also Tight, Fast & Fresh

"Yo-ho-ho" - first part if unique.......2007-01-29

Die Hard can be summed up in one word 'AWESOME'.

A plot so simple that a two year old could of thought it up, yet with it's amazing dialog and great action this picture will go down as one of the all time great hollywood action films.

This was the film that launched Bruce Willises career and when you see it you know why. With his heroics and the way he delivers a line Bruce will never die hard out of Hollywoods memory.

A New York cop (Bruce Willis) goes to his wifes Christmas party to find that he is in the middle of a terrorist act, so bring on John McClane to walk across broken glass, blow up elevator shafts and to save the day.

This film runs at such an expeditious rate that you barley have time to draw breath, the film that all action films are now measured against, Die Hard is racey, whitty and damm right brilliant.

Very re-watchable.......2007-01-12

If you are looking for an inexpensive DVD to add to your collection, Die Hard is a great choice. It's very re-watchable - I just watched it 3 times in the past few weeks, and it's fun to watch during the winter due to its holiday backdrop. Bruce Willis was at his action character best in this first edition of the Die Hard trilogy.

Average customer rating:

The Only Currently Available Die Hard DVD Worth Buying

Die Hard (Special Edition Steelbook)
Starring: Bruce Willis , Reginald VelJohnson , Bonnie Bedelia , Alexander Godunov , and Paul Gleason
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000O76T90
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Amazon.com

Die Hard is the movie franchise that made a movie star out of TV star Bruce Willis, and created an entire action-movie genre of its own. In the original 1988 film, Willis plays wisecracking New York cop John McClane, who arrives at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles to meet up with his estranged wife, Holly (Bonny Bedelia), at her office Christmas party. As luck would have it, the company ends up in the middle of a terrorist plot led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his gang of expert killers, and with little help coming from outside, McClane has to pick off his enemies one by one. Thus was born the "Die Hard genre", epitomized by such films as Under Siege (" Die Hard on a ship"), Passenger 57 ("Die Hard on a plane" ), Speed ("Die Hard on a bus"), and Cliffhanger ("Die Hard on a mountain"). But few measure up to the explosive brilliance of Die Hard. Director John McTiernan develops the action at a fast and furious pace, culminating in some fantastic set-pieces on the top of the building, in the elevator shaft, and in the building's outer plaza. Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza's script, based on Roderick Thorp's novel Nothing Lasts Forever, is smart, funny, and full of memorable lines (among them "Welcome to the party, pal!" and of course "Yippee ki-ay, motherf*****"), and the cast is perfection, especially Rickman as the cunningly evil villain, and Willis, whose McClane character--bloodied, beaten, bruised, and barely breathing, as he battles both bad guys and bureaucrats--is someone audiences could genuinely cheer for. --David Horiuchi

Description

Customer Reviews:

The Only Currently Available Die Hard DVD Worth Buying.......2007-06-16

Because of the fact that the new Die Hard movie is coming out, 20th Century Fox has discontinued the GREAT Special Edition DVD's of the first three Die Hard DVD'S, and are replacing them with newly-packaged one-disc versions with only half of those original DVD's features. This DVD, the Special Edition Steelbook, is the only DVD that Fox has just released worth buying, because it is a repackaged edition of the original Two-Disc Special Edition of Die Hard. Hopefully Fox will do the same thing with the other Die Hard movies.

Bottom Line: Forget the new Die Hard boxset, get this instead and wait for the other ones.

Die Hard with a Vengeance (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Best of the series
Die Hard with a Vengence (Special Edition)
A mad bomber is in New York and wants McClane, why?
The Greatest
An Under-rated Die Hard film

Die Hard with a Vengeance (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Bruce Willis , Jeremy Irons , Samuel L. Jackson , Graham Greene (II) , and Colleen Camp
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0006GAI82
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Amazon.com essential video

The second sequel to the mold-making action film Die Hard brings Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) to New York City to face a better villain than in Die Hard 2. Played by Jeremy Irons, he's the brother of the Germanic terrorist-thief Alan Rickman played in the original film. But this bad guy has his sights set higher: on the Federal Reserve's cache of gold. As a distraction, he sets McClane running fool's errands all over New York--and eventually, McClane attracts an unintentional partner, a Harlem dry cleaner (Samuel L. Jackson) with a chip on his shoulder. Some great action sequences, though they can't obscure the rather large plot holes in the film's final 45 minutes. --Marshall Fine

Description

The third installment of the hugely succesful Die Hard series, reteams Bruce Willis and director John McTiernan in a new action/adventure extravaganza of special effects, unexpected comedy and non-stop thrills.

Customer Reviews:

Best of the series.......2007-05-17

One of my guilty pleasures is watching action films that have good honest putrid to the core villains who are so smart that I can actually start pulling from them. Such films are rare. The reason for this is simple. So much time is spent working in tough guy cliches' and wild stunts that the creators of such films don't pay much attention to character development. In "Die hard with a Vengeance" The writers give us stunts galore. They give us the standard macho commentary to the hilt. But they also came up with bad guy who is clever you just got to like him.

This last installment of the trilogy that launched Bruce Willis' career is undoubtedly as entertaining as the first. Reprising his role as director, John McTiernan guides Willis and Samuel L. Jackson through New York City in a deadly game in which all odds are stacked against them. Recurrent in the movie is the theme that in life things may not always be what they seem, as racial relations are explored through the unlikely friendship of Willis and Jackson and the mystery of `Simon' is revealed-and of course the means by which he seeks his vengeance. Truly a great movie and I recommend all parts.

Die Hard with a Vengence (Special Edition).......2007-05-08

I have always enjoy Die Hard movies, and like the first 2 episodes, it's always pack with endless actions.

A mad bomber is in New York and wants McClane, why?.......2007-03-04

After the huge and growing success of the first two "Die Hard" movies, the world clamored for a third. But how do you keep it fresh? This story is not on Christmas, moves us to McClane's home turf in New York, splits him off from Holly (she is still in California and they haven't spoken for a year), and instead of the pleasant African-American cop Sgt Powell, we get Samuel L. Jackson as a proud and a tad angry African-American named Zeus Carver (which leads to an early misunderstanding, "Hey, Zeus" sounding like the Spanish pronunciation of Jesus, right?).

During the opening shot establishing that we are in New York, the title sequence ends in a rather stunning way and we are off to the races. However, in this movie McClane doesn't impose himself into the situation, he is dragged in by the villain, who calls himself Simon and who seems to have a some kind of personal grudge against him.

The way Zeus is pulled into this mess is also quite interesting and I have to say that Samuel L. Jackson adds as much to the movie and keeping it fresh as I am sure the writers and the producers hoped. He is terrific and makes a great foil and partner for Willis' McClane.

We expect explosions and impossible stunts in the "Die Hard" movies and get them aplenty here. They found ways to stick them in (and don't) where we don't often expect them. Jeremy Irons is fine as Simon. His army seems to be composed of people who believe in the story he tells about why he is doing this, but some seem to be there as mercenaries without any belief. It is quite a fascinating weave of textures in character.

Pay attention to even the little details in the beginning because they come back. Nothing is in there for idle chat even if it seems like idle chat.

The production budge of this movie was even bigger than the first two, but the U.S. gross was down a bit from Die Hard 2, however, the gross overseas was about has big as the total gross fro the second film. It was huge.

I will say that there is an awful lot of swearing and f-words in this movie that I found grinding after awhile. Really, writers, you can use other words. We do not need a curse every other word to know that these guys are under stress. Graham Greene's does a great job and his character is under just as much stress and you found a way that he didn't swear (I don't believe). Thanks for that at least.

There are some extras on the making of the film, the director's voice over commentary if you like watching the film that way, and stuff on how the special effects were done.

If you like this kind of thing, it is pretty good and part of a now classic series.

The Greatest.......2007-01-08

The Greatest Die Hard Movie. This one never stops with the suspense.

An Under-rated Die Hard film.......2006-12-17

Most fans don't seem to like this one and although I don't think it's as good as the first 2, I think it's still a fun film. A man named Simon (well played by Jeromy Irons) says he wants to play a game with John Mclaine or he'll continue to cause mayhem in the city. So the police have choice but to call a hungover John Mclaine to do whatever Simon says. Samual L. Jackson plays a shopkeeper who Simon makes team up with Willis after he prevents Willis from getting killed. Well since Simon makes him wear a sign in the middle of the city that says I hate black people, well not in those words but worse actually. They than have to solve Simon's riddles and get hints to where he planted bombs all over the city. The film has an inventive plot that at least is different than the first 2. It also sounds a lot better than the upcoming plot of part 4. I mean in that one John Mclaine is to team up with a hacker (Justin Long) against....internet terrorists. I'm not kidding, that is the plot lol.

Part 1 and 2 have more heart and emotion than this one and his wife Holly is nowhere to be seen. But still it's a good pop corn flick and I can't really say that it's not a smart film. Samual L. Jackson makes a good partner for Willis too even if the script has either complain or argue with Willis too much. I mean there's one scene where they are trying to find a bomb while Jackson accuses Willis of wanting to call him a prejudice name. Probably the best thing about the movie is that it links it with part 3. Where Mclaine learns that Simon is the brother of Alan Rickman's villian from the first film.

Die Hard 2 - Die Harder (Widescreen Edition)

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An Underrated Triumph
A fine sequel to the first "Die Hard"
Die Hard Redux
Great Sequel!
A movie to watch for its action and special effects

Die Hard 2 - Die Harder (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Bruce Willis , Bonnie Bedelia , William Atherton , William Sadler , and Reginald VelJohnson
Director: Renny Harlin
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006GAI7S
Release Date: 2005-02-01

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Director Renny Harlin (Cutthroat Island) took the reins of this 1990 sequel, which places Bruce Willis's New York City cop character in harm's way again with a gaggle of terrorists. This time, Willis awaits his wife's arrival at Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., when he gets wind of a plot to blow up the facility. Noisy, overbearing, and forgettable, the film has none of the purity of its predecessor's simple story; and it makes a huge miscalculation in allowing a terrible tragedy to occur rather than stretch out the tension. Where Die Hard set new precedents in action movies, Die Hard 2 is just an anything-goes spectacle. --Tom Keogh

Description

Bruce Willis returns as the heroic cop who battles not only terrorists, but also an incompetent airport police chief (Dennis Franz), the hard-headed commander (John Amos) of the Army's anti-terrorist squad and a deadly winter snowstorm. The runways are littered with death and destruction, and McClane is in a race against time. His wife (Bonnie Bedelia) is trapped on one of the planes circling overhead, which is desperately low on fuel. It's all-out war, a heart-stopping, jet-propelled journey filled with excitement and terror. Fasten your seat belts!

Customer Reviews:

An Underrated Triumph.......2007-05-16

`Die Hard 2' is NOT a guilty pleasure but story telling and film making at its very best. I will valiantly defend it as one of the greatest action/terrorist films ever made. It is extremely effective at invoking fear and emotion.

The Plot: For those of you who haven't seen the film, it is a sequel to Bruce Willis' groundbreaking star making film `Die Hard'. Again, away from his home environment LA cop John McClane innocently travels to Washington DC's Dulles Airport (not located in DC but Ashburn VA) to pick up his wife (Bonnie Badelia) again on Christmas. McClane finds himself in the center of WWIII when terrorists seize the entire airport threatening crash every plane unless a South American tyrant is set free. Hindered by incompetent and arrogant police chief Dennis Franz it is up to McClane to literally single handedly stop an army of better armed and better trained terrorists.

Comic relief is heavy from Willis' one liners and Badelia who finds herself stuck on an airplane with William Atherton, the same sleazy reporter she punched out in `Die Hard.'

The film credits a pulp novel by Walter H. Wager `58 Minutes.' Although they have a similar premise they two stories are very different and I do not recommend '58 Minutes' as a book.

What sets `Die Hard 2' apart from other action films are many effective and unique elements.

1. By far the best aspect of the film are the villains headed by William Sadler. While lacking any charisma their lack of emotion I their strong suite they are true soldiers who will sacrifice innocent lives and their own without conscious to complete their mission. They are pure evil, thus we hate them even more.

2. The terrorists are smarter, better armed and better prepared than Willis much like the original `Die Hard'. The terrorists are American x-special forces who look cool in army boots, leather jackets and sporting the latest weapons, Glock pistols and MP5 submachine guns. Our hero is the underdog thus the bigger they come the harder they fall. We admire our hero's accomplishments more because they are so difficult.

3. The terrorists actually commit an act of terrorism. Unlike most films in which the terrorists merely threaten innocent lives, here they actually take them. One of the film's most dramatic scenes is when they crash a British airplane killing hundreds of people.

4. Being a terrorist is not enough to be a villain. Their hostages are mere numbers. We start to hate them very early in the film when they try to kill our hero. Someone we care about.

5. High production quality also helps with excellent photography, set design, and editing.

6. The incompetence and interference of the authorities is also effective in making us admire our hero. He's on his own. Everything the police try to do is either bureaucratic or counter productive. Dennis Franz and Senator Fred Thompson are brilliant as comical bureaucrats. They're real jerks.

We are able to truly hate and fear the terrorists. The danger seems very real.

Even minor things in the script are genius. For example, what appears to be side talk in the beginning turns out to be significant later. In the opening a terrorist's nonchalant remark is that the only problem is a last minute change in personal. Later a SWAT member casually mentions he is new and only here because the regular guy got a an appendicitis. Only later do we realize the significance of these and the replacement is killed because he's the only one not in on the plot.

Brilliant film making.

A fine sequel to the first "Die Hard".......2007-03-01

After "Die Hard" did eighty million in box office (in 1988 dollars) in the U.S. and another fifty some million overseas, it was inevitable that a sequel would be made. The question was whether it would be a good sequel or just lame, as too many of them are. "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" was a very good sequel. It seemed impossible that they could pull off something that would be in any way connected to the first film and yet seem fresh, but they pulled it off. The budget for the film was more than twice the first and the worldwide box office returned twice the revenues of the first (although the U.S. take was only 50% more - in rough numbers).

Here we have the Holly and John story again, but this time the movie opens with her in a plane and John getting his in-laws car towed while picking her up at the airport for Christmas (yes, again) in Washington D. C. (Dulles International). William Sadler plays Col. Stuart, a, well, crazed U.S. soldier who has led his unit to the dark side in order to free a Noriega type (does anyone remember who that was?), General Ramon Esperanza (played with the arrogance and coldness the role needs by Franco Nero - nice to see him again) who is being flown to Washington to be taken into custody.

McClane is stuck at the airport because Holly's plane is running late. He notices something is up and gets into a deadly fight with some of Stuart's guys doing something back there they shouldn't be doing. Of course, McClane takes the heat and the story takes off. We get to see Fred Thompson as the airport manager Trudeau. Dennis Franz as Capt. Carmine Lorenzo is head of airport security and is half out of his mind trying to keep things under control over Christmas and doesn't need what McClane is bringing him. Art Evans does a terrific job with what could have been just a minor role as Leslie Barnes. Barnes knows everything about airport communications and risks a lot trying to get around what the bad guys are doing to the airport.

It is especially comforting when John Amos comes on the screen as leader of the Blue Light counter terrorism team. He takes a liking to McClane and actually helps him deal with Capt. Lorenzo for a bit.

Just as in the first movie, there are a lot of small roles that have a big impact in making the movie what it becomes. The explosions are even bigger in this movie and even more tragic. Well, we enjoy the last one a lot.

Oh, and Richard Thornburg, the TV reporter is back. This time he is coincidentally on the same flight as Holly and is more than put off when he is seated in coach. William Atherton is terrific as this weasel gets on everyone's nerves and finds a way to endanger everyone yet again. We cheer as Holly gives him what for in a very matter of fact way a couple of times in the movie.

We like another TV reporter much better. Sheila McCarthy plays Samantha Coleman who is assigned to work the airport for a busy holiday story. She knows this is a nothing story that gets done every year to supply some footage if it is a slow news day. So, she is looking for a bigger angle. She recognizes first Col. Stuart, who is famous for something, and then McClane from the previous year's dust up at the Nakatomi Tower. She is aggressive in doing her job, but not a complete narcissist as Thornburg is.

Reginald VelJohnson makes a brief appearance to help McClane at one point. We enjoy seeing him on the screen and wish there could have been more for him to do, but he is clear across the country.

If you liked "Die Hard" you will likely enjoy this movie, too.

Die Hard Redux.......2007-02-08

Same movie different locale. Lots of fun with Detective McClain. Loads of action.

Great Sequel!.......2006-12-22

Great movie.Not as great as the first one but how can you beat an original like that.Still holds up good compared to the 1st movie!I still like this one better than the 3rd.
Everyone says this one has so many plot holes,well like the other 2 didn't?Go on the internet movie database and see what I mean.

A movie to watch for its action and special effects.......2006-10-31

+++++

"Oh man I can't...believe this. Another basement. Another elevator. How can the same thing happen to the same guy twice?"

The above is said by New York city cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) at Washington's Dulles International Airport on Christmas Eve.

What exactly is McClane talking about? McClane has gone to this airport to meet is wife (Bonnie Bedelia) who is arriving by plane. As John waits for his wife's plane to arrive, he spots trouble. It turns out that he has sniffed out a terrorist plot headed by a Colonel Stuart (William Sadler). The terrorists take over the airport instrumentation and no incoming planes are allowed to land (including his wife's plane) until a drug lord's plane is allowed to land safely, with no interference from police authorities. All incoming planes have to continuously circle the airport with the threat of running out of fuel and dropping out of the sky. McClane has to figure out a way to prevent this and save his wife and, as well, not let the terrorists get away.

Those who like plenty of action and special effects should enjoy this movie. As with the original blockbuster movie "Die Hard," Bruce Willis does a good job portraying John McClane.

However, those who have seen the original "Die Hard" will probably be disappointed. This sequel is noisy and overbearing. It has none of the purity of its predecessor's simple story. In my opinion "Die Hard" set a new precedent for action movies, but this sequel is simply an anything-goes spectacle with little humor.

I will mention only two big and obvious flaws with this movie. (There are others but they are not so obvious.)

In the above summary, I said the terrorists only take over airport instrumentation, not the airport itself. Thus, communications to the outside world are still open via phone, TV crews, and ground traffic. It would have been simple to alert the regional authorities of the terrorist situation and have them direct all the aircraft circling over Dulles to nearby airports. In other words, none of the incoming planes (including McClane's wife's plane) were really in trouble! This fact removes the tension that is a key element of the entire movie!!

As well, the terrorists in this sequel are definitely not as interesting and menacing as those in the original. Thus, another key element has been removed. In fact, all of the supporting characters are not as interesting as in the original movie.

This movie is based on the novel "58 minutes" by Walter Wager.

Besides this sequel to the original "Die Hard," there is another sequel (so far) called "Die Hard with a Vengeance."

Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2005) is perfect in picture and sound quality. There are a few extras.

In conclusion, those who like only action and special effects will enjoy this movie. Others, however, will probably be disappointed!!!

(1990; 2 hr; wide screen; 26 scenes; rated `R')

+++++

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ASIN: B000O78KW4
Release Date: 2007-06-19

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ASIN: B000O77SRC
Release Date: 2007-06-19

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Average customer rating:

The Worst Die hard.

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ASIN: B000O77SRM
Release Date: 2007-06-19

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Customer Reviews:

The Worst Die hard........2007-06-25

This is the worst of the 3. Not very entertaing and the effects really suck. It seems that they wanted to make a little more money off the first. Even bruce willis hated this. The thired on is alittle better because they actually took some time to make a villian. skip this one and go see Live Free or Die Hard in theaters June 27th 2007.

Andy Sidaris Box Set Vol. 4: Do or Die/Hard Hunted/ Day of the Warrior

Average customer rating:

Same thing different story
good old 90's action flicks
Three Of Andy's Best Movies
Classic B Movies

Andy Sidaris Box Set Vol. 4: Do or Die/Hard Hunted/ Day of the Warrior
Starring: Dona Speir , Roberta Vasquez , Pandora Peaks , Shae Marks , and Marcus Bagwell
Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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