Die Hard with a Vengeance Review

Capping off our third instalment to the Die Hard series and the final addition to our marathon of the trilogy, we come to Die Hard with a Vengeance, arguably one of my favourites of the franchise even after first viewing. 

A hung-over John McClane (Bruce Willis) is in the middle of a psychological game of “Simon says” that will cost the lives of hundreds of New York citizens should he fail. His tormentor Simon (Jeremy Irons) holds a hidden vendetta against McClane for a past wrongdoing, but has much more in store for the police lieutenant than a simple bullet in the head. At his side during this race for survival is Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson) a civilian who ends up caught in the middle of the chaos and is forced to play along with Simon’s game or he too will suffer the consequences.

Originally developed as a screenplay for just another action movie, what became Die Hard with a Vengeance truly widens the scale bigger than ever, leaving the entire city in the crosshairs of this desperate criminal. Jeremy Irons is a wonderful antagonist in this piece, full of ego, sarcasm and even his own interesting set of ethics. He truly makes for one of the fiercest criminals to be set against McClane in the series yet.

What may be considered a little bit of a cliché with the film is the forced use of Samuel L. Jackson as simply “the black partner.” There isn’t much use to his character being involved in the story other than McClane simply needing comic relief, but he certainly delivers in that department. His bitter attitude against McClane is not something unusual in comparison to almost anybody who’s met him in the Die Hard franchise, but the anger that fleshes out in his character makes for one great sidekick.

Throughout a continuously heightening plot is a scale that builds in heated tension that can almost be felt in the setting of a New York City summer. McClane has little to no character development in the film, but returns to the same incredible physical endurance like the first movie provided. That, plus a hangover, and you've got yourself one ticked off protagonist.

Die Hard with a Vengeance has necessary similarities to the first film, but has enough changes in its screenplay to make for a great action ride. Where some people may feel that the life was running out of the franchise by this point, I say, “Nonsense!” The film goes where it needs to, repeatedly stuns when you think it’s out of juice and delivers the same charm as the original Die Hard.