CHRISTINE MCGRATH
Review: A Good Day to Die Hard
By Christine Petralia
Image courtesy of Giant Pictures TSG Entertainment
February 17, 2013
All action and no plot. That is essentially all you need to know about this fifth installment in the Die Hard series. Filled with explosions, car chases and one-liners, Bruce Wills’ John McClane should probably retire soon, because making a mess of Russia just isn’t that entertaining anymore.
The plot is pretty simple, and pretty dumb, McClane heads to Russia after he hears his estranged son Jack (Jai Courtney) was arrested for an assassination. Meanwhile, as a way to cooperate with the Russian government, Jack agrees to testify against Yuri Komarov, a government whistleblower, for a shorter sentence. However, Chagarin is Komarov’s former business partner who needs an incriminating file from him.
As John arrives in Russia, Jack and Komarov are in a courthouse for the trial, when Chargarin orchestrates a bombing to kidnap Komarov. But, after the blast, Jack grabs Komarov to escape. Outside, John confronts Jack, who is clearly on some sort of mission with Komarov. After a few car chases and explosions, John distracts the bad guys just long enough to get in the getaway van with Jack. As they head to a safe house, Jack explains he works for the CIA and he is trying to protect Komarov.
Soon, John is helping to protect Komarov with Jack as they leave bodies and a trail of destruction across Moscow. Apparently they are all involved in some terrorist plot that ends in Chernobyl, where the bad guys have the key to nukes and uranium. And in an attempt at trying to make a plot, we find out that the escape from the courthouse was all an elaborate plan for Komarov to get out of prison and find the uranium again. Which really didn’t make any sense, other than for Willis to hang from a car that’s hanging out of a helicopter and swing around, then jump through a building’s glass window, fall down several floors and survive a huge explosion.
Throw in John trying to reconnect with his son and Willis trying to crack random jokes, and you have A Good Day to Die Hard in a nutshell. Hard to follow? I guess that’s my point. There really was nothing to follow. There’s a bunch of bad guys, good guys and explosions.
If you like special effects and all action, the rush to the theater and see this, because I don’t think it will be out in the theaters very long.
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