Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995)

 

What a difference a returning John McTiernan makes: this one is easily on par with the first one and it flies by at breakneck speed, leaving you wholly entertained throughout. The second installment wasn't bad, but just a bit too much of the same, whereas this one spices things up in just the right fashion.

It doesn't hurt that Bruce Willis gets paired up with Samuel L Jackson, either.

John McClane has pretty much hit rock bottom. He has been suspended for some time, hasn't seen or heard his wife in about a year and is drinking like there's no tomorrow. When a terrorist named Simon expressly demands McClane do certain chores and tasks for him or otherwise he blows stuff up, there is a lot of confusion at first as to why. 

It turns out later that Simon is the brother of Hans Gruber from the first one. But it isn't handled badly, in fact, quite the opposite.

During McClane's first task, he inadvertently drags Zeus Carver into this, a reluctant, foulmouthed store owner played with gusto by Jackson. They don't really like one another, but of course they will grow to gain mutual respect for one another as their fates are now linked anyway. Things heat up even further when Simon blows up a train close to Wall Street and then proceeds to tell the police that he has also hidden a bomb in one of the many schools in New York. 

But McClane and Carver soon discover all is not what it seems... 

This one is one heck of a hoot to watch. The scope is broadened and as the adventure now takes place throughout New York, it isn't as claustrophobic as say a building or an airport. It gives the action more room to breathe and it is a welcome change of pace. The same goes for the portrayal of McClane, who is pretty much a slob nowadays. And the best part was teaming up Willis with Jackson, as they clearly have a lot of chemistry and you can tell they are enjoying themselves immensely in their respective roles. This was a match almost made in heaven. 

Where the second film also suffered in terms of the villain, that is not the case here. It helps that you have a class act like Jeremy Irons, of course. Yes, mr Irons has acted in some horrendous films before (remember 'Dungeons & Dragons'? No? Good.) but when he wants to, he has that aura around him that separates the greats from the so-so's. And the added wrinkle that he is supposed to be Alan Rickman's brother actually works, as it is handled really well instead of a simple revenge tale. There's more to it all, fortunately. 

Not much more to say: the action rocks, the pace is smooth and fast, the dialogue is sharp as a tack and the chemistry between all present leaps off the screen. This one coupled with the first 'Die Hard' are probably the only two you ever need to see.