User Reviews

It's very rare for the first three films in a movie franchise to be consistently excellent, but that's the case with the DIE HARD series. The first one was an action movie masterpiece and hugely influential to this day. The second one is disliked by some, but I think it's very nearly the equal of the first, doing a tricky job of being the same but different at the same time. And the third is just a delight, an action comedy masterpiece that wreaks havoc throughout New York.

Having the action move out of a single location and into an entire city was a genius idea. Director John McTiernan is at the top of his game here, filling his movie with an incredible sense of drive and momentum so that there's not a single moment where it's not funny, thrilling, or suspenseful. Bruce Willis has never been better and his repartee with Samuel L. Jackson (who also gives one of the best turns of his career) works incredibly well. Jeremy Irons has a ball as the bad guy and the whole 'Simon Says' game is very well staged. Plus you get all of the violence, fights, car chases, shoot-outs and clever situations that you could hope for in an action film. DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE truly is one of the best action films ever made and the kind of film I could sit and watch over and over again, and there are very few of those around.

I have to say that I was really impressed with this Die Hard film, the trilogy has just been an awesome one. This time we have a new partner, Samuel L. Jackson, who works so well with Bruce, they have such a great chemistry as partners in the film. Die Hard: With a Vengeance is a worthy sequel of the original Die Hard. It has great action, a terrific story, and in some ways it's just a fun comedy. I loved how John just wouldn't stop complaining about the aspirin since he has a hang over from the night before. Especially his line when he finally gets aspirin from the main villain, it was just priceless. I think you'll definitely love this Die Hard if you are a fan.

John is no longer at base one in life, he's actually farther behind I think, he's pretty much lost everything since his nasty drinking problem. He's suffering from a bad hang over this one morning and things get worse when he is threatened by an unknown villain to stand in the middle of the worst ghetto city wearing an offensive poster, right as he's about to get his butt killed, Zeus, a shop owner helps him out, but ends up getting involved. It turns out that the villain is Hans Gruber's brother, Simon Gruber, who is about to do everything his brother supposedly did wrong and will get the money. But John is going to make sure that he puts the Gruber name to shame.

Die Hard: With a Vengeance is an excellent action movie, it was a lot of fun and I couldn't believe how well it was made. Sam and Bruce are just perfect together. Jeremy Irons could not be more perfect for the role of Simon, he and Alan are so much alike where they have the most awesome voices for super bad villains. Yes, a little typecast for being a British villain, but it's all good, I think. I highly recommend Die Hard: With a Veneance, it's a great movie and a great end to the trilogy.

9/10

I like this one about as much as I like the first one. The first one had a better plot and was more tense, but this one moves at a very fast rate and it seems like it is over before it begins. A vast improvement over part two, this movie once again finds McClane in the middle of an emergency situation. This time, unlike part two, though it is very reasonable that he is involved as Irons character is the brother of the lead villain of the first Die Hard. Throw in a very funny Samuel L Jacksoncharacter and you have the makings of a great film action wise andcomedy wise too. This one centers around a mad bomber, threatening to blow up several places including a school if officer McClane does not play the game. McClane must do whatever the bomber says and boy does the bomber do a lot to get our hero down. Great action is a given as our hero desperately must try to find the bombs. Multiple car scenes a cool scene on a boat, and loads and loads of gold thrown in for an exciting ride. Irons is great as the villain, as was Rickman in the first one. Truly this is one fast moving ride that will keep you well entertained throughout.

Series note: Although the Die Hard films obviously follow one another chronologically in the film's universe, they are not really constructed as chapters in a novel. You could watch them in any order, but to give the characters more depth, and make better sense of a couple minor references, I would still recommend watching them in order.

In my Die Hard 2 (1990) review, I complained (although apologetically) a bit about the lapses in internal logic. It ended up being somewhat excusable, because I read Die Hard 2 as a satire of the genre as much as a serious action film. With Die Hard 3, John McTiernan is back at the helm, as he was for Die Hard (1988), and the result is once again a more serious action film (containing some comic relief, of course) with very taut internal logic. In fact, Die Hard: With a Vengeance is so well constructed, so well acted and so well directed that I like it just as much, if not better, than Die Hard.

John McClane (Bruce Willis) is once again separated from his wife, and he's once again living and working as a cop in New York City. As the film begins, he is on a temporary suspension for some never-specified infraction (it works better that it isn't specified, as it enables us to imagine all kinds of crazy things that this gruff character might have done). After a bomb explodes at the Bonwit Teller department store, a mysterious person calling himself "Simon" calls the police taking credit and asking to speak with McClane--or he'll detonate further bombs in crowded areas. They rouse McClane from the aftermath of a drunken stupor. He shows up at the police station with a hangover, looking haggard. "Simon" is fond of riddles and makes McClane engage in a bizarre game of "Simon Says". The first task is for McClane to head up to Harlem and stand on a street corner in his skivvies wearing a sandwich board that says only, "I Hate Blacks" (using a more inflammatory epithet than "blacks"). Of course, he almost gets killed, but at the last minute, a reluctant savior in the form of a local shopkeeper, Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson), helps save his butt. Unwittingly, Carver ends up embroiled in the Simon Says games with McClane, with increasingly serious stakes. Just who is Simon? Why is he toying with McClane?

I should note that I was predisposed to like this film. I like Bruce Willis a lot, but I especially love Samuel L. Jackson. The combination of the two here is simply magical. They have remarkable chemistry and the characters that scriptwriter Jonathan Hensleigh has drawn enable both deep tension and hilarious comic moments between the two.

But the film succeeds on more than the charisma of its two principal actors. Die Hard: With a Vengeance has a fantastic, intelligent plot. Hensleigh ties his villain to the story of the first film in a semi-satirical way that gives the motivation for the "Simon Says" games great depth. The Simon Says games manage to be silly, smart, humorous and great catalysts for dramatic tension at the same time. There are subtle jokes about New York City, New York City cops, "reverse racism", European opinions of American intelligence, and so on. And of course, there are many edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting action sequences involving a wide variety of environments in the New York City area. The wide variety of environments was a nice change over the more limited settings of the previous two films, and gives Die Hard: With a Vengeance a feel almost like an adventure film.

It's remarkable that Hensleigh and McTiernan were able to sustain such a high level of excellence throughout. If you look at Die Hard: With a Vengeance from a broader perspective, the whole is constructed something like one of Simon's puzzles. Every scene leads inevitably, logically to the next scene, even though the film takes many "left turns", and the solution of one dilemma to the next often involves split-second timing.

It's often said that McTiernan and Hensleigh simply ignored Die Hard 2, and in terms of direct plot and dialogue references, this may be true, but they still give Die Hard 2 a nod by having an attendant humor--often almost "goofy" humor--in many action scenes. One of the most direct nods occurs with McClane "riding" something of an explosion (of water this time). This is one of the more hilarious scenes of the film.

As for subtexts, they are similar to those of the first Die Hard, with some interesting additions. There is an intriguing parallel between McClane's disheveled state, the typical New York City chaos, and the attempts to further undermine stability from the villain. Focusing on this aspect, Carver provides more of a dependable, even-keeled balance.

There are also direct references to very contemporary political subtexts--with foreigners having in mind that the U.S. has socio-economic power disproportionately in its favor. They claim to want to redress the imbalance, although in this film, at least, the claim may end up being a false representation--there appears to be corruption undermining it. However, it's interesting that there is yet another "twist" towards the end that shows the claim may not have been as corrupt as we initially believed, even if it still seems a bit mad and/or megalomaniacal. It's also interesting that the resolution is reached on foreign ground.

But the subtexts in Die Hard: With a Vengeance may be even more minor focuses than in the previous two films. Instead the focus is on the spectacle of a tightly told, thrilling action/adventure story. That's all the film needs to succeed as well as it does.

Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995) is the third film in the popular Die Hard franchise, which re teamed Bruce Willis with John McTiernan, the director of the first film. It is my second favorite Die Hard film in the franchise. It feel's fast paced, more realistic and more action movie to me. It is not boring or slow, I love the characters: John McClane, Zeus Carver, Simon Gruber, Joe Lambert, Connie Kowalski, Charlie Weiss, Katya and Mathias Targo. No CGI real action sequences, real explosions, real stunt performances. McClane fires a power line, severing it in to the helicopter blowing up the chopper to pieces amazing my personal favorite scene. I love this movie to death, this is my movie and it is my personal favorite action film.

Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) is a near-perfect summer movie. It is one of my personal favorite action movies. It is so good as the first one, I couldn't decide which one I love to Death: Die Hard or Die Hard With a Vengeance. I love this movie to death it is my number 1 favorite action film in Die Hard series and action films. I love the original Die Hard to death but I love this sequel much more. That's my personal opinion. This franchise effort is a gleeful no-brainer with nonstop action. Die Hard With A Vengeance I really do believe is the greatest action sequel and a true masterpiece to the first movie. It gives some additional action pleasure, as we get to watch action heroes Bruce Willis get smacked around for 128 minutes.

In this third outing with John McClane, we are faced with yet another mad bomber on the loose. Jeremy Irons plays Simon, an East German Special Forces Colonel-turned-terrorist mastermind and the older brother of Hans Gruber, who has a score to settle with Detective McClane. Simon's bombing game comes complete with crafty riddles, which must be solved in a specified time or everything goes boom. McClane has no choice but to play. Along the way, he picks up an unlikely accomplice named Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson), a Harlem shopkeeper. Together they tear all over New York trying to head off disaster. Sure, it's all perfectly preposterous, but DIE HARD 3 has been directed with breathless intensity by John McTiernan, who certainly has a way with wrecking things. Was he very destructive as a child? Loved the spectacular subway crash, John. That hair-raising taxi ride through Central Park wasn't bad, either. I love the fact that they are saving kids from school. Charlie try's to disabled the bomb in school while Kowalski and Lambert are saving those kids stuck in the building I love that scene. McClane and Carver are desperately searching for the code for the bomb to disabled it, I love it to death. Don't forget to fasten your seat belts for this ride. It's often said that McTiernan and Hensleigh simply ignored Die Hard 2, and in terms of direct plot and dialogue references, this may be true, but they still give Die Hard 2 a nod by having an attendant humor--often almost "goofy" humor--in many action scenes. One of the most direct nods occurs with McClane "riding" something of an explosion (of water this time). This is one of the more hilarious scenes of the film.

Die Hard with a Vengeance is a 1995 American action film and the third in the Die Hard film series. It was produced and directed by John McTiernan (who directed Die Hard), written by Jonathan Hensleigh, and stars Bruce Willis as New York City Police Department Lieutenant John McClane, Samuel L. Jackson as McClane's reluctant partner Zeus Carver, and Jeremy Irons as Simon Peter Gruber.

Twenty years ago, after two blockbuster movies and a five-year wait, the "Die Hard" franchise roared back into theaters with the explosive "Die Hard with a Vengeance."

The movie was released on May 19, 1995, and it was an instant classic, thanks to a smart script, exciting plot, and the absolutely stellar chemistry between Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. But not only was "Die Hard with a Vengeance" a great movie, it was also arguably the best of its kind: unstoppable, and untoppable.

Die Hard With A Vengeance was filmed before CGI made it possible to create scenes like this without breaking a single window, this moment is utter, terrifying perfection.How often do you get an action flick where the heroes spend the entire first half of the film solving puzzles to save lives? In a franchise that distinguishes itself with action that toes the line between "creative" and "ridiculous," "Die Hard with a Vengeance" stays on brand, in the best way.

John McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon Gruber in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building. 10/10 Score: bad Ass Seal Of Approval my personal second favorite Die Hard action movie.

*** 1/2 out of ****

When one thinks of buddy action pictures, Lethal Weapon is immediately the first film to pop into your mind, since it virtually birthed the genre. Another choice would probably be Midnight Run or Rush Hour, the latter of which somehow took pop culture by storm (I recall my friends going around, shouting "My daddy once caught a bullet..."). So often left in the dust, probably because it was the third film of a trilogy and strayed quite a bit from its predecessors, is none other than Die Hard: With a Vengeance which, off the top of my head, is the best buddy action film I've ever seen.

How can this be? Better than Lethal Weapon 1 and 2? Better than Rush Hour? Hell, I'll even say it's better than Die Hard and Die Harder. Here is a film that wisely knows, as a second sequel, not to simply repeat the same material over again. This has partially to do with the numerous Die Hard rip-offs (namely Under Siege and Speed), so those hooks were gone, and I absolutely thank God John Mctiernan and company didn't suddenly decide "we'll do Die Hard on a plane!," which would eventually be done three times (Executive Decision, Air Force One, and Con Air). But what the filmmakers have done here is ingenious, they've widened the setting to include all of New York City.

They do this and still manage to retain the intense claustrophobia that permeated the previous entries, doing so by displaying just how frantic morning traffic is and just how BIG New York is. As nonsensical as that last statement may sound, imagine trying to get from point A to point B in the middle of a traffic jam. Mctiernan really knows how to let the tension ratchet up from just the sound of honking horns.

Then there's the case of John McClane himself. This time around, he's at the whim of a madman named Simon who requires him to perform certain tasks or New York buildings will be demolished by explosives. In the first two films, McClane was an everyman, which added much appeal, but he also acted a bit too much like a superhero to work consistently as an everyman, so what the filmmakers have done here is turn him into a jaded cop. He's seen this stuff before, so he's not as scared as he was before. Willis is great at this role, too, seeing as he's done it before in The Last Boy Scout, but takes it to perfection here.

Rather, who we now have as the everyman is Samuel L. Jackson as Zeus, and he's a brilliant addition. Not only is Jackson simply awesome in his role, he's likeable, tough, and hilarious, but he's also easy to sympathize with because he's not an action hero. He doesn't know how to use a gun, he has no combat training, and he's never had to take on terrorists before. What makes him so effective is his street-wise nature, and this quality of his works perfectly with McClane's own street smarts AND action heroics, which they combine in their day-long adventure. These two have a chemistry that at least equals Riggs and Murtaugh and if there's a Die Hard sequel, Jackson needs to come back.

Too many action movies give us poor villains who aren't menacing, vile, or charismatic enough to make for effective antagonists. Jeremy Irons' Simon Gruber is an exception. He is the best Die Hard villain, oozing charm and snaky intelligence. This was one of the last few roles of Irons' career I could take seriously. He's done what since then, Dungeons and Dragons? Pity how his career has taken such a downward spiral.

And last, there's the story and action. The plot's a lot of fun, with McClane and Zeus having to use both their brains and brawn to save the day. The contrivances in the finale (the scene with the handcuffs, the aspirin bottle) aren't enough to bring the climax down, though it's true the conclusion isn't as exciting as the rest of the film. That's understandable though, since the rest of the action is magnificent, particularly a car "chase" through the streets of New York which is as unstaged as a car chase can possibly look. The film moves at a lightning pace that grips you from the opening scene to the very last. Die Hard: With a Vengeance is an action flick that has it all.

Someone's got a thing for John McClane. Bombs are going off around New York and if McClane doesn't do what Simon says, more things will go boom. Along for the ride with the always watchable Bruce Willis is Samuel L. Jackson, a electronics store owner who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. These two are off all over Manhattan figuring out Simon's little riddles. Jeremy Irons is perfectly cast as the intelligent Simon. He's shrewd, charming and knows how to get a job done. Back in the director's chair is John McTiernan, overseeing the mayhem. The action sequences are bigger, louder and wilder than before. Car chases, shoot outs, and a really neat sequence involving a ship, a bridge and a truck highlight this action lovers delight. So, buckle up, turn up the sound and get ready for a hell of a ride. New York is about to go boom!

Someone calling himself Simon detonates several bombs in the centre of New York City. He then sets a series of dangerous tasks for Officer John McClane to achieve or he will detonate more. McClane sets out to meet the demands of the terrorists with bystander Zeus Carver in tow.

This is the third in the Die Hard series and it makes an immediate improvement on the second by bringing back the original director John McTiernan. Here the film doesn't try to repeat the formula of the first film (terrorists/wife/rescue) but instead takes on a whole new plot while still tying it into the first film. The second movie tried to repeat the first film's plot but set in an airport, here the different angle makes this feel a lot fresher and feel like a movie in itself. The tie-in to the first film is clever and not too much of a stretch of the imagination - happily this is not the reason for the action itself - instead the terrorist's main aim is the gold held in vaults in the Federal Reserve on Wall Street, but the game with McClane is a special treat.

McTiernan was great in the first film, making everything feel tense and claustrophobic. Here he has the whole of NYC to run across and the camera shows this new found freedom. In action scenes the camera swings wildly round and zooms into focus on the action. During scenes set in offices etc containing a lot of dialogue the camera slowly prowls round like it's dieing to rush off to the next action scene. It's the opposite to the style in the first film and again makes this feels different enough to be a film in it's own right.

Usually film series can get a lot of baggage (watch Lethal Weapon 4 for proof), but here all the repeat characters are dropped, even McClane's wife only features as a voice on the phone. And that works well here and the only characters that are brought back here are McClane (of course) and Hans Gruber (in a flashback). This frees the film up to basically go where it wants without having to squeeze in old characters the way the second film did. However it links the films by having Simon Gruber taking supposed revenge for the death of his brother. The fresh active feel to this movie really gives it life and lifts the series out of the hole that the second film had threatened to put it.

The chemistry between Willis and Jackson is great and lends a lot of comedy to the film, there's lot of racial humour between the two and Jackson is more than the "black sidekick" that exists in many films. Irons continues the fine tradition of English actors playing Hollywood villains and is good for the most. His ticks and stutters stop him being anywhere near as good as Rickman was in the original role but he's still good. Willis gets good support from the likes of Graham Greene, Larry Bryggman and Colleen Camp as fellow cops but really him and Jackson carry the show.

Some of the scenes are a little forced and the plot doesn't always join together easily (a scene where Willis is fired out of a water pipe just as Jackson happens to drive by is a little too convenient) but many iffy bits can be overlooked if you focus on the action. The most effective thing that returns from the first film is the musical score. In the first film the score used variations on Christmas music to dramatic effect, here the score uses music well to add tension and comedy in a different way. It's difficult to put into words but this effect was missing from the second film.

The film has a hatful of nice twists towards the end and the only problem is that the conclusion in Canada doesn't feel like it fits in (the original ending was changed following the Okalahoma bombing) but this is a minor problem in a film that is a great addition to the action packed Die Hard series.

"Die Hard: With a Vengeance" is a full-blooded action vehicle; it is a smart one, too, because its filmmakers realize the ol' one-man-army-trapped-in-an-area routine can't last long. So they have changed the technique to a game of revenge; cat-and-mouse. Some could call it smarter than its predecessors; and on a level as a thriller I must admit it is more intense. It is a lot better than the 1990 Renny Harlin actioner "Die Hard 2: Die Harder." But on terms of fun, you can't beat the original.

John McTiernan, who brought us "Predator," "The 13th Warrior" and "Die Hard," returned to end this series on a high note. Of course, like all sagas, "Die Hard" is far from over, with another sequel due to be released summer 2004. But until then, we can look to "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" as the end-all to the overall excellent John McClane trilogy.

The third film opens up where nothing left off; McClane (Bruce Willis) is on the streets of NYC when a man who calls himself "Simon" blows up a Manhattan department store, and then orders McClane to stand in Harlem with a sandwich board that says...well...something you wouldn't want to be wearing in Harlem.

After a convenience store owner named Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson) saves McClane, Simon orders both men to run around New York City and do Simon Says-type-games. It's all good fun, and a step away from the original film. Which can be good or bad.

Soon McClane finds out that "Simon" is really the brother of Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) from the first film, and that "Simon" is out for revenge against McClane (or is he?), and he will stop at nothing to kill McClane. But, of course, being a madman, he plays mind games with John McClane first. And the simon says mind games are tense, taught and action-packed.

It's hard to compare something like this to the original for one major reason: It is nothing like the original. The original was about a lone man fighting off a million guys, Rambo-style. But what saved it from becoming another average action spectacular was the great dialogue, non-stop SMART action sequences, and engaging performences by all aboard the project. Fast-forward two years later and you've got a replicant copy of the first film set in Dulles airport in Washington, D.C. But in all respect, "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" is not recycled. Its technique is new, and it almost seems as if it is not a sequel to the other "Die Hard" films. Which is probably not too odd, seeing that the script, originally titled "Simon Says" (no, not the Dennis Rodman one), was actually a sequel to "Lethal Weapon." Of course, moderations were made after the "Die Hard" series bought out the script, but the character of Zeus was probably Danny Glover, and John McClane was probably Mel Gibson. Thinkabouddit.

Bruce Willis is still John McClane. This film takes his character into a bit of a darker realm; McClane now has an alcohol problem, and his wife has left him again. Man, you'd think after having your life saved TWICE by the same guy that MAYBE you should stick with him. In fact, we don't even see McClane's wife (Bonnie Bedalia) in this film at all. Notta. Zip. Although we are led to believe they will hook up again at the end. Just wait until the next film, I saw.

Samuel L. Jackson adds some flair to the film, taking the movie into a more cop-buddy dimension ("Lethal Weapon"). Jackson's character is a racist, and it's a bit odd to see a black racist in a film. It's usually those nasty white fellas. :)

I liked Jackson's character, because it provides for dialogue outlet on McClane's behalf, and sets the film up for some very funny sequences. The character interaction is a lot stronger here than it was in "Die Hard 2: Die Harder."

"Die Hard: With a Vengeance" is hard to compare to the original because it is so very different. But the bottom line is that this sequel is much better than "Die Hard 2: Die Harder," but a step down from "Die Hard." But seeing how different it is, you might think it is better than both the films. It really depends on your preferences.

I give this solid action film a solid rating of 4/5 stars - an all-around solid action sequel. Solid fun.

This movie gets right to the point and starts off with an explosion. I love that. A crazy guy named Simon (played very well by Jeremy Irons) blows up a store, and asks to speak to John McClane, who is on suspension. The cops grab McClane, who is by now a heavy drinker, and put him on the phone with Simon. Simon makes him walk through Harlem with a very offensive sign. Just when he is about to get beat down, he is rescued by the racist Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Zeus. It seems as though Simon wants revenge on McClane for something, but nobody knows why. Now, Zeus and McClane are at the mercy of Simon, who meanwhile is committing a massive robbery.

This movie is considerably different from the other two, which is probably a good thing. Who wants the same thing three times in a row? The plot has as many twists and turns as a snake, and the movie keeps the viewer involved. Watching Zeus and McClane bicker is amusing as well. Samuel L. Jackson pulls off the role of the "racist black man" very well. I would highly recommend this movie.

This is definitely the grittiest of all the 3 Die Hard films. John Mclane is now a drunk, he's separated from his family, living in New York, and to make matters worse a terrorist calling himself "Simon" is out for revenge on Mclane. Mclane, and everyone else, has absolutely no idea why.

The first 2 films are superior to this one since this has a lot of changes from the mood that made the others so great. First off, it's not set on Christmas. No biggie though. Secondly, there are too many complications and twists to the plot. You almost have to take notes. And thirdly, the biggest change is that it's now turned into a buddy movie to the style of Lethal Weapon, since Samuel L. Jackson as Zeus unwillingly teams up with John Mclane. They're complete opposites, they argue, and they become friends. That sort of stuff.

Die Hard: With A Vengeance still stays true to it's amazing action scenes, though. There's plenty of explosions, there's floods, and overall general destruction. It's a different kind of movie, yes. But it's a good different kind of movie.

My rating: 9/10

Regardless of what you might think of Bruce Willis, he really does excel in this series of films and John McClane, the all action policeman is the perfect role for him.

This time his sidekick is the guru of the action film, Samuel L. Jackson, the owner of an electrical store, as he goes up against the ever excellent Jeremy irons, who can play a bad guy like few others.

Irons is executing the greatest heist ever, and the shots throughout the film are spectacular. The lack of any half decent script is completely masked by explosions, but what else would you expect?

Die Hard With A Vengence is a near-perfect summer movie. This franchise effort is a gleeful no-brainer with nonstop action. It gives some additional perverse pleasure, as we get to watch smartypants Bruce Willis get smacked around for 112 minutes. In this third outing with John McClane, we are faced with yet another mad bomber on the loose. Jeremy Irons plays Simon, a nasty piece of Eurotrash who has a score to settle with Detective McClane. Simon's bombing game comes complete with crafty riddles, which must be solved in a specified time or everything goes boom. McClane has no choice but to play. Along the way, he picks up an unlikely accomplice named Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson), a Harlem shopkeeper. Together they tear all over New York trying to head off disaster. Sure, it's all perfectly preposterous, but DIE HARD 3 has been directed with breathless intensity by John McTiernan, who certainly has a way with wrecking things. Was he very destructive as a child? Loved the spectacular subway crash, John. That hair-raising taxi ride through Central Park wasn't bad, either. Don't forget to fasten your seat belts for this ride.

Brilliant movie with a brilliant storyline and made all the better having Samuel L Jackson to team up with Bruce Willis, genius idea that brought even more life to the franchise.

This third part that brings again another impossible situation results to be a nice buddy movie with stoppable action, thrills, explosions, pursuits and humor. A powerful action thriller with the tough-cookie, wise-cracking cop John McClaine : Bruce Willis, who joins forces with Samuel L Jackson, as a reluctant shopkeeper , to take down villainous people who are planting a series of massive bombs across NYC and especially at the threatened schools plenty of little students . Here McClaine facing off foreign ruthless, high-stakes recruits and their heinous boss, Jeremy Irons, as the brother of of the bad boy, Alan Rickman, who Willis killed in the first film. Along the way MacClane dangerously fleeing from bursting dam waters rushing at him down underground tunnel.

Here McClaine, Bruce Willis, is back home in the Big Apple, having another bad day and suffering chaos and destruction, including a breathtaking subway crash and a spectacular flood. Obviously repeats partially the plot of previous entries with references to the former in the screenplay, including his estranged and separated wife, Bonnie Bedelia . While the first outing Die Hard 1988 by John MacTiernan was set at a claustrophobic Los Angeles skycraper and the second Die Hard 2 : Die harder 1990 by Renny Harlin was set at an airport, this third part is set at New York streets. This installment features energetic action and finely acted interpretations from the three leads : Bruce Willis, Samuel L Jackson, Jeremy Irons. Being well accompanied by a nice support cast as Graham Greene, Colleen Camp, Sam Philips, Nick Wyman, and Tony Peck.

It packs a colorful cinematography by Peter Menzies, adding an exessive hand-held camerawork and annoying steadicam. As well as rousing and moving musical score by Michael Kamen. This fast, well-done follow-up motion picture was professionally directed by John McTiernan, though is inferior than the first part which he made too. John is a good craftsman who has got a lot of hits, such as : Die Hard, Predator, The hunt for Red October, The 13th warrior, The Thomas Crown affair, Last action hero, ,but also some flops as Nomads, Medicine man, Basic, and Rollerball especially. Rating : 6.5/10. Notable action film. Better than average.

Die Hard:With A Vengeance deserves to be ranked in a top ten list of action movies. The first two Die Hard movies were brilliant but this installment just blows the first two out of the water.

Bruce Willis is back as police officer Lt. John McClane and in this movie he teams with Samuel L. Jackson as Zeus Carver to stop the wicked Jeremy Irons who is planning to cause mayhem and destruction around New York.

If you're a fan of non-stop action movies like Speed, then this is the movie with you. It doesn't let up for a second; it's one of those movies where your heart beats as fast as the characters and by the end of the movie, you'll be feeling like you ran round New York chasing a bomber. That is how all good action movies should be.

I don't think it is any exaggeration to say that Die Hard:With A Vengeance deserves to be rated one of the top action movies of the 1990's. All that has to be done now is to make Die Hard 4 which I hope would top this movie...although that would be quite a feat.

The movie starts off by re-introducing John McClane, and immediately takes off with non-stop action. Samuel L Jackson has great chemistry with Willis, and they really work with each other. Even thought the movie was made almost 20 years ago, due to the dependence on mainly practical effects, it still looks good.

The one major downfall of the movie was the ending. It is too bad, since that is what the viewer will remember. It could have been easily re- mediated if they went with a less typical Hollywood-type ending, and that would also have been in line with everything else in the movie. Also, the water riddle was solved way too easily by John, and the editing of it didn't even show how he randomly arrived at the answer.

I'm not sure why some people dismiss this as a weaker film in the Die Hard series. Obviously the first one was incredible and nothing can ever really live up to it in my mind, but this one (the third one) is at least as good as the second Die Hard film, and they are both definitely a million times better than the awful Die Hard films that have come since the first three.

Great action, lots of good humor, good acting. This movie has it all, even a fantastic villain. Plus Samuel L. Jackson in a supporting role. This is a great action movie.

I LOVE the friend-enemy relationship and back and forth between Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, as well as the entire premise and set up for the film. The villain makes things interesting for one of our favorite action movie characters and his partner throughout the film. One of the most underrated action movies of the 90s!

I do agree with anybody who says that Die Hard with a Vengeance is not as good as the original Die Hard. Then again it did have a lot to live up to, seeing as Die Hard is a real benchmark in the action genre. This film in a very good franchise is still very, very good, and does try very hard to keep to the spirit of the original film.

While perhaps running a little too long, and the beginning is rather slow, the film does move briskly and has slick direction, as well as more than its fair share of tense, funny and witty lines in the script. The plot, made up of two stories really, is cleverly balanced and actually doesn't fall into the trap of becoming convoluted or derivative, and the score was very well done, with musical and comedic touches. Die Hard With a Vengeance is also very stylishly filmed with fluid cinematography, great effects and dazzling scenery coupled with authentic sound effects, and there are plenty of explosive set pieces. And the acting was great, Bruce Willis is terrific as John McClane, while Samuel L. Jackson always the solid actor matches him perfectly, and their chemistry is what makes the movie enjoyable. Jeremy Irons is also excellent as Simon Gruber, perhaps not as good as Alan Rickman in the original who was the epitome of evil, but he is still good, playful and threatening.

Overall, very enjoyable entry in a very good franchise. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This is my second favorite in the series and another one of my favorite action films of all time.

I really love the plotline, as usual with the Die Hard films it feels plausible, from the way it's handled whose to say no criminal organization had this in the back of their mind. It's true a bit of the scheme isn't too different but nothing wrong with that, what really matters is in its execution as an old saying goes if it's not broke don't fix it.

Though it's also true that some parts are a little comic bookish but that's not a bad thing as it reminds us that despite the "Die Hard" franchise being down to Earth it's still a movie. Though I'm a little surprised that this plotline wasn't used in the "Batman" film franchise as this feels like the kind of scheme "The Riddler" would do, maybe in the future they'll consider it. On a side note this plotline was going to be for another "Lethal Weapon" sequel which might have been interesting but I'm glad all the same this was in the "Die Hard" franchise.

Really like the setting of the film from the fact that it's set in New York this time which makes sense as it's McClane's hometown and his career's there. Also, the fact this time the film takes place in the summer time and not Christmas, which I'm fine with didn't want things to feel too formulaic. Also, both New York and summer time is fitting for this film, despite summer being a time for vacation, rest and relaxation, it can also be the most stressful time of the year. From not just the heat but crime which spikes up even faster than the heat during that time most notably in the big cities which of course makes New York the perfect arena.

Music is good, like the use of the sone "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" which ironically fit in both ways, but mainly the song "Summer in the City" as the theme song for the film which fits like a glove for this film. I'll admit ever time I hear that oldie but goodie, I always think about this film.

Characters are great there is a colorful cast, from the main villain Simon Grubber played by one of my favorite actors Jeremy Irons and this is one of my favorite roles from him. He's another villain on my honorable mention of favorite fictional villains but my second favorite main villain in the "Die Hard" franchise.

I really bought him as Hans Grubber's brother Simon whom just like Hans has the same aims as him but also there are slight differences that set him apart. Like the fact he's not a ruthless as Hans however just like his brother he's just as much a skilled chess player as he's a step or two ahead and doesn't let everyone on all his scheme. He's not as ruthless as Hans but he's not afraid to take anyone out that gets in the way and tries to ruin his plans.

Really like his German accent which sounds sharp, well mannered and sinister. The guy runs his scheme in a sort of military fashion as he has a well-coordinated operation and well thought out plan he is executing at the right places at the right times. But what I really like about him is that he's sort of a cat that likes to play with his food, as he is constantly giving John several challenges to the point where if the challenges don't kill John he will.

Zeus played well by one of my favorite actors Samuel L Jackson. This film was one of the films that helped put him on the map and it was a good choice. I really love his character as it's pretty much Sam sort of being Sam.

His character and John have one thing in common as he's a reluctant hero that really didn't ask to do any hero work but he sigh's, grits his teeth a little and does it anyway as no one else can or will which is understandable as stopping bombs isn't on my to do list either or any other sane person's list. Another common thing is both have charisma, but Zeus's charisma is different as his is more of a tough aggressive attitude, where he doesn't take crap from anyone, one scene I like is when he shoos a suit jerk away from the phone when that guy makes a small offensive comment; yeah serves that jerk right.

Though we see Zeus has a slight Achilles heel as he has prejudicial slightly antisocial attitudes, though this doesn't deter from his humanity as he doesn't wear these attitudes like a badge which is why we can forgive him for it as we understand where he's coming from, much like with Archie Bunker in "All in the Family" but that's a different story. And this whole debacle you can say was one hell of a way for Zeus to learn to get along as prejudice would be the killer.

And of course, John McClane played well by Bruce Willis. As usual John is himself as he is the usual reluctant hero that really doesn't want to do this but must as he's forced once more to play the game.

However, we see John is in a bad place in his life right now as you see from the beginning he looks and feels like crap. From getting suspended for who knows what we never really know but whatever it was it wasn't good. His marriage is on the rocks again though this time it's bad. And he of course throughout a bit of the film he's had a bit of a bad hangover, as he's had more than he can handle yesterday. And of course not any closer to winning the Lotery.Which in a way makes some of John's plight sort of his slight journey to redemption and the terrorist attack seems to be one hell of a start on that road and let alone with his current personal situation, what the hell else is he going to do.

The film by its nature is sort of a buddy cop movie as we see both John and Zeus are on the fence with each other. The back and forth between both is just great. Both we see really clash with one another and don't get along too well. Yet both do work well together and as the film goes further alone, we see both slowly but surely get along as those clashing attitudes start to cool down along with Pete's plans as they both get closer.

The humor is great, it hits in the right places and times and is memorable. There are just so many fun moments between both McClaine and Zeus. Like seeing both in a cab going though the park and then in a dialog scene Zeus says, "Are you aiming for these people" and McClaine says, "No, well maybe that mime." That always makes me snicker. Or even seeing both McClaine and Zeus jack bikes from juvenile shoplifters, all I can say to those shoplifters is serves them right.

The action is great the film plays out like a live action video game as we see both McClaine and Zeus just constantly on the move, having to get from point A, B, C and so on. And we they are doing it any way they can and have a whole city to work with which sort of reminds me of the "Grand Theft Auto" video games well sort of and this film was years before those games.

The suspense really excels from both the physical challenges that McClane and Zeus must get through but also there thought provoking at the same time with he riddles that Peter serves both of them. Though if your good with riddles you might easily be able to solve them before the protagonists do as we know the solution to riddles is simple, they just don't seem that way as first.

There is as usual that double layered suspense as we see Peter and his villain army are conducting their theft operation. We are a step ahead of McClaine and Zeus and are hoping both will not just play though Peter's game and survive but also along the way catch on to Pete's true plan and get a step ahead of him. And we also need both McClaine and Zeus to help us fill in the blanks on some other parts of Pete's plan he hasn't let us in on.

The only dud the film has for me is McClaine I don't feel gets to kick a lot of ass in this film. Ok, yeah, he does but I mean there aren't really that many physical confrontations. Would have liked to of seen at least one or two intense shootouts or even another kind of chase where McClane he must chase down some of the dump trucks with the gold trying to escape and their shooting at him and he shoots back.

But this is just a very tiny dud, as McClaine in the film does have some physical confrontations where he gets to kick some ass, so some is better than none. And due to the films pacing and seeing both McClaine and Zeus constantly on the move doing things I hardly noticed so I really can't complain much.

This entry to the series is a hot actioner with a vengeance.

Rating: 4 stars

Well, if you enjoyed the 1988 "Die Hard" and the 1990 "Die Hard 2" movies, then you most certainly will also enjoy the 1995 third movie in the franchise "Die Hard: With a Vengeance".

The storyline as delivered by writer Jonathan Hensleigh proved to be innovative for the franchise, while it kept the very essence and spirit of the franchise at heart. So "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" was a welcomed addiction to the action franchise.

Once again does Bruce Willis return to reprise the role as John McClane, the police officer with an attitude and a knack for getting himself into precarious situations. And this third movie also has Jeremy Irons and Samuel L. Jackson on the cast list, both of whom definitely added something unique to the movie and to the franchise as a whole. Jeremy Irons proved to be right up there alongside with Alan Rickman in terms of portraying an interesting villain in this particular franchise.

"Die Hard: With a Vengeance" has an abundance of action, just as the previous two movies did, so you are definitely in for a treat. But at the same time, then "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" proves to have more to its storyline than just action and that stereotypical one-man-against-an-army-of-bad-guys feel to it.

I will say that the storyline told in "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" was an enjoyable one, and there were some nice twists to the plot along the way, which made for a non-linear and somewhat unpredictable storyline. Not only is it an entertaining story, but director John McTiernan also manages to get the audience dragged in and feeling like they are right there alongside McClane and Zeus.

If you haven't already seen the 1995 movie "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" from director John McTiernan, it is about time you do so, as this is an entertaining and enjoyable action movie. My rating of "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" settles on a well-deserved 7 out of 10 stars.

Best Die Hard sequel by some way. Ok Jeremy Irons looks like a member of the Village People but he is a good villain. Jackson is excellent I probably enjoyed him in this far more than some of his more acclaimed roles. Willis is still up to the mark as John McLaine. Loads of good action in this one with what was at the time an original plot.

I guess the "Die Hard" movies wouldn't have been the same without Bruce Willis as John McClane and Willis would probably never have been as known as he is today if it hadn't been for these movies. Sure, he has made many more movies, but I guess that, if you ask many people to name one movie with Bruce Willis in it, most of the time it will be one of the Die Hard movies which people will remember.

McClane's life is a complete mess: he's about to divorce, he has been suspended and he drinks more alcohol than can possibly be good for him. But than a massive bomb explodes in the Bonwit Teller department store. Of course this causes a lot of commotion and the police is anxious to find out who did it, when they get a phone call from a guy with a German accent who calls himself "Simon". Simon wants McClane to go to the corner of 138th Street and Amsterdam in Harlem and wear a racist sign. Of course this will mean instant death, but why does Simon want to have him killed? The answer is simple, because he's the brother of Hans Gruber, the terrorist he threw off a building a few years back. Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson), a local shop owner, saves McClane and together they find themselves in a deadly game of "Simon Says" while McClane isn't in the mood for games because he has a bad temper and an awful hangover...

Normally I'm not a big fan of all those buddy/cop movies, but this movie is an exception. The interaction between Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson is of an outstanding quality. These two even made me forget about the, let's be honest, a bit silly story. The entire movie would have failed if it hadn't been for these two. I haven't had such a good time with this kind of movie since 'Lethal Weapon' (probably the best movie to compare it with) and that's why I give it a 7.5/10.