Starring: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Sebastian Koch, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Yuliya Snigir

Genre: Action, Crime
Runtime: 97minutes

(By Peter Njoroge) John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back to give us another instalment of the Die Hard Franchise. He is still an NYPD officer obviously looking a bit older than the previous instalment Live Free or Die Hard. However do not let this deceive you he is still as witty and ready for action as ever.

The backdrop of the film is similar to the previous films in that John McClane has to save a close family member. In this case it is his son Jack (Jai Courtney) with whom John has a particularly frosty relationship with and this forms one of the key themes of the film.  It differs from the previous films in that Jack is fully involved in the action throughout the film. John and his son seem to form a pretty formidable duo and John seems to adapt well to having his son by his side. It becomes obvious that Jack has picked up certain traits from his father.

The film is set in Russia more specifically the capital Moscow so part of the dialogue is understandably in Russian, but not enough to make it seem like you’re watching a foreign film.  John endures the usual problems an American would in Russia but reacts to them in a witty and humorous manner. The basis of the story is established very quickly and clearly and it doesn’t take long for the action to kick in. The action is fast-paced, explosive and particularly smart in my opinion. These moments will leave you stunned and in awe. There are expertly choreographed car chases and fight scenes and of course lots and lots of guns which is a staple for the franchise. There are several gun blazing scenes in which John and his son risk their lives and batter their bodies while evading danger. The story has a strong political theme and this may make some of the plot twists seem rather cliché. However certain parts will completely catch you off guard helping to cultivate an air of suspense through the entirety of the fi
lm. The banter between John and his son is rather amusing and surprisingly fits in well with the action.

In conclusion this is a good addition to the already prolific Die Hard Franchise. The action is fast paced and explosive which is what you would expect and probably why most individuals will watch the film. Bruce Willis has maintained John McClane’ssharp and entertaining persona which all Die Hard fans will love. The only negative points are that some of the aspects of the film are rather cliché. This is somewhat saved but some particular plot twists that will keep you excited and reduces the predictability of the film. All in all whether you’re a Die Hard fan or not I would suggest watching this film. It is exactly as advertised a good old heart pumping action film.