Die Hard 4.0

"Die Hard 4.0" is what I first heard this movie was going to be called. Then they changed it to "Live free or die hard". I have to admit I like the first title better, and I was happy when I found out that they would keep that very title here in Europe. Probably because most people over here wouldnt get the connection to New Hampshire's state motto (Live free or die). But I find the 4.0 title to be much more intelligent and with a much better reference to the plot of the movie. "Die Hard 4.0" is a title that instantly makes you think of computers. And I personally dont think you need a patriotic title like "Live free or die hard" to get patriotic. Heck Im Norwegian and even I feel the patriotism with just the two words:"Die Hard". Ofcourse you cant expect every movie-goer to be the kind of Die Hard-nerd that I am. So I will forgive them for the somewhat dull choice of title.

Anyways! Enough about the title. I finally got to see this movie...a movie I have been waiting for since 1995. Not only did I get to watch it on premiere night, I got to watch it for free! Uhuh! I entered a contest and won two tickets, and whats even better, my boyfriend won two tickets in the same contest, so we got to bring some friends with us. I cannot remember the last time I was this jacked up about a movie. Come premiere day and I could hardly sit still. -And I knew having these high expectations were bound to get me disappointed. But I just couldnt help myself. Die hard has been special to me since I first saw Die Hard 2 (which was the first one I watched) and that was much thanks to my grandfather who recommended it to me. He was a huge fan of action movies, and the Die hards will always remind me of him. There is something about John McClane and his attitude that just works. He is impossible to dislike, and so are the movies. -In my opinion anyways...but then again, this is my blog and my opinion is pretty much what its based on. So I would guess it is ok.

After the admission of being a huge fan of the Die hards, and that I was more excited about this movie than I have been about any movie in a long time, I guess my review of it is one hundred percent biased and totally irrelevant for any one out there who is looking for a serious, objective review. So I am not going to give one. I will however say that watching the previous 3 Die hards before watching this one, did in fact ruin the experience a littlebit. It took me a while to get into the "Die hard-mode", simply because John didnt quite look like John to me at first. The previous 3 movies happen over a course of what...7 years? So John looks the same in all of them. He is also wearing the same kind of clothes in all of them, and the same hairdo. In the first scene of Die Hard 4.0, you see a bald (which is a very good look btw) John in a leather jacket, talking quietly and looking rather serious. It certainly helps to have his now grown-up daughter there, who really looks like the little girl who played Lucy in the first movie, to set the time line. But I would say its not untill about 20 minutes into the movie that you really recognize John McClane. Or atleast thats how it was for me. Im thinking if I hadnt watched the previous 3 movies first, I wouldnt have been so set on Johns appearance or attitude, which would naturally change over the course of an additional 10 years since Die Hard with a vengeance.

Either way, it became pretty clear after said 20 minutes that this is definitely John McClane, and this is without doubt a Die Hard movie. Its so great to finally see an oldfashioned action movie again. Real stunts. Real action. Ofcourse its all a little "over the top" as my friend pointed out to me. But that is the whole point. That is Die Hard, right? I didnt know I had missed John McClane so much before I watched this movie, and I for one really do hope they make another one. This is a series of movies and a character I can watch over and over again for pure pleasure. Once in a while its great to watch a movie that serves everything on a silver plate. No serious thinking, no confusion. Just Die hard. Just action. Just John Ma-fucking-Clane.

The plot is good, although the main villan could have been more frightening, and the humor is dark and wonderful. I would actually say that this movie is far funnier than the previous 3. So I guess my conclution is; go see it for sure. And if you are one of the few people left in the world who hasnt seen the previous 3, it doesnt matter. You might actually benefit from it. Besides, after having watched this one, you're gonna go out and get the previous ones on DVD anyways...