I remember the Summer of 1988 just like it was yesterday. I remember my first glimpse of Bruce Willis as John McClane just like it was yesterday. I remember seeing Die Hard seven times in the theater, thinking this is the most fantastic action movie till that point. Guess what?, it still is the best in my book.
However, that is not the movie this review is supposed to be about, but then again it is. Live Free was my most anticipated movie of the summer of 2007. I felt for sure that it would be a letdown and that there would no way to recapture the glory of the original Die Hard. However, I went into optimistic, that the glory of 1988 would be recaptured, that John McClane would, once again, rule the day.
Just how would John McClane relate to this tech saavy generation? Would he still be the same ole blue collar action hero or would be somehow transformed to fit in the 2000's?
Survey says, Same Ole John and wee different Die Hard. Of course, nothing could ever capture the claustrophobic excess of Nakatomi Plaza and they didn't try. Score one for Live Free. It is a wide open computer era action flick with one of the most stone cold, I'm gonna do it my way, the 80's way action hero.
Needless to say, I liked Live Free. It is not in the same galaxy as the original, but in its own right a glorified action romp that will satisfy even the most hungry of 80's fried action fans.
The blu ray is specatacular. The picture quality lives up to Fox's most impressive transfers and the all encompassing sound track will blow you away.
Now for a little cheese with my wine; I would have loved to seen the unrated version on blu. However, that cannot affect the review, because overall it's a great package and a great movie.
Simply stated, it's not Die Hard, but it is Live Free or Die Hard.
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