A Good Day to Die Hard (Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy)

Come On, It's John McClane!
I agree with other reviewers who are wondering where all the bad reviews are coming from! It's a DIE HARD movie so you know exactly what you are going to get when you pay your money at the box office. If you are a DIE HARD fan, this movie gives you exactly what you are expecting... ridiculously crazy action. No way John McClane can survive another bad situation - but you know he will because it's John McClane and you can't wait to find out how bad he gets beat up in the process. If you don't like this kind of action, don't watch it, but for what it is supposed to be, this is a good movie!
Not a Die Hard Movie
This is a difficult film to review.

Die Hard 5 is not going to please you if you are hoping for a film like the first Die Hard: underdog good cop in a situation over his head struggling to make things turn out right while the government/cops etc. try to to handle the situation.

The GOOD:

This film is an excellent action movie with a couple of ridiculous scenes--like the transition from bridge to road below, or from chopper to roof, etc. You'll understand. The action is incredible and beautifully shot. The car chase alone is a new experience, the way the bystanders and cars get tossed about. It's unlike any chase scene I can remember. The only disturbing part is how many innocents John must have killed! lol. His son has a few cool CIA gadgets. There are a few nice plot twists. On it's own, the film is a fun ride, fun to watch, thrills unfolding in a novel way.

But . . . it is not Die Hard. It is a weak reflection of the series we adore...
It's a Good Time To Try Harder
Yes, John McClane is back. That's good, except this particular outing is not exactly the best of the quintet. In fact, at best it probably ranks somewhere around the fourth or fifth of the bunch. The franchise is getting lazy. REALLY lazy, but more on that in a minute.

On the flip side, you probably didn't come to this one to think, anyway.

This time McClane is in Russia: his estranged son Jack (Jai Courtney) has turned up in Moscow, charged with murder, and he's copping a plea deal by testifying against a highly popular political prisoner whose trial could bring down a (need I say it?) corrupt high-ranking Russian official.

But as always, there are complications. As the commercials tell you, his son is a CIA spy, deep undercover, and the only thing about him that's real is his deep-seated anger at his father. Regardless, John flies out to Moscow (filled in for nicely by shots of Budapest, Hungary).

Given the immensity of the case...
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