The early action is so strong that the finale cannot top it, likened to Apocalypse Now’s helicopter sequence overwhelming later scenes.
Zeus has no credible reason to remain involved once Simon no longer needs him, particularly after being shot; ordinary civilians becoming commandos is compared with Under Siege and 48 Hrs.
Repeated pressure to call Holly distracts from the mission and an apparently finished marriage.
New York financial-district explosions are now sensitive imagery; release near the Oklahoma City bombing reportedly required careful publicity.
McClane kills suspected enemies without normal arrest procedure, though the combat circumstances offer a partial defense.
Police accepting a line of dump trucks at the damaged vault strains plausibility.
The film’s trusting, heroic picture of municipal workers searching dangerous schools contrasts with diminished contemporary regard for public services.
The stolen gold is far too heavy for the available trucks; the discussion cites 480 trucks and twenty-five-pound bars while questioning the film’s value figures.
The theatrical ending is judged poor and its aspirin-bottle location clue implausible.
Zeus joining the Quebec pursuit despite his injured leg is absurd; arresting Simon or sending a tactical team would be more sensible.
The flex proposes an actual Yankees game during the stadium scene. The baseball strike may explain access, but the film could mention it; the Mets’ stadium is another option.
Calling this the best Die Hard is proposed, aided by not imperiling Holly, then challenged because the original is groundbreaking with a stronger ending.
This is accepted as a personal favorite or the most entertaining installment without necessarily being the best.
Using Simon Says here squandered a possible standalone action or horror franchise; Saw is offered as a comparable concept.
Larry Bryggman as Cobb (called Walter in this discussion) is the main That Guy choice; Kevin Chamberlin’s bomb expert is another candidate and Colleen Camp may be too recognizable.
Sam Phillips is the immediate heat-check choice; Jerry the truck driver, played by Joe Zaloom, is the other candidate for briefly solving the presidential riddle.
Bruce Willis; Colleen Camp; Sam Phillips; summer action setting; Wall Street school system; gold reserves; Bonwit Teller; Die Hard sequels; McClane’s sidekicks
Willis receives support for this comeback period: Pulp Fiction and this hit lead into a run of major films and first-call status.
Willis and Demi Moore’s combined stardom adds to the case; Moore’s reported Striptease salary is corrected from twenty to twelve million.
Jackson’s peak is unresolved among the Pulp Fiction era, Jackie Brown, later-1990s permanence and Star Wars.
Irons’s Oscar win or Margin Call are alternatives; Harlem is rejected as only a brief setting here, with Harlem Knights, The Cotton Club and Hoodlum discussed.
Summer as an integral action-movie setting receives qualified support, as do the Wall Street school system, gold reserves and Bonwit Teller.
How many tasks Simon expected McClane to solve, and how he monitored them, remain open questions.
The next day’s newspaper lead could be the subway crash, multiple attacks, school threat, flood or McClane; New York under attack is a possible umbrella headline.
A multi-day version would allow ongoing newspaper headlines; filming amid New York’s 1994 sports excitement is recalled.
Mike and the Mad Dog are imagined delaying discussion of the attacks until after Knicks–Pacers and returning to Rangers coverage; the impression is fictional.
Displaying discussions 2221 - 2232 of 6801 in total
