A Good Day to Die Hard

A good day to die hard is nothing short of abysmal...it makes 4.0 look quite the exception.

Ah, how things have changed since the Nakatomi plaza was over-run and saved by an average Joe in a tank-top. A sequel and a third completed what was quite a fantastic trilogy in my opinion. Fast forward, with a brief mention of how 4.0 was mediocre, the latest instalment stars Bruce Willis in a movie that should not be classed among the rest. In fact to call what I am about to review a Die Hard movie is insulting its predecessors.

Following the arrest of his forgotten son, John McClane (Bruce Willis) is once again on the road headed for Russia in an attempt to bring him home. Little does John know (or maybe he does) chaos awaits them both as his son Jack (Jai Courtney); a CIA operative, is determined to stop a nuclear heist. John on the other hand, consistently reminds us of how he is on vacation and just wants to get them both home safe. Given John's past, he can't help but get sucked into a 15 minute car chase that eventually leads to a movie mashed up of sequences of loud noise and over the top stunts, bad CGI and irrelevant explosions...oh and a Yippee Kai Yay without the Motherfucker!

John McClane's return is poorly played out with a dumbed down act of what he once was. Fans of the franchise will fail to recognise this nice, happy-go lucky soccer dad wanna-be that just doesn't fit the character we once knew. He is overshadowed by his son's irritating ego, having a moan in every sequence about how he never had a father-son relationship. The catchphrases and references of the past are scrapped, with a plethora of family cliche's and nonsense shoot-outs along with aiming for a younger demographic has ultimately distinguished the gritty elements that made the originals so popular.

The one thing that stood out in the originals was the fact that each movie supported a significant bad-guy that McClane struggled to cope with, but inevitably came out on top. However the latest is just a rampage of bad-guys coming and going; Alik (Radivoje Bukvic) is one of them who completes a cast that failed to make any real impression. Heck, even 4.0 had Timothy Olyphant who wasn't great, but was not bad either. We don't even get a Timothy Olyphant this time around!

This is unfortunately another bad movie from John Moore; responsible for Max Payne (2008) and The Omen (2006). John's Die Hard is painted with exaggerated action attempts that in parts are visually fantastic, but far from believable. The heavy music over each shoot-out is typical of modern day block-busters that aim to grab your attention visually, not logically. When Die Hard 4.0 was released in 2007 there was a critical parade of disgust due to its PG12 rating. So there was high hopes for Die Hard this time round with its R-rated 15s but its lack of logic, significance and drama - Jai Courtney sums up what is a silly action movie that should by all means distant itself from the die hard franchise.

3/10

Looper

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars alongside his future self Bruce Willis in this sci-fi classic to be, Looper.

Joe Simmons (Levitt) is one of many cohorts affiliated with a criminal organisation running Loopers; assigned hit-men of the present who gain wealthy lifestyles through assassinating criminals who are sent from the future be shot an wiped in the outskirts of Kansas City. The organisation is altered through the use of time travel, invented in the thirty years ahead. The mob of 2074 sees the machine beneficial in terms of body disposal. Once the target is sent back to the year 2044, it is placed in the hands of Joe and Co to finish the task.

Kansas is home to the strangest of folks with a major decline in poverty as well as a fascinating trend of telekinesis. Abe (Jeff Daniels) who is head of Loopers, feeds off the low class of 2044 Kansas.

To Abe's disgust, Seth (Paul Dano)lets his target slip, leaving an outcry for him to be captured. Joe hesitates in covering for Seth however he finds a portrayal to come as Seth reveals the danger of the current Loopers as a future figure head calls for all Loopers to be closed - meaning their future self is next to appear which will leave them ultimiately terminated.

Joe is faced with the ultimate task when he is faced with killing himself, Bruce Willis. Joe suffers a similar consequence to Seth as he too lets his target escape, resulting in a chase of cat and mouse involving the mob and an older but much wiser Joe.

Joe; "I work as a specialized assassin, in an outfit called the Loopers. When my organization from the future wants someone to die, they zap them back to me and I eliminate the target from the future. The only rule is: never let your target escape... even if your target is you."

Older Joe follows is on a path to destruction as he sets on seeking the "Rainmaker"; the future figure involved in closing all the Loopers. The concept is blended between a general mix of future scenes and future flashbacks if you like, painting a picture of Old Joe's life from crime to love. Destined to make his future current, Old Joe is hell bent on changing the perception of his younger self, even if it means the introduction of Sarah (Emily Blunt). Sarah is caught up in a convenient piece to a time travelling puzzle.

Looper begins at great pace, offering a classic ingredient of science fiction, a genre we have recently come to forget. It is obvious to see the comparison of movies such as The Matrix, but it should take pride in enhancing its own premise. Time travel has been done before but not like this. Looper took this concept and kept focus keeping any possible exaggeration in tact.

The onscreen chemistry between Willis and Levitt is delightful. It is when they both sit across from each other for the first time you realise the hype surrounding Joseph's Die-hard resemblance. The interactions between Joe and Sarah shine nicely as it took aim in slowing down the movie, focusing on what is a potential romance that intervenes in what feels like an appropriate time.

Looper is an intelligent movie, creating some what a less confusing direction towards what many people believe time travel to be quite mindless, Inception and Donnie Darko are examples of showcasing a timetravel premise. Both fantastic films in their own way, although it still takes me some time to get to grips with the apparent aim of those movies. Inception was known for it's mind boggling asset, leaving Nolan to let the viewer decide. Let's just say you can enjoy Looper without any long-term debates.

Is it what the critics say; 2012's Matrix? No, I believe Inception was 2010's Matrix, and you can't have a film every year relating to the same film can we?

Director Rian Johnson made this movie his own, just like when Nolan got a hold of Inception. Not many directors and writers succeed in creating a time travel concept following the success of previous creations, however Rian has put together something original, with a not-so original cast, and made what could be my film of the year thus far.

Overall: Not only do the performances from Levitt and Willis make this enjoyable, the all round dark and twisted concept rates this as one of the best sci-fi thrillers of the last 10 years! It rocked!

9/10

The Expendables 2 Review

In 2010 Sylvester Stallone reunited the child within me, and I am not talking Disney fantasies. The Expendables was quite significant in terms of all those big names in one explosive whirlwind leading to a nostalgic spotlight in relation to the 80's action genre. What was a mindless concept from Sly, it was obvious he carried the gruesome portrayal of Rambo (2008) and brought it to the streets which consisted of explosive scenes and disturbed characters.

Expectations were high for the sequel. Was there a chance that Arnold Schwarzenegger would play a bigger part this time around? Chuck Norris and Van Damme were also popping up in trailers. It looked exciting on paper so let's find out.

So after an introduction of pure carnage and to be frank, quite ridiculous stunts, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is cornered by Church (Bruce Willis) as he once again seeks to assemble Barney and the gang for a routine mission that goes excitingly wrong. 

According to Church, Barney cost him 10 million from the previous mission so this would be the last of any dealings between Barney's mercenaries and Church. A sense of portrayal is exposed when Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner (Dolph Lundgren) Hale (Terry Crews) and Co are found to be set up, resulting in immediate pay back and a path of destruction from the guys. The "Villain", who is titled eh, Villain, is the legendary (Jean-Claude Van Damme). Jean plays the role of a heartless Russian who is mindset on a cave full of heavy artillery leading to what he believes will create world war 2012. Yes, looking to start another world war...not on Sly's watch!

So it is from there we witness once again as Sly's expendables attempt to raise their credibility as well as save the day as they bump into Friends of old and older. (you know who).

The anticipation of the cameos we wait so eager for comes a lot sooner than expected. The action scenes and overall acting was genuinely poor. I prayed for a Schwarzenegger appearance to help make this better than it's predecessor. Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is an old friendly rival of Barney and coincidentally bump into each other through-out the film as this sequel shows it's stupidity as Trench and Booker (Chuck Norris) appear in the most random of places failing to explain any logic on how and why they are there?. Booker is the lone wolf who can't help but throw in his own Chuck Norris jokes every so often.

I enjoyed this film for what it is. And what is it? well it is an all out war of the best with a plot that was thought up in the space of 30 minutes or less. To see Arnold and Van Damme back on screen was amusing and exciting. With all these egos, and with their history, neither are ever short of a quote or two...or three!

The testosterone in this film is laughable and I couldn't help but think Sly is bigger than ever as one of his veins looks the equivalent to my left leg.

One cannot help to be entertained by the stupidity of this film as we witness the over-reaction of  splattered heads, cringe one liners and mundane comedy. Unfortunately, I personally enjoyed the previous more as their was a better character in the enemy and supplied that touch of drama with Micky Rourke's involvement. Jet Li's Yang who also went missing through the sequel...unexplained really. I suppose that defines a Stallone movie in 2012.

So with a Mickey mouse storyline and a wider cast, the Expendables 2 failed to live up to the entertaining scenes in the original. I was not hoping to be blown away by actors performances but as a fan of the majorities cast, I felt, once again, manipulated in terms of the apparent involvement of Arnold and the rest that was used to sell the film.

Overall: Enjoyable if you forget your brain like I did with it's promotion supplying a better hype than the overall movie.