I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching Bruised Willis save the day these past four weeks. I’m sad I have to say goodbye to John McClane. But then, I happen to know that there’s another installment on the way. Maybe if I behave myself, the big bosses will allow me out of the vault to do a proper theatrical review of it.

On the eve of the Fourth of July, NYPD Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) gets a call from HQ asking him to pick up a hacker, Matt Farrell (Justin Long), and take him to Washington, D.C. for questioning by the FBI. John arrives just in time to find Matt is the target of mercenaries and gunfights, explosions and mayhem quickly ensue. The two make it to DC, but all hell has broken loose as terrorists, led by Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant), have seized control of the nation’s technological infrastructure. With Matt being the only link to the terrorists’ plans, McClane takes it upon himself to hunt them down and save the U.S. of A. from bedlam.

Live Free or Die Hard is the first film in the franchise to carry a PG-13 rating, which made me doubtful it’d be as entertaining as its predecessors. While the lack of McClane’s f-bombs, the crunch of breaking bone, and more visually gruesome deaths costs it half a heart, Bruce Willis can still be counted on to deliver an attention-grabbing, edge-of-your-seat action film. Willis may be a veteran at entertaining audiences, his character is a technological primitive. The writing skills of Mark Bomback and David Marconi, coupled with the onscreen chemistry of  Willis and Long, deftly explain the intricate plot, albeit with some techno-jargon, without boring audiences to tears.

True to form, McClane talks to himself, talks smack to good and bad guys alike, and dishes out ass-whippings as necessary. Olyphant balances smug superiority with increasing annoyance as his perfect plans are dismantled by the venerable McClane. McClane’s chip-off-the-old-block, tough cookie of a daughter, Lucy is nabbed by Gabriel to reign in dad. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (NC Represent!) plays Lucy as if she grew up on a Die Hard diet (which she probably did) and gives Gabriel and his crew more grief than bargaining power.

Rounding out the cast is Cliff Curtis, who plays the ineffectual government agent of this Die Hard installment. Maggie Q, despite her diminutive stature, convinces audiences she’s more than a match for John as Gabriel’s right-hand woman, Mai. Cyril Raffaelli of District B13 fame is enlisted to capitalize on the then-cool sport of parkour. Q and Raffaelli give the action a violent and blindingly fast edge which add more than one new cut, bullet wound, and bruise to Willis.

In case we’d forgotten, Bruce Willis reminds audiences why he deserves respect in Live Free or Die Hard. Likewise, director Len Wiseman proved himself capable to direct someone other than Kate Beckinsale. Wiseman also deserves kudos for insisting on limiting the CGI. It is an excellent choice which gives the movie a more realistic feel. If only he’d also chosen to cut that ridiculous Bruce-Vs.-the-Jet stunt. For that, Live Free or Die Hard loses an extra half of a heart leaving it with a total of four hearts. That’s still pretty damned spanky for a fourth installment.

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