After seeing the latest in the Die Hard franchise, Live Free or Die Hard, I wanted to revisit the old movies to remember how it all began and if they were still good. As I watched, I came to the realization that the original
Die Hard is the quintessential action movie. When we first meet Bruce Willis ("Planet Terror")'s John McClane, he's struggling with his marriage and his job. He's not a super hero. He just gets caught up in some extraordinary circumstances and does his best to save his wife and be a cop at the same time. Sure, he manages to pull off some amazing stunts, but Willis is easy to identify with. We feel that, maybe, if we were in the same situation, we could do it, too.
And Alan Rickman ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix") always plays a good bad guy. In this script, he's smart. A well matched adversary to Willis' cop. Plus, there's comedy. Not too much, but just enough wise-cracking to cut the tension between the dramatic stunts. Just all around good times.
Sadly,
Die Hard 2 does not live up to its predecessor. The action is still good. Willis is still wise-cracking and charming. But the story is weak and William Sadler ("August Rush")'s villian lacks Rickman's charisma. I also missed the claustrophobia of McClane being trapped in one building, trying to outsmart the bad guys alone. In true sequel fashion, the action is bigger and the stakes are higher. But the film seems too long.
Die Hard with a Vengeance brings back original director John McTiernan ("Basic") and he is able to recapture some of the magic of the first film. This movie also gives McClane a sidekick in the form of Samuel L. Jackson ("1408") who is just trying to be a good Samaritan when he gets sucked into the drama. There are a few buddy cop moments between Jackson and Willis and they have good chemistry. The strong villain returns in the form of Jeremy Irons ("Eragon") who feeds the duo strange riddles and spends most of the film in a purple tank top. An interesting wardrobe choice. Not as good as the original, but still an entertaining afternoon.
Becoming Jane chronicles a pre-fame Jane Austen as she struggles with a forbidden love and whether or not to marry for money. Though I love Austen's books and most of the film adaptations, this film just did not have the same spark as those works of fiction. Anne Hathaway ("The Devil Wears Prada") stars as Jane and many of the scenes fall to her to express emotions with just her face and she can't always do it. James McAvoy ("Starter for 10") plays the love interest. He gives it his charming all. The film looks beautiful, but it's light. I didn't cry when I should have, I only laughed a little, and I've already started to forget the movie.
Stardust is a fantastical story about a young man who goes to find a fallen star, only to discover that it is not a rock but a woman, and the adventures that befall them as he tries to bring her back to his hometown to win the love of the local beauty. And that's just the basic outline. There are innumerable side characters and plots. All of the cast are strong and it's fantastical to watch. However, I felt that the lead, Charlie Cox ("Casanova") and the star, Claire Danes ("Evening"), just didn't have much chemistry. And since most of the story revolves around the two of them, that really hurt the film. But there's a lot to like here, especially Robert De Niro ("The Good Shepherd") in quite a twist on his usual persona and a group of commenting ghosts. Very entertaining, but it's missing some of the magic of The Princess Bride.