403 replies to this topic

[Tarl_Cabot]

Relentlessly, loudly, bonecrushingly mediocre.

Um...yeah, that about covers it.

[sharpshooter]

The film opens officially in Australia tomorrow, and I will see it then. I am expecting a good fun movie.

That alternate ending is awesome. Would of been a great ending.

Edited by sharpshooter, 08 August 2007 - 07:56 AM.

[0024]

I went. I saw. I loved it.

[stamper]

But will you be able to watch it about a 100 times and still enjoy it, like the original ? I liked it too in the cinema, but I don't think this have rewatchable life.

[sharpshooter]

I agree.

The film was ok. Willis seemed to be playing the role of a weary John. Some far out action, (the fighter jet and the bridge), but a good action romp. Ill take it as that.

[The Dove]

But will you be able to watch it about a 100 times and still enjoy it, like the original ? I liked it too in the cinema, but I don't think this have rewatchable life.

It will for me, stamper.. I think it's the best one since the original Die Hard.. and thats saying something since I also really like Die Hard 2 and Die Hard With a Vengeance..

[Loomis]

But will you be able to watch it about a 100 times and still enjoy it, like the original ? I liked it too in the cinema, but I don't think this have rewatchable life.

I'll buy DIE HARD 4.0 on DVD out of a sense of fanboy duty, but I doubt I'll watch it more than a couple of times. On the other hand, I've probably seen the first DIE HARD dozens of times, more than any other movie. It's so brilliantly-made and good to look at that it qualifies as a work of art - there are always different things to look at, and new levels to enjoy it on, and it never gets boring. Timeless and a true classic.

[The Dove]

HOORAY!! It looks like Fox is going to release an unrated version of Live Free or Die Hard on DVD!!!

I saw this great news on wikipedia and a few other places are reporting this two.. November 20th is the release date for the DVD which will be available in theatrical version (the Diet Coke of Die Hard...just one callorie, not evil enough! LOL) or the unrated version (what should have been released in the theater in the first place!!)

http://en.wikipedia....ree_or_Die_Hard

[LadySylvia]

But will you be able to watch it about a 100 times and still enjoy it, like the original ? I liked it too in the cinema, but I don't think this have rewatchable life.

How do you know that the movie doesn't have a rewatchable life? Because you didn't think much of it? I've already seen the movie twice and plan to buy the DVD.

[Jim]

But will you be able to watch it about a 100 times and still enjoy it, like the original ? I liked it too in the cinema, but I don't think this have rewatchable life.

How do you know that the movie doesn't have a rewatchable life? Because you didn't think much of it? I've already seen the movie twice and plan to buy the DVD.

That's decided that one then.

Next - "The Gaza Strip - what I think and is therefore law".

[Loomis]

HOORAY!! It looks like Fox is going to release an unrated version of Live Free or Die Hard on DVD!!!

I saw this great news on wikipedia and a few other places are reporting this two.. November 20th is the release date for the DVD which will be available in theatrical version (the Diet Coke of Die Hard...just one callorie, not evil enough! LOL) or the unrated version (what should have been released in the theater in the first place!!)

http://en.wikipedia....ree_or_Die_Hard

Apparently, us Brits are getting DIE HARD 4.0 on DVD almost a month earlier, on 29 October. Lucky us.

http://www.realmovie...m/dvd/news/1299

It seems that "the 2 disc 'Ultimate Action Edition' contains a new cut of the film not seen in cinemas with more attitude and more action" - one assumes that this is the same thing as the "unrated version", and one wonders whether the single-disc edition will feature the UK theatrical edit, forcing British McClane completists to buy both DVD packages.

ETA: Yes, according to another DVD site, the theatrical version will be exclusive to the single-disc release, with the two-disc set containing just the extended cut. What a ripoff.

[Loomis]

Gave the DVD a spin and enjoyed the film rather more than when I saw it on the big screen.

The main problem is still that it's nowhere remotely, even vaguely closely, near the quality of McTiernan's original. Call me old-fashioned, but I do expect a sequel to match up to its predecessor(s).

However, not since the turn of the '90s has McClane been such an interesting character. Who'd have thought that they could take his DIE HARD 2 line about thinking progress peaked with frozen pizza and spin a whole movie out of it? Thematically, I guess DIE HARD 4.0 is the sequel not to DIE HARD but to DIE HARD 2: technologically-savvy baddies hijack America's infrastructure and military, bending control systems to their will and making planes go where they want until finally thwarted by a self-proclaimed dinosaur.

There are way too many shots of geeks staring at monitors, while the initial action sequence is unexciting and the film takes a little too long to kick into high gear - it only really gets going when night falls about halfway through. For some reason, a DIE HARD adventure in daylight hours just doesn't work.

Still, this time round I did detect a few shreds of wit in the script - there are some neat exchanges between McClane and the main villain, as well as a few clever and subtle nods to the first flick (and, no, I'm not thinking of the groansome Agent Johnson bit). Simon Duggan's cinematography is better than I'd remembered, some of the action is good, and the performances, while inadequate for the big screen, pass muster on the small. It's still DIE HARD LITE, but, on reflection, a cut above DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE, at least.

Has anyone here seen the "uncut" version? I'm led to believe it's practically identical to the theatrical edit (i.e. there are no new scenes), with the addition of a couple of cuss words and a few spots of blood that only someone with a truly intimate knowledge of the film - Len Wiseman, say - would notice.

[Simon]

I might be about the only person to be seeing this for the first time on DVD. Am awaiting its arrival from Jersey apparently and so hope to be watching on Thursday.

Grief but the reviews tend to both sides of the pole...

[Simon]

At a first pass, I enjoyed it. All the boxes seemed to be ticked.

I did notice that a couple of cuts or changes were made to the version I saw from Trailer time.

1. When McClane killed the helicopter with the car, he replied that he ran out of bullets in the Trailer, but in the film was mumbling something about 'cars kill people everyday, and that was just four more.'

2. When McClanes leaves the 'basement', he says something about 'getting his daughter and then killing the guy, or killing the guy and then getting his daughter, or just killing Everyone', in the Trailer. In the film, the 'or killing everyone', was deleted.

Apologies if mentioned above or if it is in the extras - have yet to get to them.

I have the two disc version which is supposed to be harder and uncut. It is a 15 rated film. The yippiekayay MF was intact. Is anyone aware of the differences?

[Simon]

It's on YouTube:

This link has been taken down.

What was this ending?

Cheers.

[marktmurphy]

Gave the DVD a spin and enjoyed the film rather more than when I saw it on the big screen.

The main problem is still that it's nowhere remotely, even vaguely closely, near the quality of McTiernan's original. Call me old-fashioned, but I do expect a sequel to match up to its predecessor(s).

I'd say you were expecting too much- the original was 'timeless and a true classic' by your own words ('a work of art' too) and you don't get too many of those in each decade, nevermind in a single series!
I'm glad you've found it enjoyable; it's a good, fun film and it's streets ahead of most of its type. It's a laugh.

[Loomis]

I'm glad you've found it enjoyable; it's a good, fun film and it's streets ahead of most of its type. It's a laugh.

Agreed. Took me a while to get there, though. But I've finally made peace with the fact that it isn't HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR. DIE HARD 4.0, while no worldbeater ("most of its type" I pass on anyway), is indeed a good laugh and a worthy addition to the DVD collection.

I still stand by my words of high praise for the first film, though, although I'm sure we've always been in agreement on that one.

BTW, have you seen the "uncut" version? Thoughts?

[marktmurphy]

I still stand by my words of high praise for the first film, though, although I'm sure we've always been in agreement on that one.

Oh definitely. Few films are as totally successful at what they set out to do as Die Hard; it's practically perfect.

BTW, have you seen the "uncut" version? Thoughts?

I haven't, but if the Yipee Ki Yay is intact as Simon says (arf!) above, I tend to think that that alone is reason enough to favour that version!

[Loomis]

It's on YouTube:

This link has been taken down.

What was this ending?

Cheers.

Erm, well, this is from memory, but....

If this unused ending had been used, none of the Canadian stuff at the end of DHWAV would have been seen (or even, I presume, shot in the first place). Instead, we'd have gone from McClane and Zeus being fished out of the water and McClane going off to phone Holly to a kind of "six months later" thing where Simon is sitting in an eastern European bar, relaxing with a drink and a paper.

McClane shows up and explains to Simon that he was fired from the police (can't remember whether it was because the cops thought that he'd actually had something to do with the heist, or whether it was simply for being a general menace to health and safety) and that he's subsequently been following various leads and has now tracked him down. He tells Simon he wants to play a game of "McClane Says". Simon orders everyone out of the bar and prepares to take McClane on in a final showdown.

They sit opposite each other, McClane armed with a rocket launcher. McClane challenges Simon with a riddle, the outcome of which is that:

Spoiler

Simon is tricked into blowing himself away with the rocket launcher. McClane makes a quip and leaves.

As endings go, it's quite effective, and rather dark (partly because it suggests devastating consequences for McClane from the events of the film - which the "Whoa, dude, we're blowing **** up real good!" ending they went with most certainly doesn't - and even that he's turned into a brooding, loose cannon vigilante a la Bond in LTK or Batman). Good, attention-commanding acting from Irons and Willis, probably better work from both of them than is actually seen anywhere in the release version.

Presumably, though, the ending that we saw was judged to be more "audience-pleasing".

[marktmurphy]

I must say that I didn't like it and prefer the one in the movie. I didn't understand the thing with the rocket launcher at all- does McClane trick him or is he just willing to die if he gets it wrong?
It's an action movie, so an action-based climax is just a bit better I think.

I liked the sound of the unfilmed one: McClane has planted the bomb from the fountain in Simon's helicopter; it arms and Simon asks if 'anyone has a five gallon bottle?'.

[Loomis]

I must say that I didn't like it and prefer the one in the movie. I didn't understand the thing with the rocket launcher at all- does McClane trick him or is he just willing to die if he gets it wrong?

I think McClane tricks him. It's something about

Spoiler

switching the rocket launcher under the table around so that when Simon pulls the trigger to kill McClane he kills himself.

I certainly don't recall McClane gambling with his own life, although that would obviously make what is already quite a dark scene even darker (too dark, maybe). He deliberately rigs it so that he can't lose, meaning that Simon is ultimately defeated by his own arrogance: he cannot believe that the brawny McClane could ever have the brains to defeat him in a battle of wits, but is proven wrong. Which to me is more satisfying than McClane bringing down his chopper with some nifty marksmanship.

It's an action movie, so an action-based climax is just a bit better I think.

I like the unused ending because it drips suspense, something that the climax they went with doesn't have. It's also great "character" stuff, throwing new light on McClane and Simon. It's a bit like the ending of CASINO ROYALE, in which Bond fools Mr White and proves that he's more than just a mindless thug. What's more, the action ending they used seems hastily put together, indifferently done, unexciting and confusing (I mean, what happens to Simon's army?).

I liked the sound of the unfilmed one: McClane has planted the bomb from the fountain in Simon's helicopter; it arms and Simon asks if 'anyone has a five gallon bottle?'.

Never heard about that. I do recall reading (in Empire, it may have been) at the time of DHWAV's release about a shot but unused ending involving a blowtorch battle (!), and also that cuts to the movie were suggested for reasons of sensitivity in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing.

[marktmurphy]

I must say that I didn't like it and prefer the one in the movie. I didn't understand the thing with the rocket launcher at all- does McClane trick him or is he just willing to die if he gets it wrong?

I think McClane tricks him. It's something about

Spoiler

switching the rocket launcher under the table around so that when Simon pulls the trigger to kill McClane he kills himself.

Hmm. Don't think so. The rocket was on top of the table. McClane never touches it so it's unclear how he intends to survive. Actually- does he have a flak vest on or something? I can't remember. Not sure how that would save his life, though.

What's more, the action ending they used seems hastily put together, indifferently done, unexciting and confusing (I mean, what happens to Simon's army?).

It's not great, you're right, but I found the unused one rather lacking in tension and it's unclear as to how it works.

[Simon]

Grief - I thought the 'other ending' was pertaining to DH4.

Ok.

I still haven't bought DH4 because of the chopped lift scene.....

"I know, but I don't have a multi region DVD player."

[Loomis]

Hmm. Don't think so. The rocket was on top of the table. McClane never touches it so it's unclear how he intends to survive.

You could be right. Oh, well.

[stamper]

He is wearing a bullet proof jacket under his shirt, he trows it away when he walks off.

Because of the editing of this ending isn't polished, it's not that obvious (especially the last seconds are missing some shots)

[marktmurphy]

He is wearing a bullet proof jacket under his shirt, he trows it away when he walks off.

I thought so, and that does explain how he survives the backblast, but how would that have helped him if the launcher had been pointing at him? I don't get it.

[Double-Oh-Zero]

I prefer the original "McClane Says" ending, myself, mainly because the "blowin' stuff up" ending almost kills the film for me. Yes, it's a bit more confusing than the theatrical one, but I've always thought that if they had made another one sooner, the Rocket Launcher ending would have been a nice springboard for the next Die Hard featuring, as Loomis said, a darker, more vigilante-type McClane (which is apparently what they tried to do with DH4, but it didn't seem to work). Plus the fact that, to me, it seems like the finale at the Canadian border was hastily thrown together at the last minute (which it prolly was); weakest ending of the four, IMO. As to the possibility of McClane surviving the rocket launcher, I suppose the flak vet was meant to prevent the rocket from killing him, even though that seems somewhat unlikely. As a side note, I'd have loved to see David Thewlis' take on Simon Gruber (according to Wikipedia, Thewlis was the original choice).

Still haven't decided whether I'll buy DH4 when it comes out on DVD here; I'll likely end up borrowing my friend's unrated copy and see if the film improves at all. Perhaps I was too cynical upon first viewing.

[marktmurphy]

Here's a fun fact I picked up from a friend of a friend (who works for the BBFC)- Die Hard 4 actually picked up a higher rating in the UK because of the sequence where he beats up a woman. Interesting, eh?

[The Dove]

Anyone picked up their copy of LFODH yet? I've heard that the Unrated version is SO much better than the wussy PG-13 theatrical cut. I'm going to pick mine up tomorrow along with Ocean's Thirteen. I'll post a review of the Unrated Live Free or Die Hard after I get a chance to watch it.

[Qwerty]

I'm definitely going to check out the unrated DVD.