403 replies to this topic

[Harmsway]

Not since Martin Riggs lost his trademark mullet for LETHAL WEAPON 4 (arguably the best film of the LW franchise, although I concede that that's probably a minority view) has an action movie icon undergone such a bold transformation.

What do you love about LETHAL WEAPON 4?

[Loomis]

Not since Martin Riggs lost his trademark mullet for LETHAL WEAPON 4 (arguably the best film of the LW franchise, although I concede that that's probably a minority view) has an action movie icon undergone such a bold transformation.

What do you love about LETHAL WEAPON 4?

It's a huge improvement over the dud LETHAL WEAPON 3 (the only film in the series I dislike) - the humour isn't quite so crude, and is blended with the action more smoothly (I find the mixture of laughs and violence in 3 very messy and jarring, and it has the effect of making the film seem much more unpleasantly brutal than it was ever intended to be).

Again, the action is better than that of 3 - stylish and exciting, albeit not particularly groundbreaking. And, visually, 4 is fairly impressive, unlike its flatly-shot and sluggish predecessor.

Finally, and however laughable this sounds, the relationships between the characters in 4 are actually fairly real and moving. Gibson and Glover play off each other brilliantly, after just lazily going through the motions in 3 like Stallone in ROCKY V or Stone in BASIC INSTINCT 2. They're an incredible double act when they're on form, as they are in 4. But it's not just that: the film is actually - shock! - about something, and things like Leo's frog speech really do hit home. I dunno, perhaps I'm just a sentimental old fool ( ), but LETHAL WEAPON 4 strikes me as a belated sequel that changes the formula slightly, puts in a bit of effort, and, against all odds and expectations, ends up working surprisingly well. I hope LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD will pull off a similar feat.

[Scottlee]

I'm not sure about LW4 being the best, but I agree with you about LW3 being the worst. Not by much though. It's one of those rare franchises where all of the films are largely just as good as each other. I keep meaning to get LW4 actually because I've had the other 3 for ages and I want to do a Riggs/Murtoch marathon

[Loomis]

Talking of ludicrous titles for incredibly belated third sequels to action blockbusters of yesteryear, it appears that the fourth Rambo flick will be called:

RAMBO IV: IN THE SERPENT'S EYE



I mean, is Sly actively trying to make this one go straight to DVD?

http://www.darkhoriz...s06/061008d.php

[DLibrasnow]

Not since Martin Riggs lost his trademark mullet for LETHAL WEAPON 4 (arguably the best film of the LW franchise, although I concede that that's probably a minority view)

No it's not, I think it's a pick between LW2 and LW4 for the best of that series and (depending on my mood) sometimes I would choose LW4.

My ranking

Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 2
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon 3

Actually I don't remember much about Lethal Weapon 3 because I was suffering from major jet lag at the time having just had a marathon transatlantic 11-hour flight to the US and suspect that I slept through some of it.

The only reason I agreed to go to it was because I was asked to go to it by a girl that I had a huge crush on for over 4 years.

[Scottlee]

I mean, is Sly actively trying to make this one go straight to DVD?

http://www.darkhoriz...s06/061008d.php

Sounds like it will probably be just another rehash of the third one. Sadly, where as the first two are films I could envisage myself buying, the third isn't all that memorable.

[Loomis]

FIRST BLOOD (1982) is a gripping and - however absurd this may sound - fairly thought-provoking thriller, anchored in three terrific lead performances (Stallone, Richard Crenna as his former commanding officer in Vietnam, and Brian Dennehy as his small-town sheriff nemesis who's actually not a villain so much as an overzealous but ultimately decent guy just trying to do his job). Directed by Ted Kotcheff, who apparently was slated to direct the cancelled third Dalton Bond flick in the early '90s.

RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II (1985) is a silly, arguably-hugely-offensive (both to Americans and to Vietnamese), but nonetheless brilliantly-made action romp that's an awful lot better than its (terrible) reputation. For me, it's up there with the much more acclaimed likes of ALIENS, DIE HARD and PREDATOR as a classic of its genre, although I know that few would agree with that.

RAMBO III (1988) is utter garbage that makes a mockery of the Rambo/Trautman relationship (by the end of the film, it's a wisecracking buddy movie, which is an insult to the characters carefully developed in FIRST BLOOD) and doesn't even have any good action scenes. Probably one of the worst films ever made.

RAMBO IV: THE SERPENT'S EYE (2007), sorry, RAMBO IV: IN THE SERPENT'S EYE, will probably be an improvement on III, if only because it's likely that Sly will be making much more of an effort. But, yes, it does sound like a retread of III, and the story doesn't seem interesting at all. Just as I'm sure that ROCKY BALBOA will be surprisingly good and a commercial and critical hit, I'm certain that RAMBO IV will be a stinker. It'll probably be so bad as to make LOST FREE IN DIE HARD or whatever it's going to be called look like GOODFELLAS.

[Loomis]

Well, just as I'd become used to the title LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, a new trailer suggests that this film will hit cinemas outside the United States under the even worse title of DIE HARD 4.0.

The new trailer, alas, is most definitely not an improvement on the last one. And beware a truly massive plot spoiler (which you may also be exposed to if you read the current AICN Talkback) that has absolutely no business whatsoever being in a trailer.



http://www.foxfilm.a...ardtrailerC.wmv

[00Twelve]

All I know is that I'm tired of hearing, "It's Jack Bauer, it's Jack Bauer!" Bruce Willis was dropping Alan Rickman off the top floor of the Nakatomi Tower when "Jack Bauer" was just a Young Gun still trying to secure a good agent.

I know, 24 has inspired many movies and shows, and for good reason. It's arguably the best show on television by far. I love it. But terrorists and hostages and they-just-killed-off-someone-you-didn't-expect was around for a long time before the Jack Bauer Power Hour was in force. I loved Die Hard, and Vengeance, and I am eager to see what John McClane can pull off in this one, lame title or no.

[The Dove]

Well, just as I'd become used to the title LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, a new trailer suggests that this film will hit cinemas outside the United States under the even worse title of DIE HARD 4.0.

The new trailer, alas, is most definitely not an improvement on the last one. And beware a truly massive plot spoiler (which you may also be exposed to if you read the current AICN Talkback) that has absolutely no business whatsoever being in a trailer.



http://www.foxfilm.a...ardtrailerC.wmv

I suspect that this trailer is the one the were going to use before they officially changed the title to Live Free or Die Hard, Loomis.. I seriously doubt that they've reversed gears and gone back to calling it Die Hard 4.0 After all, the first teaser trailer had a release date for the film and this one just says "Coming Soon".

[Safari Suit]

I disagree that "Die Hard 4.0" is a worse title. Seriously, I think it would be difficult to come up with a title worse than "Live Free or Die Hard".

I like the line in the new trailer about how calling for backup would make "too much sense". Pure McClane. The first thing I've genuinely liked that has come from the production of this film.

[doublenoughtspy]

Why do people continue to pee on this title?

Are you not familiar with the New Hampshire state motto: "Live Free or Die" ?

Are you not familiar with the Patrick Henry quote "Give me liberty, or give me death" ?

It's a variation on that theme.

[Safari Suit]

I am aware of where the title comes from, but I'm afraid I still don't like it. Not that a silly title would ever prevent me from wathcing a film of course.

[00Twelve]

Tomorrow Never Dies Hard.

[The Dove]

Why do people continue to pee on this title?

Are you not familiar with the New Hampshire state motto: "Live Free or Die" ?

Are you not familiar with the Patrick Henry quote "Give me liberty, or give me death" ?

It's a variation on that theme.

Personally I love Live Free or Die Hard as a title..though it took me a little while to get used to it. I didn't like the title of Die Hard With A Vengeance at first but I came to accept it.. Just goes to show they're being creative with the sequel titles rather than having Die Hard 3, Die Hard 4 ect..

[Loomis]

Well, just as I'd become used to the title LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, a new trailer suggests that this film will hit cinemas outside the United States under the even worse title of DIE HARD 4.0.

The new trailer, alas, is most definitely not an improvement on the last one. And beware a truly massive plot spoiler (which you may also be exposed to if you read the current AICN Talkback) that has absolutely no business whatsoever being in a trailer.



http://www.foxfilm.a...ardtrailerC.wmv

I suspect that this trailer is the one the were going to use before they officially changed the title to Live Free or Die Hard, Loomis.. I seriously doubt that they've reversed gears and gone back to calling it Die Hard 4.0 After all, the first teaser trailer had a release date for the film and this one just says "Coming Soon".

I'd also be very surprised if they were ditching the LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD title for English-speaking territories outside the United States - obviously, I'd expect the film to be called DIE HARD 4 (or, if they insist - and they evidently do - DIE HARD 4.0) in countries where English isn't the official language, just for the sake of convenience (e.g. I imagine the Japanese will call it DAI HAADO 4).

However....

Looking back on the date I started this thread, it would appear that the title was officially changed to LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD in August last year, which I believe was quite a while before most of the stuff in this trailer was filmed - in fact, it may even have been before any shooting started on this flick. In which case, I can't think why they'd have put together a trailer using a title that was already defunct. It appears to me that they have reversed gears, although it would seem an extremely curious decision.

On balance, though, I reckon you're probably right and that LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD will remain the title for many "international" audiences. Still, the dates business does give me pause for thought, but perhaps this new trailer was just some kind of test version that was never intended to be shown publicly, and so for some reason they slapped on the old title without really caring. Or somefink. Time will tell, of course, and in any case I suspect that this film will have problems rather more serious than the question of which title to go with.

[dinovelvet]

The new trailer, alas, is most definitely not an improvement on the last one. And beware a truly massive plot spoiler (which you may also be exposed to if you read the current AICN Talkback) that has absolutely no business whatsoever being in a trailer.

Oh right, I guess I see what that is. But you know that same bit is going to be in all the tv ads, its a big Money Shot. I'm still getting a generic, ho-hum vibe from this project - this trailer could easily be for HOSTAGE II or 16 MORE BLOCKS and nobody would know the difference. And no sign of the villains Timothy Olyphant or Jeffrey Wright yet then?

[freemo]

Tomorrow Never Dies Hard.

Die Hard Another Day

[bill007]

Tomorrow Never Dies Hard.

Die Hard Another Day

Live and Let Die Hard

[Loomis]

You know what would be a really great title for this film? DIE HARD 4: AMERICA OFFLINE.

Came across that one as a headline for a news article about this movie on IGN. Would work really well, though, in addition to being rather amusing, and it's a hundred times better than DIE HARD 4.0 or LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD (to misquote a line in DIE HARD 2, how can the same movie have one of the most wretched titles in years twice?).

[Loomis]

The new trailer, alas, is most definitely not an improvement on the last one. And beware a truly massive plot spoiler (which you may also be exposed to if you read the current AICN Talkback) that has absolutely no business whatsoever being in a trailer.

Oh right, I guess I see what that is. But you know that same bit is going to be in all the tv ads, its a big Money Shot.

True, but I still think it's the kind of thing you're better off not knowing about before sitting down to watch the film. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned, but I can't believe the extent to which many trailers just blatantly blow what ought to be surprises; for example, the HANNIBAL RISING trailer spoils a notable plot development in a way that's just completely unnecessary. What with that and reviewers blithely giving away another plot point that's arguably the film's biggest surprise, I found that, when I went to see HANNIBAL RISING earlier this week, it had been pretty much spoilered (if that's a word) for me even without my having made a special effort to gather plot info, as I'd done with the likes of CASINO ROYALE and ROCKY BALBOA (with franchises I'm fanboyish about, I do eagerly seek out spoilers in advance, and they don't wreck things for me, but with other films I'd rather not know the details beforehand).

[HildebrandRarity]

Tomorrow Never Dies Hard.

Die Hard Another Day

Live and Let Die Hard

Live Hard And Then Die

Live And Let Die Even Harder

Live And Let Die With A Vengence

To Live And Die Hard In L.A.

To Live And Let Die In L.A.

Live To Die Hard Tomorrow Or Perhaps Another Day If You Are Lucky




Live Free And Let Die In Peace

[Nihilistic_Mystic]

i'm not to thrilled with the title of the new die hard movie either. still i plan to see it when it's released. i have my fingers crossed that it won't suck.

[bill007]

Welcome to the forums Nihilistic Mystic.

I agree. Whatever the title, I'm sure this will be a good movie. It's Bruce's baby, and I don't think he'll blow it just for the sake of making another Die Hard.

[JimmyBond]

Welcome to the forums Nihilistic Mystic.

I agree. Whatever the title, I'm sure this will be a good movie. It's Bruce's baby, and I don't think he'll blow it just for the sake of making another Die Hard.

Why not? If rumors are true, he agreed to star in it just so he could use the title "Tears of the Sun," for the movie that came out a year or so ago.

[Scottlee]

I just hope Live Free or Die Hard isn't so completely stripped of violence as the third one was. The first two impacted on me as a kid because of how brutal they were, but the third seemed as though it ought to have been set about two classifications lower.

[bill007]

Welcome to the forums Nihilistic Mystic.

I agree. Whatever the title, I'm sure this will be a good movie. It's Bruce's baby, and I don't think he'll blow it just for the sake of making another Die Hard.

Why not? If rumors are true, he agreed to star in it just so he could use the title "Tears of the Sun," for the movie that came out a year or so ago.

"Tears of the Sun" was just a paycheck. The "Die Hard" series is Bruce's forte. Dispite the title, I'm sure he will put in a concentrated effort to make it brilliant.

It's kind of like members of the Eagles making a solo record. They are nice little trinkets. But when they unite for a world tour, you get their best.

[FullMetalJacket]

I just hope Live Free or Die Hard isn't so completely stripped of violence as the third one was. The first two impacted on me as a kid because of how brutal they were, but the third seemed as though it ought to have been set about two classifications lower.

Die Hard 3 seemed just as violent as the first 2, honestly. Don't forget about the scene where the tow cable cuts a guard in half, or when McClane kills 4 bad guys in an elevator (and literally blows one guy's brains out).

I've always been a fan of Bruce Willis and Die Hard, and I'm eagerly awaiting the fourth installment.

[Loomis]

DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE has always seemed watered-down to me, since I believe there were various cuts to violent scenes in order to get a more commercially-friendly 15 certificate in the UK (the first two films are 18s).

There's also some truly ludicrous and nonsensical overdubbing of swear words in the British version of WITH A VENGEANCE. Referring to a guy he once arrested, who's now one of the bombing suspects, McClane says "He's a flunkey, not a psycho", whereas in the US version the expression that "flunkey" replaces is something that rhymes with "duck-up".

Unfortunately, something tells me that LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD/DIE HARD 4.0 will be a PG-13 in the States and (as with the likes of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III and TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES) a 12A in Britain. DIE HARD LITE.

[Tarl_Cabot]

From what I've read it looks like a '24' cash in. Wasn't the first DH(2,3?) R rated?