Mac Beats PC: Die Hard 4.0

Last (Thursday) night I pleasure of Die Hard 4.0 (Which should still have been called Live Free or Die Hard, like it was in America).

John McLain was back at his best, the NYPD detective who never gives up. In this 4th instalment of the Die Hard series, they have cleaned up his image a little – he was neither hung over or on suspension. Just a senior detective for the NYPD out harassing his daughter’s boyfriend.

The basics. Cyber terrorist Gabriel wants to tear down the US social structure and send it into the Dark Angel era (and, just like :with a vengeance, rob a bank or two while everyone is distracted) . He hires hackers to do the codewriting, then has them all killed off. He shuts down U.S. computer networks: transport, finance, power. A ‘fire sale’.

Mclain is called in by the FBI to transport one of the hackers to Washington. Now here’s the fun – the hacker, Farrell, is played by Justin Long, who we know from Ed, Dodgeball, and of course, he’s the laid back and cool ‘Mac’ from the Mac and PC ads. When the FBI snub their noses at Farrell, it stirs something deep inside McLain’s heart. Actually, it just stirs his disdain for authority, and he makes it his mission to protect Farrell from further assassinations, teach him a thing or two about being a hero, and kill as many henchman as he can with his usual style and wit.

All in all, it was great. Not a shred believable. That’s not what Die Hard is about. One slightly gruff hero. A ‘I shouldn’t be here’ sidekick. And lot’s of unbelievable shootings and explosions. He kills a guy with a fire extinguisher. And with a fire hydrant. A helicopter with a car. He drives a car though a computer lab at a power plant. And then down an elevator shaft. He outruns an F-35 jet with Semi (and its not Optimus Prime). There’s at least ten explosions. Mclain kills at least ten bad guys. And he makes at least ten wisecracks.

Oh, and it’s the beast Kevin Smith appearance since Silent Bob threw a guy off a train. Warlock, an overweight, Star Wars loving geek who has a fortress in his basement? Life imitates art.

It is also great watching Mac learning to be a hero. And proving for once and for all, that he can beat PC.

If you like big explosions, ridiculous overkill (emphasis on the kill), see this movie.