A Good Day to Die Hard - Die Hard: the afterthought

Die Hard 5 (or `A Good Day to Die Hard') didn't go down well with critics and fans alike. And, as a die hard Die Hard fan, I can see their point.

If this was any other action film, it would actually be pretty good. However, the `Die Hard' films aren't just films, they're a brand. People who watch them expect certain things from them, namely a loud, explosive action movie which stands out over the rest.

Sadly, at a runtime of only ninety minutes, Part 5 seems to be the former Die Hards' distant, weaker cousin. The action is there, but somehow it just doesn't seem as explosive as what's gone before. Plus there isn't a villain included who's a patch on either Alan Rickman or Jeremy Irons.

Some people even see it as a cynical exercise by the film-makers to introduce John McClane's son as a future lead for the franchise. If that was their intention, it may have backfired. People - believe it or not - actually want to see Bruce Willis. Here, he has to share centre stage with his on screen son, as they travel through Russia, knocking off hordes of bad guys.

If you like action movies in general, there's enough here to keep you entertained. However, may Die Hard fans will feel short-changed.

Die Hard 5 isn't a bad film. It's just not Die Hard enough for most of our liking.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that