Over a decade has gone by since John McClean last waged war against terrorism, but here he is, in the new film, “Live Free or Die Hard.”  Bruce Willis is back as the super-cop, guns and puns blazing.  Only this time, the enemy isn’t as simple as trigger happy Russians; McClean is up to his ears in techno jargon that can’t simply be solved by driving a tank into someone. That is where Matthew Farrell (played by Justin Long) comes in; he is a young hacker that lends his brains to McClean’s ultra-violent machismo.  Farrell is McClean’s youngest sidekick yet, which lends a ‘father/son’ dynamic to their relationship. 

Tim Olyphant, who plays the main villain, manages to keep up with McClean’s smart-aleck quips.  Although he has absolute cold-hearted moments, he also demonstrates some depth, which makes him more human than any of the other Die Hard villains. However riveting the plot is, it cannot compare to the explosive, heart-thumping action sequences.   As over-the-top as McClean driving a car into a helicopter may seem, true Die Hard fans cannot help but pump their fists in the air, because McClean is Just That Cool.

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