a good day to die hard

a good day to die hard
Let me first off say that I was the target audience for this movie, I loved the originals, and when I found out this movie was coming out I walked around with a rod waiting for it to finally be released into theaters. I was also late to the party with this series of movies, I didn't start off with the original die hard, I started off with "Live Free or Die Hard" and then was obsessed and went back to the previous movies. The thing I find most appealing about these movies is the fact that the protagonist, John McClane is a ordinary man who keeps getting put into extraordinary situations. They have a certain over the top realism where the events that happen in the movie are believable in that universe. I will forever love these movies and put myself in the position of the immortal John McClane every time I re-watch them. ...that being said, after its a good day to die hard, i feel that this franchise has ran its course and thus should stop before it makes a spectacle of itself like the jaws franchise.

Before I get started I would like to say that I will be talking about several plot points and events in the movie from here on out so this article is no longer safe to read if you plan on seeing the movie. *********SPOILER***********

Throughout the story it seems pretty typical, John McClain it turns out is seeking his son who through Intel you find out is in Russia and has quite the wrap sheet. he has been arrested on murder charges and is being taken to trial, so of course John McClane must go to Russia to try and help the son he neglected and didn't love enough. In Russia John goes to the court house his son is being tried at and you are taken through a pretty spectacular prison break scene. But than this movie loses me, McClane runs into his son thwarting his seeming prison break. after a pretty spectacular, and unrealistic car chase, id like to say while its very entertaining it was very far fetched even for action movie standards. He rams a jeep into a large military vehicle cause it problems, it looks to be about the size of a jeep liberty and somehow he's ramming it into things cause very little damage to himself or the jeep. He gets to his sons safe house and you find out his son is a spy......this is where you lose the idea that this is an everyday man dealing with a extraordinary situation, it becomes the "Bourne identity" with his sidekick John McClain. its almost on the same level as "Indiana Jones
and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". this is when my idol becomes a bumbling idiot to his son who he gives little pieces of advice in order to help convince him to complete his mission which is also like Indiana Jones and the last crusade but somehow John McClane has turned into Sean Connery. For some reason they've also decided to overuse the phrases "I'm on vacation" as well as "Jesus Christ". They also throw two unnecessary and rather predictable "twists" which to be honest as far as I can see render the villain referred to as "the dancer" completely unnecessary. The action at the end of the movie while very good comes to late and tries to make up for to many problems the movie has in itself ruining the reputation it has built up for itself over the past many years.
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So after all this and a great love I have built up for this series, I would like to see them lay John McClane and the "Die Hard" name to rest. I just don't see them being able to pull out of this tailspin the movie is now taking and while it is possible, I'm now of the opinion of "why risk it?". Why would we want another beloved franchise to be ruined the way that Jaws, Star Wars, Alien, or Indiana Jones was? maybe a reboot a decade away and possible taking the road that "DREDD" has but at the same time I don't see there being a John McClain that isn't Bruce Willis he has made that character a icon and beloved hero to many of people in my generation.  I mean really we all remember the first time we met john McClane, when argyle picked him up from the plane. yes that is the first line from "die hard" by Guyz Night.
-Mike
let us remember the good times!