Bruce Willis used to be one of the absolute best, so it’s sad to hear the news of his illness and retirement. Seeing him power through these movies, running, fighting, shooting, and most of all joking is an absolute highlight of my experiences with the movies. Every line delivery of his here is iconic, every quip, snide remark, and caustic aside primed and ready for a quote montage on YouTube.
I think Renny Harlin apes McTiernan really well, but there’s now a lot more graphic violence and slow motion. People complain that the airport setting doesn’t work, as if that really matters. What matters is it’s Christmas, there are bad guys, and John’s wife needs saved. This one’s really a trip, going as over the top as it can with the violence and pyrotechnics. The whole time I was...