Bruce
Willis Die Hard Collection (2007)
20th
Century Fox
Cast:
Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson.
Rating:
R
Run
time: 124-131 mins
Genre:
Action
Verdict:
Beautiful
(see rating
system)
Buckle
up for the ultimate thrill ride.
This
four-DVD set contains the three Die Hard movies plus more
than an hour of extra features.
Released ahead of this summer’s much anticipated fourth
instalment of the Die Hard franchise - Live Free or Die Hard
- this set packs a mighty wallop.
Until
the first Die Hard movie in 1988, Bruce Willis was best known
as the co-star (alongside Cybill Shepherd) of the slighty
sappy Moonlighting TV comedy/drama. Die Hard propelled Willis
into the ranks of movie superstars, taking $138 million at
the box office - remember this was almost 20 years ago.
Willis
played police officer John McClane, who finds himself the
only cop in the building when a group of terrorists takes
over a Los Angeles office tower. Adding tension is the fact
that McClane’s estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia)
is among the hostages. Brit actor Alan Rickman, often associated
with costume dramas like Sense and Sensibility, makes a terrific
villain here, playing the icy leader of the terrorists, Hans
Gruber. Audiences chewed their fingernails off hoping the
hopelessly outgunned McClane could rescue the hostages and
wipe out the riff raff.
A
sequel was inevitable, and proved even more successful. Die
Hard 2 (Die Harder) in 1990, found McClane fighting a band
of terrorists led by a seriously disturbed American military
officer, Col. Stuart (William Sadler). McClane’s wife
Holly (Bedelia) once again figured, finding herself stuck
in a plane low on fuel and forced to circle over the airport.
Audiences were again thrilled, filling theatres to the tune
of $239 million.
Die
Hard : With A Vengeance flexed even bigger box office muscle
in 1995, making $361 million. It was the second biggest grossing
movie of the year behind Toy Story. This time, McClane faced
the formidable Simon (Jeremy Irons in a great villainous turn)
who plots to blow up New York City. Samuel L. Jackson co-stars.
A
great set for action fans.
