Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
New York detective John McClane is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he'd seen it all, until a genius named Simon engages McClane, his new "partner" -- and his beloved city -- in a deadly game that demands their concentration.
Die Hard With a Vengeance is a solid, energetic entry in the franchise that benefits enormously from the chemistry between Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Irons makes for a genuinely charismatic villain. The riddle-game conceit gives the film a fun, propulsive structure that distinguishes it from its predecessors. However, the plot mechanics grow increasingly convoluted and the film loses steam in its third act, culminating in an ending that feels abrupt and unsatisfying — the theatrical cut especially. Cinematography is competent New York location work but unremarkable. Novelty earns a solid middle score: the buddy-cop dynamic and Simon Says gimmick are fun wrinkles on the formula, but it's still squarely within the franchise's established template.