Die Hard Franchise Review: Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Now it is time to talk about the second instalment in the franchise. Die Hard 2 is considered one of the weaker films to be released in the franchise. The problem I have with the movie and many others is it is just the first film just in an airport. However, the film does have a few good moments so in this review I will try to highlight what I think works and what doesn't.

The film's plot is the same as the first but with an airport in peril instead of crooks taking over a building. However, it does have new characters and that's about it. That was short, might as well talk about the cast. The film has a some of the characters from the first such as Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, William Atherton and Reginald VelJohnson. But it does have some new characters like William Sadler as the villain Col. Stuart, Franco Nero as General Roman Esperanza and features John Leguizamo and Robert Patrick as a henchman.

Now to get on to the good parts. The comedy is well done and probably on the same level as the first, which is a good sign. The comedy is mainly done by Dennis Franz as Capt. Carmine Lorenzo and Robert Costanzo as the characters brother Sgt. Vito Lorenzo, they do the comedy well as they are sarcastic and don't take the situation seriously until the stakes get higher. The Director this time is Renny Harlin who has directed films such as Deep Blue Sea and The Long Kiss Goodnight. Renny does a good job of producing his version of Die Hard but for a sequel, it's just ok because it is the exact same as the previous film.


And now the bad parts. I know I have gone on to say that it is basically the first film done a little differently, the worst part is that it makes fun of being a cardboard copy of the previous film. It also returns characters that didn't really need to be in it. An example of this is William Atherton's character Richard Thornburg as his purpose in the film is the same as the first and the film doesn't expand on anything else on his character apart from that he's an annoying reporter. 

However, having said all of this Die Hard 2 is an average sequel that doesn't really expand on much from its predecessor. It has recognisable characters, it's entertaining and funny, but it is almost identical to the one before I mean they even play 'Let it snow' by Dean Martin at the end of the film just like the first one.

I would give Die Hard 2 a 6/10- It's just as entertaining as the first but it's an average sequel that doesn't try to expand from the first film.