Movie Review: 'A Good Day to Die Hard' Gets Collective Thumbs Down

Is it time for Detective John McClane to hang up his shield once and for all?

It just may be time for the "Die Hard" series of action movies to die. Judging from the collective thumbs down by critics who wanted to like Bruce Willis' latest movie, perhaps the series should have ended a few years ago.

But no. Now the good John is in Russia, trying to free his son Jack (Jai Courtney) from prison. Turns out his son is really a CIA operative. Let's leave the rest of the plot and the surprises to the brave souls who are really diehard fans of "Die Hard." They're the ones who should be applauded.

Here's what the critics are saying:

The cold war may be a fading memory, and C.I.A. superspies (like the younger McClane) may have displaced big-city cops (like his dad) in the pop-culture pantheon. But this off-the-shelf blend of car chases, fireballs and the rat-a-tat, thunk-a-thunk of automatic weapons fire is not likely to go out of style. Style, sad to say, is precisely what is missing from “A Good Day to Die Hard,” the latest entry in the flourishing geezer-action genre. - A.O. Scott, New York Times

So a weak screenplay, lousy action sequences, and flat wisecracks. But surely, there must be something good to be said for "A Good Day to Die Hard," right? Actually, no ... - Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Hardware is one thing but inspiration is something else, and in that area "A Good Day to Die Hard" comes up short. True, a lot of stuff gets blown up and stunts that must have cost the Earth appear with startling regularity, but the sense of exhilaration and fun that marked the best of the series has gone unaccountably AWOL. - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

There’s a point at which any long-running franchise begins to fall into the realm of self-parody, and for the Die Hard franchise, this fifth installment officially marks that point. - Kofi Outlaw, Screen Rant

"A Good Day to Die Hard" is rated R and runs 120 minutes. 

Ready to see "A Good Day to Die Hard"? Head to Regal Hamilton Mill 14, 2160 Hamilton Creek Parkway. For more theater information and links to showtimes and pricing, click here or call 678-482-0624.

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