Die Hard 2 (Die Hard 2: Die Harder) (1990)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Alexander D

  
  The original DIE HARD is one of the best movies I have ever seen. With both explosive thrills and a sturdy plot (not to mention the strongly accessible character created by Bruce Willis), it instantly became a cinematic breakthrough. In no way is DIE HARD 2 a breakthrough of any… More
  The original DIE HARD is one of the best movies I have ever seen. With both explosive thrills and a sturdy plot (not to mention the strongly accessible character created by Bruce Willis), it instantly became a cinematic breakthrough. In no way is DIE HARD 2 a breakthrough of any kind. Here, we have almost the same thing as the first entry in the series: explosions, terrorists taking over a building (this time an airport rather than an office building), a Christmas placement, and a "yippee-ki-yay" or two. Someone who hasn't seen the original DIE HARD may love this sequel, just as someone who has seen it will likely be disappointed with the sequel. Move the setting from an office building to an airport, and change Alan Rickman to Bill Sadler. Broadly, those are the only two changes to be made for DIE HARD to become DIE HARD 2.

• Sophie B

  
  Not such a good follow up, but that's expected with this sort of movie. Lacked rounded characters and was just not as developed as it could have been.

• Matt G

  
  Holly McClane: They told me there were terrorists at the airport. John McClane: Yeah, I heard that too. What better way to follow up an action masterpiece than give it the cheesiest name known to mankind? Die Hard 2 (Die Hard 2: Die Harder) is a worthy sequel to the original, and… More
  Holly McClane: They told me there were terrorists at the airport. John McClane: Yeah, I heard that too. What better way to follow up an action masterpiece than give it the cheesiest name known to mankind? Die Hard 2 (Die Hard 2: Die Harder) is a worthy sequel to the original, and injects some new into the old. John McClane: Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker. Bruce Willis is back as John McClane. Its Christmas eve, and McClane is eagerly awaiting the arrival of his wife at Dulles International Airport. Like the first film, terrorists take control and things go haywire. John McClane: Oh man, I can't fucking believe this. Another basement. Another elevator. How can the same shit happen to the same guy twice? Instead of being condensed into a single location (like the first one), we are given a bigger location, which gives input into the old plot. We have fights at a church, on a plane, and a particularly exciting scene involving baggage claim. Trudeau: Okay, we've got a body in the morgue that seems to have died twice. Now, assuming this isn't a computer error, what do we assume? John McClane: That someone's about to seriously fuck with this airport. Trudeau: What the hell is that supposed to mean? I know we're all dummies up here, McClane, but give us a little taste of your brilliant genius! What are we talking about, a hijacking - John McClane: I don't know - Carmine Lorenzo: Oh, he's not sure! Well, I'm stunned! I gotta lie down! John McClane: The only people who go through this much trouble are professionals, not luggage thieves and not punks! While the plot could've been expanded a bit more to differ it slightly from the first, Die Hard 2 is still a really exciting action-packed thrill ride. John McClane: Hey Carmine, let me ask you something. What sets off the metal detectors first, the lead in your ass or the shit in your brains?

• Dead A

  
  Same plot but with different case. Still liked it!

• Phil H

  
  I like this, the action here is non stop and dare I say even better than the original. There are more gun battles and deaths than snowflakes here lol! the effects are alittle dated now with some rather obvious models and bluescreen but the whole airport/terrorist approach is pretty… More
  I like this, the action here is non stop and dare I say even better than the original. There are more gun battles and deaths than snowflakes here lol! the effects are alittle dated now with some rather obvious models and bluescreen but the whole airport/terrorist approach is pretty intense and does make you sweat, what else is probably more terrifying than an airport/airplane hijacking. To be honest this film is probably more intense than the first due to its settings, the claustrophobic feeling from within the airliner and nasty memories of certain real life terrorist attacks (that's not so much a plus but more an unfortunate situation). Still for a gun and splatter fest you can't beat this, Sadler with his evil sneer and useless henchmen haha bullets and obscenities flying all over the shop! most certainly Die Harder!

• Manu G

  
  Yippee Ki Yay, All over again! Great movie! Just like the first of the series this one was full of action once again. The story was intriguing and twisted which it absolutely kicked ass. Bruce Willis did his thing excellent in every way and carried this film. It's Christmas… More
  Yippee Ki Yay, All over again! Great movie! Just like the first of the series this one was full of action once again. The story was intriguing and twisted which it absolutely kicked ass. Bruce Willis did his thing excellent in every way and carried this film. It's Christmas Eve, one year after the Nakatomi Plaza siege that took place in Los Angeles. Lieutenant John McClane of the LAPD is at the Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, waiting for the flight his wife Holly is on, as their kids are visiting Holly's parents in nearby Washington DC. It won't be easy getting Holly to her parents' house because her mother's car, which John is using at the moment, has been towed. There is also a breaking news story that all of the networks are covering. At the Escelan Airport in the Republic of Valverde, an airplane carrying General Ramon Esperanza has taken off, on course for the Dulles International Airport. Two years ago, Esperanza led his country's army in a campaign against communist insurgents, and it was a campaign that was fought with American money and advisers. Esperanza's fall from power caused ripples not only in his country's recent election, but in the USA as well, when high ranking Pentagon officials were charged with supplying Esperanza with weapons despite the congressional ban, but mounting evidence that Esperanza's forces have violated the neutrality of neighboring countries made Congress withhold funds. Esperanza is accused of replacing those funds by going into the business of cocaine smuggling, and now, Esperanza is being transported to the USA to face drug charges. Using her airplane's phone, Holly informs John that the airplane will land half an hour late...but it'll actually be much later than that. On Holly's airplane, one of her fellow passengers is Richard "Dick" Thornburg, the news reporter who filed a restraining order against Holly after Holly knocked out two of Dick's teeth last year. The restraining order says that Holly is not to be within 50 feet of Dick. The control tower staff, led by chief of air operations Trudeau and his chief engineer Leslie Barnes, is worried about the weather. As one snowstorm system moves out, another one is moving in, which means that all incoming flights are delayed, and Washington DC International airport has just shut down because they're totally iced, and they're sending their incoming flights to Dulles, increasing the tower staff's workload then the control tower's communications systems are crippled by a rogue military unit led by Colonel Stuart, who is a supporter of Esperanza. Stuart and his men are stationed in a nearby church. Trudeau alerts the staff that all aircraft approaching the Dulles sector but not in the Dulles landing pattern are to be diverted to an alternate airport. The rest of the incoming flights, including Holly's, are to hold at the outer markers. Trudeau also mentions that the staff may have just bought itself about 2 hours, and after that, the airplanes that are low on fuel will start falling out of the sky. Stuart calls the tower and says that Esperanza's airplane will be arriving at Dulles in 58 minutes, and that the airplane is not to be met by anyone, and that it will land on a runway of his designation, and at the same time, he wants a 747 cargo conversion, fully fueled, placed at his disposal. The tower staff has 2 minutes to advise the incoming flights to hold at the outer markers, then the staff will be able to receive only, as the ability to send out communications to the airplanes will be disabled. Stuart also says that any attempt to restore the tower's systems will result in deadly penalties. Holly's airplane is one of the 18 airplanes that are circling over the airport, running out of fuel, and that makes John extremely desperate to stop Stuart and Esperanza, and help the airport restore its communications so the airplanes can safely land that is, if he's not slowed down by inept airport police Captain Carmine Lorenzo.

• Drake T

  
  It's "bigger" than the first and that's a bonus and still carries the spirit of Cain and his unfortunate stumbles into action-packed situations. Not sure why people are saying this one's forgettable. I just need to mention "Airport" and… More
  It's "bigger" than the first and that's a bonus and still carries the spirit of Cain and his unfortunate stumbles into action-packed situations. Not sure why people are saying this one's forgettable. I just need to mention "Airport" and "Christmas"; two setting ideas that this sequel shamelessly exploits. Another action flick that hits the mark. Formulaic? Maybe. But it works for all intents and purposes.

• Spencer S

  
  Just as action packed and undoubtedly special effects heavy as the original, the second in the Die Hard franchise is still lackluster compared to the suspenseful intrigue that comes with a villain such as Hans Gruber. Still, DH2 has some pretty awesome sequences, including a… More
  Just as action packed and undoubtedly special effects heavy as the original, the second in the Die Hard franchise is still lackluster compared to the suspenseful intrigue that comes with a villain such as Hans Gruber. Still, DH2 has some pretty awesome sequences, including a snowmobile chase and a plane seat ejection before the cockpit explodes on the runway. I'm not sure why most people reject this film over the first, but it may simply be that this film is campy in comparison. Many of the action movie clichés rear their ugly head: an authoritarian who doesn't believe the protagonist, a terrorist plot, and countless unnecessary scenes of gore and violence. Still, I became totally immersed in the fireballs and the subplot involving McClane's wife's plane, circling overhead Dulles airport, as helpless as the victims of the terrorists' rampage. Dennis Franz is featured as a airport bureaucrat who is rough and quite frankly, annoying. Good for a Friday night in with the boys.

• moon r

  
  In terms of kicking mercenary/terrorist ass this is a one horse town, and that horse's name is John McClane. More action fun living the dream.

• Lady D

  
  What an unlucky couple!! Basically the same plot as the first, but using an Aeroplane instead of a building. What is it about sequels that I cannot resist, even when I didn't particularly enjoy the first? A weird obsession of mine!

• AJ V

  
  Nothing could top the original Die Hard movie, but it's as good as it can be. Unfortunately Alan Rickman couldn't reprise his role, but at least you get to see McClane in another action packed adventure.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, William Atherton, William Sadler, Dennis Franz, Fred Dalton Thompson, Franco Nero, John Amos, Bill Sadler, Reginald Veljohnson, Robert Patrick, John Leguizamo Director: Renny Harlin Summary: Bruce Willis reprises his role as John McClane, an… More
  Cast: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, William Atherton, William Sadler, Dennis Franz, Fred Dalton Thompson, Franco Nero, John Amos, Bill Sadler, Reginald Veljohnson, Robert Patrick, John Leguizamo Director: Renny Harlin Summary: Bruce Willis reprises his role as John McClane, an off-duty cop gripped with a feeling of déjà vu when on a snowy Christmas Eve in the nation's capital, terrorists seize a major international airport, holding thousands of holiday travelers hostage. Renegade military commandos led by a murderous rogue officer (William Sadler) plot to rescue a drug lord from justice and are prepared for every contingency except one: McClane's smart-mouthed heroics. My Thoughts: "Although I liked this movie, and thought it was pretty good for a sequel, it wasn't as good as the first. But that doesn't mean much considering no sequel really lives up to the first film. Bruce Willis was great as he was in the first Die Hard film. I find his conversations with himself to be pretty funny. Another great action packed film. One that is also good for the holidays, lol."

• Jeff "

  
  After the awesome Die Hard, it was inevitable that they were going to make a sequel to that awesome action film. Unfortunately the film is a total failure. I don't even know where to start with this film. Renny Harlin directs this sequel, and I always considered a so-so director.… More
  After the awesome Die Hard, it was inevitable that they were going to make a sequel to that awesome action film. Unfortunately the film is a total failure. I don't even know where to start with this film. Renny Harlin directs this sequel, and I always considered a so-so director. Unfortunately he doesn't do much with this film, except, directing into the ground. That's pretty weird because Harlin has made a very good action film (Cliffhanger), but he wasn't able to make something watchable with Die Hard 2. Right from the start, we get a feeling that the film is trying to outdo the first one, the action scenes are trying to be more elaborate, but they end up feeling cliched almost. This is a shame, because I believe that the film could have had potential, but instead, the filmmakers basically tried to do the same film, but the setting is Christmas and it's in an airport. Almost every part in the movie seems to lack character development and none of them are likeable. For the most part, everyone here is annoying, and instead helping the main character (John McClane) they all get in the way and act in a stupid fashion. To me, this is a failure of a film and the film should've been rewritten, and the cast should have been better chosen. William Sadler is menacing, but not menacing enough, compared to Alan Rickman, who truly was just insane and stole every scene he was in. Sadler feels like a robot. He's menacing to a certain degree, then after a while his character is laughable (proof: when he sacrifices a plane) that scene was plainly terrible. Considering this is a sequel to one of the best action films, they should have put a lot more effort into writing a better story and making the film feel more real. Like in the first film, the story was a group of terrorists stealing money from an important worldwide corporation. That was much more realistic than what they gave us in part 2. I like films that are exaggerated, but the exaggerated films have to be actually good. This is a case where the film is exaggerated and not good.I believe that if a better, more developed story would have been the case for this sequel, it would have been better. But a combination of bad actors, bad script, bad director and trying too hard at topping an original film were factors its Die Hard 2 failure. Luckily the next two sequels of the franchise brought back the elements that made the first one so good. If you're looking for the worst sequel in the Die Hard franchise, this is it.

• Daniel P

  
  I know: I gave the first one three stars, then bumped it to four on second viewing. The sequel to the pulse-pouding original, however, ought to remain in mediocrity. There's something to be said for sequels in which the characters have changed over the time in between.… More
  I know: I gave the first one three stars, then bumped it to four on second viewing. The sequel to the pulse-pouding original, however, ought to remain in mediocrity. There's something to be said for sequels in which the characters have changed over the time in between. McClane, however, has gone from a believable everyman caught in a bad situation to a man on a mission who almost seems to be looking for disaster. His lines are hammy, his stunts less believable, and his instincts are just too good. I know, he got promoted... but it just isn't the same. I think the human story is somewhat missing in this second installment. The villain is no Alan Rickman, either... ...that said, the film is still more-or-less entertaining, with some good scenes and one helluvan explosion and possibly a more intense ending than the first one. Good enough movie, but the Sequel Law of Diminishing Returns appears to hold true. Godfather, Star Wars and (though I haven't seen it) Evil Dead are the only franchises in which the sequels are as good (or better?) than the originals, but then, again, Die Harder is no The Lost World.

• Chris W

  
  This is almost as good as the flawless masterpiece that proceeded it. WHile the location is lmore open, and doesn't provide the same type of claustrophobic tension the first one did, the action nonetheless is confined to a limited area where plenty of opportunities arise for… More
  This is almost as good as the flawless masterpiece that proceeded it. WHile the location is lmore open, and doesn't provide the same type of claustrophobic tension the first one did, the action nonetheless is confined to a limited area where plenty of opportunities arise for shocks, suspense, humor, and tons of action. The cast is just awesome ,and Willis again delivers a terrific performance as the anti-hero John McClane.

• Richard C

  
  B

• Conner R

  
  I'm really not a huge fan of this sequel, but it's not a bad movie. There's a lot that does work and production wise it's pretty perfect. However, there just isn't the magic of the original. A lot of that has to do with the recycled plot and unoriginality. I… More
  I'm really not a huge fan of this sequel, but it's not a bad movie. There's a lot that does work and production wise it's pretty perfect. However, there just isn't the magic of the original. A lot of that has to do with the recycled plot and unoriginality. I feel like John McClane and Bruce Willis alike were not appreciated or given the proper material in order to make the movie fun. I also think that the loss of John Mctiernan was also a huge blow to the movie, you can clearly see the difference in action sequences and character interaction. On top of that, it seems that nothing was gained or lost during the entirety of the film. It's watchable, but not anywhere near great.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Not bad per se, just dull and generic. Boring villian with motivations that are never explained (they want to rescue a south american militia guy for...something) and the line of stupid chiefs is longer than in the first one, but thankfully they shut up after a while.

• Lewis C

  
  The plot of Die Hard 2 is bad, even for an action movie. How did the enemy soldiers get all their airport equipment? Was there really no other way they could have communicated with the airplanes sooner? Aren't there SEVERAL airports within 90 minutes of the D.C. that ALL the… More
  The plot of Die Hard 2 is bad, even for an action movie. How did the enemy soldiers get all their airport equipment? Was there really no other way they could have communicated with the airplanes sooner? Aren't there SEVERAL airports within 90 minutes of the D.C. that ALL the planes could have flown to? Why in God's name would that idiot airport police officer keep being as beligerent and unhelpful as possible in such an emergency situation? Even John McClain couldn't believe that all these things were happening to him once again, right before Christmas. So yeah, the filmmakers were asking for a pretty huge suspension of disbelief this time around. I have to say that I Iiked the original Die Hard a lot better. The plot made more sense and the villians were much more likeable. More explosions doesn't automatically make a better movie.

• Anthony L

  
  Deemed as being the worst of the Die Hard films, Die Hard 2 isn?t as fresh as the original but I still quite like it! It?s a decent action film much like the first. Yipee-ki-a motherfucker!

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