Bruce Willis, William Atherton and Bonnie Bedelia in the Renny Harlin movie ‘Die Hard 2’

With the theory that movies set with references to Christmas as part of the underpinnings for establishing the story might be Christmas movies, we return to the action thriller sequel to Die Hard (1988) with the Renny Harlin directed movie Die Hard 2 (1990). This movie is set on Christmas Eve with the main context for the movie being Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia.

(From left, Bruce Willis as John McClane and Dennis Franz as Captain Carmine Lorenzo in the Renny Harlin movie Die Hard 2).

With the movie Die Hard 2 having been based on the book 58 Minutes by Walter Wager, we encounter John McClane awaiting the arrival of his wife, Holly, on a flight arriving at the airport. McClane, as portrayed by Bruce Willis, uses his intuition as a lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department to act on his suspicions that a pair of men are behaving erratically. In following the men into a restricted space for sorting baggage, a gun fight ensues with just two of the three men in the encounter escaping with their lives. Bonnie Bedelia portrayed Holly, John’s wife.

(From left, William Atherton as Dick Thornburg and Bonnie Bedelia as Holly Gennero McClane in the Renny Harlin movie Die Hard 2).

The men confronted in the restricted area are part of a plan aimed at freeing corrupt foreign military leader General Ramon Esperanza, who is being extradited to from outside the country by airplane to Dulles International Airport. With the help of Sergeant Al Powell of the LAPD, John McClane learns that the man he killed was an American soldier who supposedly died in a helicopter accident two years previously. Airport police chief, Carmine Lorenzo, and air traffic control director Ed Trudeau find McClane’s suspicions unlikely when he reports what he knows. Franco Nero, Reginald VelJohnson, Dennis Franz and Fred Thompson portrayed Esperanza, Powell, Lorenzo and Trudeau, respectively.

(From left, Reginald VelJohnson as Al Powell, Fred Thompson as Trudeau and John Amos as Major Grant in the Renny Harlin movie Die Hard 2).

Former Colonel William Stuart, meanwhile, works with a group of ex-military sympathizers on the outskirts of the airport in support of causing chaos among the team operating the airport. Thrills, twists and turns follow the initial baggage claim scene with the motivations of Major Grant, Dick Thornburg and others coming into question. The seeds of McClane seizing the initiative, as cultivated with the original Die Hard movie, bears fruit during the blizzard and flight control issues that follow the shenanigans intended by Stuart and the team allied with Ramon Esperanza. William Sadler, John Amos and William Atherton portrayed Stuart, Grant and Thornburg, respectively.

(From left, Franco Nero as General Ramon Esperanza, Vondie Curtis-Hall as Miller and William Sadler as Colonel William Stuart in the Renny Harlin movie Die Hard 2).

The central appeal for the movie Die Hard is first and foremost the action and intrigue. The undercurrent of humor present with the original movie were downplayed with the sequel, though I found the movie did not require the humor to remain engaging. I grant Die Hard 2 as directed by Renny Harlin 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, December 3, 2022

Movie review of The Shawshank Redemption

A pair of good friends have listed the movie The Shawshank Redemption (1994) in their top ten movies of all time. I am so glad that both my friends Cobra and Airport Friend recommended this movie in their top ten lists of movies because I found an entertaining movie with strong messages of hope, friendship, and perseverance in what Fandango called a “humane prison drama.”

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, The Shawshank Redemption was adapted into the Oscar-nominated screenplay by Frank Darabont. The screenplay itself is based on the Stephen King story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, one of four “novellas” included as part of the book Different Seasons.

The central humanity of the story comes from the growing bond forged over years of incarceration at the Shawshank prison that purportedly exists in New England generally and most likely Maine specifically.

(Andy Dufresne, left, and Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding)

The character Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding narrates the story and plays a large role, both parts portrayed by Morgan Freeman. Red is guilty of the crime that put him behind bars, though acts of common decency through the film make him sympathetic to the movie viewer.

Andy Dufresne as played by Tim Robbins is brought to prison after falsely being convicted of the murder of his wife and her mistress. Dufresne was first imprisoned in 1947 through a false imprisonment, though the truth of this outcome is unclear for the movie viewer through much of the film.

Two of the primary antagonists pitted against Andy and Red are Warden Samuel Norton as played by Bob Gunton and Captain Hadley as played by Clancy Brown. The two authority figures proved themselves corruptible, corrupted, and from their first scene incorrigibly abusive of their bent of religion that they saw fit to proselytize upon a prison population in a false and contemptible way. Norton and Hadley were culpable for two murders, extortion, tax fraud, and other crimes within the prison.

(Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding, left, Warden Samuel Norton, center, and Captain Hadley)

The Shawshank Redemption was not ranked in the Matt Lynn Digital listing of movies prior to this review. The message about common decency leading to redemption is a strongly American story. That those in the wrong were given their comeuppance extends that trope further. From these perspectives, you will complete a viewing pleased satisfied. For this reason, I recommend that you see The Shawshank Redemption soon.

Matt – Tuesday, January 02, 2018.