Live Free or Die Hard (PG-13, 2007)

common sense media says

First non-R Die Hard still a big blow-out.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although this fourth Die Hard movie is the first in the franchise not to get an R rating (which may be more about the culture than the movie itself), it's still full of frequent, noisy, painful-looking violence that yields plenty of injuries and dead bodies. Expect bloody shootings, falls, body smashes, strangulations, punches, slaps, kicks, spectacular car crashes and flips, huge explosions, and ferocious hand-to-hand fights. A boy puts his hand on Lucy's bra during a make-out session; there are also brief cleavage shots and an extended kiss. Language includes an unfinished exclamation of "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf---er," as well as multiple uses of "s--t," "hell," and "ass."

Positive messages: NYC detective John McClane operates outside the law to get his job done: He blows things up, breaks into buildings, steals cars, and doesn't read villains their rights -- but theoretically it's all for a good cause, to save the world from "virtual terrorism."
Violence: Lots: Explosions, falls out windows, fireballs, car crashes and flips, shoot-outs, throttling, kicks, punches, slaps, helicopter door-gunning, Harrier jet missile-firing, non-lethal shots into legs and feet, twisting of gun into a wound. Fights include a thug grabbing John through his car window, then being dragged along and smashed into a dumpster. There's a video image of the exploding U.S. capitol (revealed to be fake); a car flies through the air into a helicopter (big explosion, from which one thug escapes by falling hard to the ground); slamming fight between John and Mai (includes tosses into walls, a car crashing down an elevator shaft, a body falling down the shaft, the car exploding in the shaft); villain shoots his own hackers; battle between John in semi and Harrier jet leaves tuck demolished and elevated highway collapsing -- repeatedly; bloody bodies in close-ups.
Sex: Reference to Mai's "sexy voice" Lucy makes out with boy (she pushes away his hand on her bra); Mai shows cleavage a couple of times; Mai and Gabriel kiss deeply; Matt slows Gabriel's computer downloads by setting loose a pop-up attack ("Sexy Singles," "Cheap Viagra," etc.).
Language: Plenty of colorful "action" language, including one almost-use of John McClane's signature phrase ("Yippee-ki-yay, motherf...," covered over by a sound effect); repeated uses of "jerk-off," "dick," "screw up," "damn," "s--t," "ass," "a--hole," "bitch," "hell," and "son of a bitch."
Consumerism: Mention of Arby's.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Injured Matt says he's been dosed with morphine, so his pain has subsided.

More on Live Free or Die Hard

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about why we love action movies. What is it about filmgoers that we like to see things blow up? Talk with your kids about the difference between real life and fantasy -- even teens (especially if they're driving). Point out that consequences exist -- even if it makes you feel humorless. The fact that violent movies stimulate parts of the brain bears some commentary from the parental units.

What's the story?

What's the story?
John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back in LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, full of the retro rightness and righteousness that he's embodied throughout the action-packed series. This installment pits John against a digital world. Nemesis Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) is a former Department of Defense superstar upset that his warnings about a vulnerable security system and imminent "information war" were ignored. Now he's seeking vengeance by shutting down all computers, aided by some very athletic associates, his girlfriend Mai (Maggie Q), and the Parkour-inspired Rand (Cyril Raffaelli). So he can keep up, John is supplied with a hacker sidekick, Matt (Justin Long), whom Gabriel wants dead. Assigned to deliver Matt to Washington, D.C., John is soon communicating with FBI agent Bowman (Cliff Curtis). When the feds (along with NSA and Homeland Security) can't solve the crisis, John and Matt take up the slack. And John's answers tend to be violent: explosions, collapsing highways, "killing" a helicopter with a car. Throughout the movie, John displays his trademark crudeness (calling Mai nasty names), unflappable tough guy image, as well as his compassion and determination. Though he's committed, as always, to his "job" (still NYPD) as a means to individual identity, John doesn't claim a national or even an ideological affiliation.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
More than the second and third movies, Live Free grapples with John's cowboy machismo. Reviving an action-movie style that's quite opposed to recent technological acrobatics, comic book antics, or wire-work martial arts, Live Free or Die Hard presents John as a manly man who spends most of the movie filthy and bloodied, less desperate and sentimental than 24's Jack Bauer, but equally adept at handling "terrorists," fake or real. He's also great fun to watch, going all scrunchy-faced during amazing stunts.

Live Free gestures toward a flag-waving U.S. patriotism, set as it is around Independence Day. But it's focused on John's particular renegade-ness. Even if he shares Gabriel's irritation at slow-thinking government officials, John is absolutely heroic -- and always right.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Len Wiseman
Cast: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 129 minutes
Theatrical release: June 27, 2007
DVD release: November 20, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: intense sequences of violence and acintense sequences of violence and action, language and a brief sexual situation.
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This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13

Most useful reviews by all members

squishy finger123
kid, 10 years old
 
LOVE THE MOVIE WATCH IT
cool!!!!!!!!

JasonHatesMe
kid, 12 years old
 
HAS BEEN DAMNED
THIS FEATURE

 
The best in the Series.

movie fan141999
kid, 12 years old
 
so cool
loods of blood and every bad word yet cool and booming but shood have ben R

Mattsmom
kid, 4 years old
 
Good movie
Its an amazing movie!

michaelc
teen, 14 years old
 
not as good as the original 3
In some bits it is boring, it os not anything like the original die hard, much more mild and much less interesting. No concerns for kids.

coolioface
teen, 16 years old
 
good

movielover1996
teen, 15 years old
 
i love this movie, it is amazing

djrgeek
adult
 
It is really an action-packed thriller! Might be to violent for younger kids, but is still awsome!

ironkid21
kid, 13 years old
 
Thank God this movie was PG-13 when it came out a couple years ago because it was awesome. The action was great. The unrated version has a lot more cussing. PG-13 version: 8+ unrated version: 12+ because of the cussing.

 
Watch die hard 2
Not as good as the original die hard. But the best in the die hard series is die hard 2.

 
Fine for adults / older teens; would not recommend for kids/tweens
Well done movie. But lots of language. Very violent. One inappropriate make-out scene (guy keeps grabbing girl's breast as the kiss) Overall, I would not recommend for kids or tweens.

 
great action movie!
This a one action movie you dont want to miss. I will say this the language is a little bit too much hear and it could of taken alot of it out, but it tells us that when somebody needs to get the job done john mcclane can get it done.

 
You Want A Fighting Terrorist Movie With Some Humor? Here it is.
This is one of those fighting terrorists movies where it can be comical at points.

 
Very good movie but very rude and violent
Lots of violence coarse language and a bit of sex strong violence coarse language and medium sexual content

TheSuperman765
teen, 16 years old
 
i really thought this movie was good aka awesome
What to watch out for * Messages: NYC detective John McClane operates outside the law to get his job done: He blows things up, breaks into buildings, steals cars, and doesn't read villains their rights -- but theoretically it's all for a good cause, to save the world from "virtual terrorism." * Violence: Lots: Explosions, falls out windows, fireballs, car crashes and flips, shoot-outs, throttling, kicks, punches, slaps, helicopter door-gunning, Harrier jet missile-firing, non-lethal shots into legs and feet, twisting of gun into a wound. Fights include a thug grabbing John through his car window, then being dragged along and smashed into a dumpster. There's a video image of the exploding U.S. capitol (revealed to be fake); a car flies through the air into a helicopter (big explosion, from which one thug escapes by falling hard to the ground); slamming fight between John and Mai (includes tosses into walls, a car crashing down an elevator shaft, a body falling down the shaft, the car exploding in the shaft); villain shoots his own hackers; battle between John in semi and Harrier jet leaves tuck demolished and elevated highway collapsing -- repeatedly; bloody bodies in close-ups. * Sex: Reference to Mai's "sexy voice" Lucy makes out with boy (she pushes away his hand on her bra); Mai shows cleavage a couple of times; Mai and Gabriel kiss deeply; Matt slows Gabriel's computer downloads by setting loose a pop-up attack ("Sexy Singles," "Cheap Viagra," etc.). * Language: Plenty of colorful "action" language, including one almost-use of John McClane's signature phrase ("Yippee-ki-yay, motherf...," covered over by a sound effect); repeated uses of "jerk-off," "d--k," "sc--w up," "d--n," "s--t," "a-s," "a--hole," "bi-ch," "h--l," and "son of a bi-ch." * Consumerism: Mention of Arby's. * Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Injured Matt says he's been dosed with morphine, so his pain has subsided.

jrcalhoun759
teen, 16 years old
 
This instalment of the Die Hard series is okay, i didnt really like it. It misses the thrill. Not as good as the 3rd one

Plague
parent
 
Live Free or Die Hard
Great action movie for Die Hard fans everywhere.

homealonefan123
teen, 15 years old
 
great movie. but isn't as good as Die Hard 1,2 & 3
this movie isn't as good as "Die Hard 1,2 & 3". there isn't much killings. but there is still bloody violence.

joeryker
parent of 17 year old
 
Awsome thriller...but has almost as much language as action.

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