Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fifth in violent action series is also least entertaining.
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A Good Day to Die Hard
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 22 kid reviews
Kids say the film features intense action sequences filled with violence and strong language, resulting in a divisive reception among viewers. While some consider it a guilty pleasure with mild humor, others criticize its poor editing and lack of engaging plot elements, deeming it a disappointing addition to the franchise.
- intense action
- strong language
- poor plot
- divided opinions
- mild humor
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Following a few opening jokes about his old age, John McClane (Bruce Willis) heads to Moscow to try to help out his son, Jack (Jai Courtney), who's in trouble with the law. It turns out that Jack is actually a CIA agent who's helping rescue Russian political prisoner Yuri Komarov (Sebastian Koch) and secure a secret file related to Chernobyl. John gets in the way of the plan, and, before long, father, son, and prisoner are on the run from Russian thugs. After a double-cross and a daring escape, the two McClanes decide to infiltrate Chernobyl itself to prevent the bad guys from getting their hands on a load of weapons-grade uranium. Will they save the world before they destroy it?
Is It Any Good?
It's very likely that this entry will be the death of Die Hard. Twenty-five years after the original film in the series, John McClane now has a grown son who serves as his comic sidekick, like Samuel L. Jackson in the third entry and Justin Long in the fourth. But Courtney was cast for his brawn and not for his banter; the characters' "tough love" talk is actually more cruel than funny. Moreover, director John Moore (The Omen remake, Max Payne, etc.) is a camera shaker who often jolts the action off-kilter.
The script by Skip Woods hits all the right marks, but it also relies on some ludicrous twists and ridiculous plot holes. For example, father and son survive a gas explosion, unscathed, merely by ducking behind some stone pillars. Not to mention that the use of Chernobyl as a setting for a showdown is in questionable taste, and the movie humorously shrugs off the possibility of radiation poisoning for our heroes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about A Good Day to Die Hard's over-the-top violence. How does its impact compare to what you might see in a horror movie? Or a more realistic drama?
Why are the main characters allowed to simply kill bad guys, rather than bring them to justice? What differentiates the "good guys" and the "bad guys"?
How did you feel about the "tough love" relationship between the father and son? Why did the father ridicule his son for having feelings and weaknesses?
How does the Die Hard series strike you as a whole? What's John McClane's appeal? Is he a role model?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 14, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : June 4, 2013
- Cast : Bruce Willis , Jai Courtney , Sebastian Koch
- Director : John Moore
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Adventures
- Run time : 97 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence and language
- Last updated : December 15, 2025
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