Double Feature

December 2017 - My wish for this holiday season is to see A Bad Moms Christmas. I really liked the first film and hope that the sequel will also be ridiculously over the top. Here, as reviewed 10 years ago in this column, are two sequels from 2007 that are definitely worth watching.

First is The Bourne Ultimatum. Matt Damon runs fast, drives faster, and leaps off tall buildings in a single bound in this PG-13 conclusion to the Jason Bourne trilogy.

This chapter begins as a British journalist goes public with spy stories involving a super top-secret CIA program. And, what happens to people who reveal super top secrets? They get shot in the middle of a crowded train station, that's what. But, not before setting Bourne on the path to finding his true identity.

The movie hops and skips around the world, stopping in this city or that one just long enough for Bourne to pick up another clue and outrun those who would kill him. Eventually, Bourne goes to New York, where all his questions are answered thanks to some hints from a surprising ally.

Overall review: Liked it. Pretty good for what it is which is basically one long chase scene. Bourne doesn't have time to rest, and even the chief spooks who want him dead are hyper and fidgety. The action looks great, but it doesn't always make sense. Best to just buckle up and enjoy the ride.

You'll also need that seat belt for Live Free or Die Hard. Bruce Willis is back for another go-round as NYPD detective and all-around badass John McClane. Mary Elizabeth Winstead provides the family connection as McClane's daughter, Lucy. Justin Long (from the TV show Ed) helps McClane save the world.

Long plays Matt Farrell, a computer hacker. When things start to go FUBAR with the government's computer systems, Farrell is a suspect and McClane is assigned to pick him up in Camden and take him to the feds in DC for questioning.

McClane and Farrell get to DC, only to find that traffic lights have gone haywire and the city is in complete gridlock (irony, anyone?). Spectacular chase scenes ensue. McClane and Farrell then end up at a natural gas facility in West Virginia where more spectacular stunts take place. Finally, with some help from Kevin Smith, they save the country and keep everyone from going broke. All that's left is to clean up the mess.

Overall review: Liked it. It's been a long time since Die Hard: With a Vengeance and, quite honestly, that's the forgettable one of the bunch. So, it almost feels like McClane's been gone since Die Hard 2 in 1990. Now, he's a little more forlorn and a little more cynical. But, the most cynical people can also be the most idealistic, and McClane is that, too. Oh, by the way, he still kicks ass! Unfortunately, the trademark "Die Hard" line is uttered only once, and incompletely at that, as a sacrifice for a PG-13 rating. Let's hope for a director's cut.