Die Hard 4.0

John McClane is back in another installment of the Die Hard franchise -- or is he? That's the question that faces moviegoers upon seeing Live Free or Die Hard, a techno-talky popcorn popper that has enough explosions to wake the dead, but very little to do with the esteemed film series by the time all of the terrorists are toast. So what went wrong? Is it the rating controversy that saw the film released as a very un-Die Hard PG-13? That has a bit to do with it, though the main gripe is that this really isn't a film about John McClane. Sure, there are a lion's share of stunts and one-liners, but the crux of the story has little to do with the cop from South Jersey who virtually reinvented the modern-day movie hero. Sadly, he's made to play second fiddle to Justin Long -- a young, sarcastic hacker whose part in the plot ends up nearly as substantial as McClane. Thus the movie essentially boils down to the two characters squabbling in an annoying "culture clash" fashion as they race from one destination to another, with lots of Long typing away at a keyboard and McClane only in tow to beat up the bad guys when they show up. Sound fun? Then maybe this is the flick for you. One thing is for sure though, this ain't your daddy's Die Hard.