Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

John McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon Gruber in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building.

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers:

Jonathan Hensleigh, Roderick Thorp (certain original characters)

Stars:

Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Willis	...	John McClane
Jeremy Irons	...	Simon Gruber
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Zeus Carver
Graham Greene	...	Joe Lambert
Colleen Camp	...	Connie Kowalski
Larry Bryggman	...	Insp. Walter Cobb
Anthony Peck	...	Ricky Walsh
Nick Wyman	...	Mathias Targo
Sam Phillips	...	Katya
Kevin Chamberlin	...	Charles Weiss
Sharon Washington	...	Officer Jane
Stephen Pearlman	...	Dr. Fred Schiller
Michael Alexander Jackson	...	Dexter
Aldis Hodge	...	Raymond
Mischa Hausserman	...	Mischa

Storyline

John McClane is now almost a full-blown alcoholic and is suspended from the NYPD. But when a bomb goes off in the Bonwit Teller Department Store the police go insane trying to figure out what's going on. Soon, a man named Simon calls and asks for McClane. Simon tells Inspector Walter Cobb that McClane is going to play a game called "Simon Says". He says that McClane is going to do the tasks he assigns him. If not, he'll set off another bomb. With the help of a Harlem electrician, John McClane must race all over New York trying to figure out the frustrating puzzles that the crafty terrorist gives him. But when a bomb goes off in a subway station right by the Federal Reserve (the biggest gold storage in the world) things start to get heated.

---

Plot Keywords:

john mcclane character | time bomb | good versus evil | male butt clench | motor car | 

---

Taglines:

On a good day he's a great cop. On a bad day he's the best there is.

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and pervasive strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Romanian

Release Date:

19 May 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Hard: New York

Filming Locations:

Ray's Candy Store, 113 Avenue A, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,162,245, 21 May 1995

Gross USA:

$100,012,499

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$366,236,538

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinergi Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Early in his acting career, Jeremy Irons was a co-presenter of the fondly-remembered British pre-school childrens series "Play School" and the spin-off "Play Away" on the BBC. Part of the role, akin to a nursery school/pre-school/montessori school teacher setting, was reading stories, acting out little dramas, singing songs, interacting with the series toys, and reciting Nursery Rhymes and popular childrens sayings, for children to copy and interact with at home, including "Simon Says...". For viewers of a certain age, in the UK, that grew up watching Play School and Play Away, this gives an extra level of creepiness to the character. (Some of his surviving episodes can be found online).

---

Goofs

The dump trucks are supposedly heading north on the FDR drive; however, Simon's truck approaches a sign that says "Cadman Plaza West". This is a sign on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway in Brooklyn, across the river from the FDR drive.

---

Quotes

Zeus Carver: [tied with John to the liquid bomb on the freighter] Didn't I hear you say you didn't even like your brother?
Simon Gruber: There's a difference, you know, between not liking one's brother and not caring when some dumb Irish flatfoot drops him out of a window.

---

Alternate Versions

In the T.V. version of the film, the sign that McClane is forced to wear in Harlem is changed to read "I hate everyone".

---

Connections

Referenced in Bad Business (1997)

---

Soundtracks

Gift Rapped
Written, Performed and Produced by Mark A. Mangini (as Mark Mangini)
Courtesy of Mark Mangini (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Die Hard With A Vengeance is not only a great movie, it is arguably the best masterpiece sequel of all time!

Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995) is the third film in the popular Die Hard franchise, which re teamed Bruce Willis with John McTiernan, the director of the first film. It is my second favorite Die Hard film in the franchise. It feel's fast paced, more realistic and more action movie to me. It is not boring or slow, I love the characters: John McClane, Zeus Carver, Simon Gruber, Joe Lambert, Connie Kowalski, Charlie Weiss, Katya and Mathias Targo. No CGI real action sequences, real explosions, real stunt performances. McClane fires a power line, severing it in to the helicopter blowing up the chopper to pieces amazing my personal favorite scene. I love this movie to death, this is my movie and it is my personal favorite action film.

Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) is a near-perfect summer movie. It is one of my personal favorite action movies. It is so good as the first one, I couldn't decide which one I love to Death: Die Hard or Die Hard With a Vengeance. I love this movie to death it is my number 1 favorite action film in Die Hard series and action films. I love the original Die Hard to death but I love this sequel much more. That's my personal opinion. This franchise effort is a gleeful no-brainer with nonstop action. Die Hard With A Vengeance I really do believe is the greatest action sequel and a true masterpiece to the first movie. It gives some additional action pleasure, as we get to watch action heroes Bruce Willis get smacked around for 128 minutes.

In this third outing with John McClane, we are faced with yet another mad bomber on the loose. Jeremy Irons plays Simon, an East German Special Forces Colonel-turned-terrorist mastermind and the older brother of Hans Gruber, who has a score to settle with Detective McClane. Simon's bombing game comes complete with crafty riddles, which must be solved in a specified time or everything goes boom. McClane has no choice but to play. Along the way, he picks up an unlikely accomplice named Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson), a Harlem shopkeeper. Together they tear all over New York trying to head off disaster. Sure, it's all perfectly preposterous, but DIE HARD 3 has been directed with breathless intensity by John McTiernan, who certainly has a way with wrecking things. Was he very destructive as a child? Loved the spectacular subway crash, John. That hair-raising taxi ride through Central Park wasn't bad, either. I love the fact that they are saving kids from school. Charlie try's to disabled the bomb in school while Kowalski and Lambert are saving those kids stuck in the building I love that scene. McClane and Carver are desperately searching for the code for the bomb to disabled it, I love it to death. Don't forget to fasten your seat belts for this ride. It's often said that McTiernan and Hensleigh simply ignored Die Hard 2, and in terms of direct plot and dialogue references, this may be true, but they still give Die Hard 2 a nod by having an attendant humor--often almost "goofy" humor--in many action scenes. One of the most direct nods occurs with McClane "riding" something of an explosion (of water this time). This is one of the more hilarious scenes of the film.

Die Hard with a Vengeance is a 1995 American action film and the third in the Die Hard film series. It was produced and directed by John McTiernan (who directed Die Hard), written by Jonathan Hensleigh, and stars Bruce Willis as New York City Police Department Lieutenant John McClane, Samuel L. Jackson as McClane's reluctant partner Zeus Carver, and Jeremy Irons as Simon Peter Gruber.

Twenty years ago, after two blockbuster movies and a five-year wait, the "Die Hard" franchise roared back into theaters with the explosive "Die Hard with a Vengeance."

The movie was released on May 19, 1995, and it was an instant classic, thanks to a smart script, exciting plot, and the absolutely stellar chemistry between Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. But not only was "Die Hard with a Vengeance" a great movie, it was also arguably the best of its kind: unstoppable, and untoppable.

Die Hard With A Vengeance was filmed before CGI made it possible to create scenes like this without breaking a single window, this moment is utter, terrifying perfection.How often do you get an action flick where the heroes spend the entire first half of the film solving puzzles to save lives? In a franchise that distinguishes itself with action that toes the line between "creative" and "ridiculous," "Die Hard with a Vengeance" stays on brand, in the best way.

John McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon Gruber in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building. 10/10 Score: bad Ass Seal Of Approval my personal second favorite Die Hard action movie.