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
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Zeus
Graham Greene	...	Joe Lambert
Colleen Camp	...	Connie Kowalski
Larry Bryggman	...	Walter Cobb
Anthony Peck	...	Ricky Walsh
Nick Wyman	...	Targo
Sam Phillips	...	Katya
Kevin Chamberlin	...	Charles Weiss
Sharon Washington	...	Officer Jane
Stephen Pearlman	...	Dr. 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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

It's boometime in the big apple

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Certificate:

14A

Did You Know?

Trivia

The park, on top of the Wall Street station in the film, was a vacant lot that was made into a park for the film. It was turned back into a vacant lot after filming was completed.

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Goofs

When McClane and Zeus drive through the park, they pass the same spot several times.

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Quotes

Mischa: [the second guard tries to reach the front desk but instead reaches Simon's henchman who has replaced the real guard] Front desk.
Federal Reserve Guard #2: Yes, call the police, get your ass down here right now! I'm under attack!
Mischa: Hey, just relax mate, maybe you'll live through this.
[...]

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Alternate Versions

SPOILER: The Version shown on German TV features the alternative ending (Gruber escapes with the gold, but McClane tracks him down through the number on the bottom of the aspirin bottle (at the phone booth) and kills him).

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Connections

Referenced in Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Stakeout (2014)

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Soundtracks

Got It Covered
Written by Chip Fu (as R. Roachford), Poc Fu (as L. Maturine), R. Kirkpatrick and Erick Sermon (as E. Sermon)
Performed by Fu-Schnickens
Courtesy of Zomba Songs Inc./CPMK Sounds (adm. by Zomba Songs Inc.) (BMI), Erick Sermons Enterprises Inc. (adm. by Zomba Enterprises Inc.) (ASCAP) and Jive Records

User Reviews

Not your average action movie

This movie gets right to the point and starts off with an explosion. I love that. A crazy guy named Simon (played very well by Jeremy Irons) blows up a store, and asks to speak to John McClane, who is on suspension. The cops grab McClane, who is by now a heavy drinker, and put him on the phone with Simon. Simon makes him walk through Harlem with a very offensive sign. Just when he is about to get beat down, he is rescued by the racist Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Zeus. It seems as though Simon wants revenge on McClane for something, but nobody knows why. Now, Zeus and McClane are at the mercy of Simon, who meanwhile is committing a massive robbery.

This movie is considerably different from the other two, which is probably a good thing. Who wants the same thing three times in a row? The plot has as many twists and turns as a snake, and the movie keeps the viewer involved. Watching Zeus and McClane bicker is amusing as well. Samuel L. Jackson pulls off the role of the "racist black man" very well. I would highly recommend this movie.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Romanian

Release Date:

19 May 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Marche ou crève: Vengeance définitive

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