I care... I still care about John McLane, dammit! Thanks to Keith Phipps for his insightful and honest analysis of the "Die Hard" phenomenon, and some of the reasons (Or lack thereof) we keep watching after all these years. I remember the first time I saw the original in the late 80's, and how much it impacted me (Man, I hadn't been that blown aways since "Raiders of the Lost Arc!). I still filter many present day actioners through its aesthetics, wit and frantic sense of pathos and empathy. The fourth sequel was a terrific comeback, with the aforementioned "That's what makes you that guy"speech all the more compelling, even if I must admit that the character has been throught the proverbial "creative wringer" that is the Hollywood franchise racket. Nevertheless, everytime another "Die Hard" comes out, I feel like I'm visiting an old friend that's been away a while. I haven't seen the latest one (And yes, the title is a problem!), but perhaps Mr. Phipps is right, and this all may be a long shot, but let's hope there's still some "Yippie Kay-Yay Motherf@%#er!" left in our man McLane!
