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(This review contains spoilers. You have been warned.)

This second sequel to Die Hard reunites original director John McTiernan with Bruce Willis, delivering pure action in the form of explosions, shootouts and car chases. As a result, Die Hard With A Vengeance is more thrilling than the first sequel in the series was.

What I like about Vengeance is that it immediately cuts to the chase. The opening scene involves an explosion in downtown New York, prompting panic in and around the police station. Soon enough, the cops get a phone call from a German-speaking terrorist named Simon (Jeremy Irons), who specifically asks for McClane. From there, the Nakatomi hero, accompanied by his new partner Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson), gets dragged into a deadly game where he must solve a variety of brain teasers set by the terrorist in order to prevent another bomb from going off in the city.

It all sounds nonsense, but that's all part of the fun. There are some well executed stunts, which make for a number of memorable action sequences (check the thrilling taxi chase through the packed streets of New York City). It's no surprise that McClane, now a full blown alcoholic, is at the centre of it all, and it's pretty funny seeing him go to lengths to fulfil every one of the terrorist's demands with his beer gut hanging out and being an obvious disadvantage along the way.

Samuel L. Jackson makes a great sidekick of Willis, and arguably steals the show for his comedy value -- he's particularly funny when he starts to get all self-defensive when he believes he's being racially stereotyped against: (McClane): "You don't know how to shoot a gun?" (Zeus): "Look, all brothers don't know how to shoot guns, you racist motherfucker." With such dialogue considered, Die Hard With A Vengeance is the funniest in the series, thus far.

It's just a huge shame that the film becomes somewhat inconsistent in its entertainment value when scenes involving the baddy, Simon, start to take centre stage past halfway point. Jeremy Irons is definitely a more charismatic bad guy than William Sadler was in Die Hard 2, but he still doesn't have that certain fear factor that made Rickman so fascinating to watch in the original. For the second film running, the suspense seems to lacking, and Vengeance ultimately starts to drag as a result.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.