I've got a thing for computer bling. So I want to know who are the number one people who do set design for the uber-slick computer command centers. It has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager to have my own data center. Although I hardly expected it, Bruce Willis' latest movie is a cyberthriller that sports the coolest, most action packed interiors as well as exteriors.
There are several films in the action genre that come to mind when it comes to super high tech electronics headquarters. 24's CTU sets the standard most of the time because of its relative realism. Swordfish rocks hard in this regard. Deja Vu had some mind-bogglingly cool stuff. Nothing quite matches the retro-chaos of the deck of the Nebechanezzar from the Matrix Trilogy. Even 'Bait' which was a pathetic movie had some excellent set design. Standouts in my mind are the now classic 'Minority Report' and the awesome desk of the director of the clone facility in 'The Island'. As you might imagine, I own all of these DVDs. I can't wait to get this Die Hard, which rather like the latest James Bond film, is the best yet. They have about five different computer sets, each with its own particular kind of cool, from the FBI's setup, to the bad guy's mobile setup, to the basement command center of Warlock and various other joints. Great, great stuff.
There remains some suspension of disbelief in all action flicks, but the thing you gotta love about John McClane is that he never gets away unbloodied. I keep thinking how awesome the makeup guys are to keep his face precisely scarred and his arms properly bloodied throughout the entire film. That would ordinarily be a nightmare of continuity, but they pulled it off. Not so effortless were the attempts to make downtown LA look like downtown DC, but that's just because I know my town too well. They did do a nice job of putting a digitized Capitol Building over the Grand Avenue overpass. As well, no photographer can seem to resist the old Union 76 headquarters in downtown LA which is now owned by one of the film companies. That stood in for the FBI, and it's also police headquarters for the TV series Numbers.
Speaking of the FBI, I'm just a little bit amused at how often in movies they are consistently portrayed as the only federal agency worth trusting. The CIA and NSA always get screwed, and now Homeland Security gets its whacks in this Die Hard. What would make for an interesting action thriller would be a domestic version of The Unit that has the ability to do what the FBI really doesn't, which is trail all the suspects until an entire cell is wrapped up. The FBI has to stop when they get prosecutable crimes, busting up conspiracies is not their forte. On the politically serious side of that, consider what Posner has to say on CT and justice.
Die Hard now takes the honors for the coolest use of a jet plane in a chase scene, now burying the long standing record of True Lies. They also have made it official. Street climbing stunts are the next evolution in action staples. Thank you Jackie Chan, your legacy will now live on. There are two or three absolutely mind-bogglingly quick street climbing stunts in this flick that will make you snap your neck. I don't know who this 'spider boy' dude was in the movie, but he was freaking awesome.
Also, Bruce Willis fights dirty, and that is a novel and cool thing to do in today's action flicks. He doesn't indulge in all that kung fu stuff. I mean I really dig the close combat that Matt Damon is doing in his Bourne flix, and Jason Statham and Jet Li are both excellent. But Bruce.. damn. He just grabs you by the arm and throws you down the stairs, HARD.
This is the best Die Hard to date, no question. Don't miss it.
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