Hollywood legend's 'bigger and better' action film streaming for free on BBC
It's a rare find to come across film buffs who aren't familiar with Die Hard 2. This sequel to Die Hard is grander, costlier and more tumultuous.
This 1990 action-packed spectacle continues the saga of detective John McClane and his extraordinary exploits. Directed by Renny Harlin and co-penned by Steven E.de Souza and Doug Richardson, Die Hard 2 marks the second chapter in the Die Hard film franchise.
The film stars silver screen legend Bruce Willis as the lead character John McClane, alongside a stellar cast including William Sadler, Bonnie Bedelia, William Atherton, Art Evans, Dennis Franz, Franco Nero, Reginald VelJohnson, Fred Thompson, and John Amos. The film is currently available for streaming at no cost on BBC iPlayer.
Set a year after McClane's daring escapades in LA from the first film, Die Hard 2 sees the LAPD detective at Washington Dulles International Airport, awaiting the arrival of his wife Holly on an incoming flight, reports the Express.
In a twist of fate, that's the very night terrorists seize control of the airport, causing chaos and threatening to crash all incoming flights unless infamous drug lord Ramon Esperanza is released. It's up to McClane to thwart their plans before his wife's plane is endangered.
Created with a budget of approximately $70 million, Die Hard 2 proved to be a massive hit at the cinema, earning more than $240 million globally - nearly twice what its predecessor made. It became the seventh biggest earner at the box office that year.
Die Hard 2 was succeeded by Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), and A Good Day to Die Hard (2013).
Speaking about his involvement in creating the blockbuster during a 2021 chat with Empire, director Renny Harlin revealed: "When I look back, I think, 'Did I realise how young and inexperienced I was?' I was very passionate and confident, but not cocky, because I really had huge fears and doubts. We shot so much at night-time too, and I was just really stressed about not being able to sleep. So yes, I felt huge pressure."
Describing the challenging elements of filming, Renny explained: "It's no secret the movie went over budget and over schedule. Not because we didn't plan things carefully - I was super-organised and responsible - but because it was the warmest winter in North America for, like, 60 years. So there was no snow anywhere. We were literally hunting for snow around the country and in Canada, while we were leasing this whole armada of aircraft."
Achieving a 69 per cent critics approval rating, Die Hard 2 garnered mixed reviews, with one critic noting: "Packs plenty of punch, heavy-hitting adventure, and explosions galore."
One critic drew comparisons to the original, remarking: "This disappointing followup to Die Hard has more action and bigger action, but considerably less suspense."
Another reviewer lavished praise on the sequel, stating: "The filmmakers know the audience is challenging them to top themselves, and they've risen to the bait. Harlin and company build suspense the old-fashioned way. They earn it."
Yet another critic enthused about the film's qualities: "Exquisite widescreen theatrics and explosive entertainment. It's an awesome machine of mayhem....a skilled sequel, a brass-knuckled bruiser of an action picture, and a sublime cinematic distraction."
Die Hard 2 also received a mixed bag of reactions from fans, with one saying: "While they have ramped up the action sequences here, it lacks the claustrophobic setting of the original movie that helped make it an instant classic. Still an entertaining movie and one worth checking out."
A different viewer offered a contrasting opinion: "Call me crazy but I think that this could be greater than the first one, and don't get me wrong the first one is a masterpiece of the action cinema but this one has more intensity, I don't know both are great movies."
An additional fan shared their take on the sequel: "Still a fun Die Hard film but nowhere near as exciting as the first one. Very bleak, dark and ugly looking by contrast. Bruce is still great; full of energy and chaos. The villains were a little over the top and campy."
For those keen to revisit or discover the high-octane thrills, Die Hard 2 is currently available for streaming at no cost on BBC iPlayer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
‘Astonishing' WWI film leaves viewers ‘totally enthralled' as it shares untold story
An unmissable wartime epic is coming to screens soon A WWI epic is set to land on BBC iPlayer imminently and stands as essential viewing for cinema enthusiasts, after fans have enjoyed a "heartbreaking" WWII film, reports the Daily Record. The picture debuted in 2011 and secured multiple Oscar nominations. Countless viewers have lauded the production on IMDb, with one contributor sharing a perfect 10/10 critique headlined: "A Stunning and Enthralling Epic." They elaborated: "The film is uncompromisingly sentimental, and I wasn't annoyed by it. Because it worked so well, it made me care about the story, the characters, the horses." They continued: "There are a lot of powerful scenes in the movie, from which I cried. It was just so moving, it showed the true consequences of war. Some of the battle sequences were simply fantastic and astonishing." Another glowing assessment bore the title: "A truly exceptional film about courage in both man and beast." The reviewer observed: "This is a wonderful "against all odds" inspirational story about courage and relationships. A horse of truly amazing spirit touches the lives of so many during War I - including British soldiers, German soldiers, French civilians and even other horses." A third viewer described the blockbuster as "simply delightful" and remarked: "I went to see this movie expecting NOT to like it. But, for 2 hours and 15 mins I was totally enthralled." A glowing review highlighted: "I was expecting this movie to be just another extravagant sentimental potboiler. Wow, was I surprised. This is a great movie. The title says the movie is about a horse, but it's really about a lot more than that. The horse plays a central role but the humans figure in the story too, in a big way." Helmed by the iconic Steven Spielberg, War Horse is a cinematic adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's 1982 novel and its acclaimed 2007 stage adaptation. The plot centres on young Albert Narracott (portrayed by Jeremy Irvine), who develops an intense connection with a horse named Joey, purchased at auction by his father. With the outbreak of World War I, Joey is conscripted into the cavalry, thrusting him into the war's frontlines. The film traces Joey's odyssey across the battlefields, offering a stark glimpse into the war's brutality from multiple perspectives. Albert, initially too youthful for military service, later enlists as a soldier to seek out Joey upon reaching enlistment age. Boasting a stellar ensemble cast featuring Emily Watson of Chernobyl fame, Benedict Cumberbatch known for Sherlock and Doctor Strange, Harry Potter's David Thewlis, Peter Mullan of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Tom Hiddleston from The Night Manager, Toby Kebbell of Black Mirror, Robert Emms from Atlantis, and Eddie Marsan from Ray Donovan, War Horse stands as a must-watch spectacle. War Horse features Outlander: Blood of My Blood star Irvine, who portrays time traveller and WWI veteran Henry Beauchamp in the fresh Starz series. The Spielberg blockbuster served as the actor's first foray into feature films at the tender age of 21, having been handpicked from hundreds of hopefuls by the renowned Hollywood director. The Outlander prequel series made its debut last week, and fans can catch a glimpse of the star back in the trenches in the first two episodes of Blood of My Blood.
Metro
7 hours ago
- Metro
Stacey is targeted again by Joel in upsetting scenes in EastEnders
EastEnders' Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) steps up in dramatic scenes next week when she catches Joel Marshall (Max Murray) deliberately provoking Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). The explosive moment comes after a difficult period for Stacey, who has already been through the wringer thanks to Joel's disturbing actions. Ever since Joel arrived in Walford earlier this year, he has been nothing but trouble, quickly earning a reputation for stirring up conflict and targeting vulnerable Walford residents. Just days earlier, Stacey was left humiliated when her SecretCam pictures and videos were leaked online. The violation was a devastating blow for Stacey, who has endured her fair share of heartbreak and upset in the past few months. She immediately suspected Joel, given his recent fixation on her and his previous attempts to undermine her confidence. She confronted him in a tense showdown, but Ross jumped to his son's defence, whisking Joel away before Stacey could get any answers. Joel later handed Ross his laptop, claiming he had nothing to hide, and managed to convince his father he was not responsible for the leak. Despite the lack of hard evidence, Stacey stood her ground and reported him to the police, only to be left gutted when they decided to take no further action. Getting out scot-free seemed to embolden Joel even further. Fuelled by anger, Joel shifted his focus to Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James) after discovering that she had a termination. In typical fashion, he stormed over, looking to provoke a reaction, forcing Priya (Sophie Khan Levy) to plead with Ravi (Aaron Thiara) to stay calm. Later, he publicly berated Avani in the street, leaving her shaken. Vicki, who had already begun to see through Joel's facade, stepped in and dragged him away, giving him a strong warning in the process. But Joel just will not stop. More Trending In upcoming scenes, he is seen deliberately goading Stacey yet again, clearly enjoying the distress he is causing. This time, however, Vicki catches him in the act. Outraged, she confronts him on the spot, making it clear that she will not stand for any more of his cruelty. View More » Will Joel finally take Vicki's warning seriously, or is his reign of terror in Walford far from over? MORE: Vicki shaken to the core in EastEnders after Joel's twisted outburst which is his worst yet MORE: EastEnders legend disowned by entire family in early BBC iPlayer release as she's branded 'poison' MORE: Suki stunned in EastEnders early BBC iPlayer release as Avani makes her choice
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Daily Record
Outlander Blood of My Blood star's 'fantastic' war drama streaming for free
The WWI blockbuster is a must-watch A wartime film is going to be arriving on BBC iPlayer very soon and is a must-watch for all film buffs, with two stars from the Outlander: Blood of My Blood cast, which has received strong praise from fans and plenty of Easter eggs from Outlander. The film came out in 2011 and received a slew of Oscar nominations. Many people have praised the movie on IMDb, with one person posting a 10/10 review titled: 'A Stunning and Enthralling Epic.' They went on to explain: 'The film is uncompromisingly sentimental, and I wasn't annoyed by it. Because it worked so well, it made me care about the story, the characters, the horses.' They added: 'There are a lot of powerful scenes in the movie, from which I cried. It was just so moving, it showed the true consequences of war. Some of the battle sequences were simply fantastic and astonishing.' A second glowing review was titled: 'A truly exceptional film about courage in both man and beast.' The user noted: 'This is a wonderful "against all odds" inspirational story about courage and relationships. A horse of truly amazing spirit touches the lives of so many during War I - including British soldiers, German soldiers, French civilians and even other horses.' A third person hailed the blockbuster 'simply delightful' and said: 'I went to see this movie expecting NOT to like it. But, for 2 hours and 15 mins I was totally enthralled.' One top-tier review explained: 'I was expecting this movie to be just another extravagant sentimental potboiler. Wow, was I surprised. This is a great movie. The title says the movie is about a horse, but it's really about a lot more than that. The horse plays a central role but the humans figure in the story too, in a big way.' War Horse was directed by legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, adapted from Michael Morpurgo's 1982 novel and its 2007 stage version of the same name. The story follows teenager Albert Narracott (played by Jeremy Irvine), who forms a close bond with a horse he names Joey after his farmer father buys the creature at an auction. However, at the onset of World War I, Joey is enlisted into the cavalry to help with the war effort. War Horse follows Joey's journey through the trenches as he bears witness to the horrors of the conflict on both sides. Initially, too young to join the army and be reunited with Joey, Albert eventually becomes a solider when he comes of age. Featuring an all-star cast including Chernobyl's Emily Watson, Benedict Cumberbatch from Sherlock and Doctor Stranger, Harry Potter actor David Thewlis, fellow Outlander: Blood of My Blood star Peter Mullan, Tom Hiddleston from The Night Manager, Black Mirror's Toby Kebbell, Robert Emms from Atlantis and Ray Donovan actor Eddie Marsan, it's an unmissable film. War Horse is led by Outlander: Blood of My Blood star Irvine, who plays time traveller and WWI veteran Henry Beauchamp in the new Starz series. The Spielberg epic marked the actor's feature film debut at the age of 21 when he was selected out of hundreds of other hopefuls by the Hollywood director. The Outlander prequel series premiered last week and fans can glimpse the star back in the trenches in the opening two episodes of Blood of My Blood.
