Bruce Willis vs. a fighter jet

The decision to make another "Die Hard" movie was questionable to begin with. The decision to edit it into oblivion to achieve a PG-13 rating was just silly. Thankfully, without box-office returns to consider, Len Wiseman's "Live Free or Die Hard" feels more naturalistic, if not as entertaining or effective as John McTiernan's installments in the series. \nThe selling point here is the depiction of Bruce Willis' iconic John McClane character as an "analog hero in a digital world." Imagine Gary Cooper in "High Noon" with military-grade weapons and a potty mouth. There's the plot (terrorists, mainframes and general computer-induced disaster looming over a helplessly technology-dependent society), and then there's the action. Of course McClane saves the day, as well as his daughter, played by the arrestingly hot Mary Elizabeth Winstead, but not before blasting countless baddies and dodging flying cars, helicopters and an F-35 Lightning II. It's over-the-top, but at least it keeps you in your seat. \nIf you're a fan of the "Die Hard" series, there's no question that the two-disc unrated edition is the one to buy. It's better to forget the PG-13 cut ever existed, and the movie benefits in every way from what's added here. On the supplements front, the first disc features a so-so commentary track with Willis and Wiseman. Disc two has a standard making-of doc, as well as a slightly surreal interview with Willis and co-star Kevin Smith. Aside from that, there's not much else going on here to warrant a double-disc presentation. \nCartoonish though it may be at times, the fourth installment of the "Die Hard" series is suitable, throwaway popcorn fare, better than "Die Hard 2" but out of the league of the original and "Die Hard with a Vengeance." Bringing back John McClane, and especially all the intangibles Willis brings to the character, make this (hopefully) final installment worth the price of the DVD despite its flaws.