I. Russian Baddies!!
Bringing back Americas mainstream arch-nemesis, in the form of Russian baddies, is almost like a direct reversal of the proverb throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Akin to the glorious parade of action-hero one-liners in The Expendables 2, bringing John McClane into conflict with the nation which predated Colombia as the stock-baddy-producer is yet another foray into the realm of nostalgia. There are even rumours (on
IMDB at least) that one of the key baddies is going to be non-other than Patrick Stewart himself. A man who when not chipping away at his respectability via fat-joke-repartee with James Corden is the kind of actor who can bring credibility to even the most hackneyed of storylines. Of course his presence is only rumoured, but the tantalising reprisal of acting quality to rival both Rickman and Irons is very exciting indeed. Could there be a baddie in Die Hard V that is as ruthless and haunting as the Gruber brothers? Lets face it, theres more to going to see these role reprisal films than their own merits as cinema. Theyre the opportunity to dizzyingly delve into a childhood or adolescence; theyre the chance to spout loyalty for, or denounce the butchering of, a once-loved movie character; and they give you a sense of satisfaction that, even if the story was predictable and they punchlines lame, youve seen something that will stay with you, should it only be the flashing lights bright enough to have burned into your retinas. All of which are things to be very excited about.