Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

The first Die Hard was one barefoot cop in one building. Here John McClane launches a police car into a helicopter, and that’s only the second most unhinged stunt in the movie. The top one involves a fighter jet and a freeway, and physics quietly leaves the theater. It’s a PG-13 Die Hard, so McClane’s famous catchphrase gets drowned out by a gunshot, and you can feel the studio standing behind him with a ratings chart. Bruce Willis still has it, though: tired, grumpy and allergic to anything with a password. Justin Long makes a solid nervous sidekick, and Timothy Olyphant plays a cyber villain who mostly glares at monitors. 128 minutes, $388 million worldwide, a reported $110M budget. A 6.3 because the stunts are big fun and the soul of the old ones stayed behind in that first building. $777 says you unplug your router this week, plug it back in, and feel like you personally saved the country.

What works: Huge stunts that feel physical, and Bruce Willis still plays a guy who is too tired for any of this better than anyone.

What doesn’t: The PG-13 rating sands off the franchise’s edge, and the hacker villain mostly stares at screens instead of being scary.

Who it’s for: People who want a loud summer action movie and don’t mind McClane turning into a superhero.