Die Hart

No pun intended - just the other day I was talking with a friend and we thought "any movie that has a variant, an idea of a famous person/actor in it, is good ... well at least the ones we watched, right?" ... and it was right up to that moment. We were talking about Nic Cage playing Nic Cage (well a version of himself) and certainly John Malkovich ... even JCVD (or Jean Claude van Damme for you) is just amazing.

Well this movie is anything but ... but instead of going low (I would have given this a solid 6 to be honest), I thought ... well this has Nathalie Emmanuel in it ... so I'll go high(er) than that. I hope you can bear with me. And the movie is kind of fun - it may have certain people and call certain people by their rightful name ... and then it has John Travolta ... being someone else than himself. Well character name wise ... he could be as crazy in real life, right? I am just kidding of course ... good performance by him too.

Still way over the top - you have to dig it, to love it. Talking of loving it - where was the Rock? All that name calling, but no dice? Would have been fun - on the other hand, he would have stolen the sunshine from all others involved I reckon ... well there is the sequel so ... maybe there? (no is the answer in case you don't want to check for him there)

Based on the tv series of the same name which was released three years prior (this may be confusing to those who are unfamiliar with the series). This film plays out as one would expect. Kevin Hart in his own Dir Hard-esque type film with him playing a fictional character of himself trying to become an "action hero/ leading man".. it features all the parody and satirical action movie stunts to be had.

Nothing is exactly cleverly funny and it's predictable. Certainly a film would be more well liked by Kevin Hart fans. Unlike the series, there is a lot of cursing (F-bombs) which get quite over the top by both Hart and John Travolta. In the end, this film is mildly amusing, and it's a satire. People seem to be taking it far too serious.

"Die Hart" (2023) is a movie that aims to provide comedic action, but unfortunately, it falls short of its ambitions. The film follows Kevin Hart as a fictionalized version of himself, who wants to break out from his comedy-sidekick stereotype and become a legitimate action hero. It's an intriguing premise, but the execution leaves much to be desired.

One of the major drawbacks of the film is its short runtime of just 1 hour and 18 minutes. Such a limited duration prevents the plot and character development from reaching their full potential. Consequently, the narrative feels rushed and underdeveloped, making the movie resemble more of an episodic content stitched together rather than a cohesive feature film.

Despite boasting a star-studded cast, including the likes of Kevin Hart, John Travolta, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Josh Hartnett, the performances fail to elevate the film to greatness. While there are definitely moments in which the comedic elements provide some chuckles, the humor lacks consistency and may not resonate with all viewers. Additionally, the movie struggles to strike a balance between delivering action-packed sequences and generating laughs, resulting in a somewhat disjointed experience.

Furthermore, "Die Hart" suffers from a clichéd and predictable plotline. The concept of a comedian seeking to prove himself as an action star is not entirely original, and unfortunately, the film brings nothing new to the table. This lack of novelty prevents the movie from distinguishing itself and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the viewing experience.

While some viewers might find entertainment in the blend of action and comedy, others may be disappointed by the lack of fresh content and unfulfilled potential. Additionally, the episodic structure of the film and the perception that it is a condensed version of a TV series rather than a fully-realized standalone film contribute to its mediocrity.

In conclusion, "Die Hart" (2023) struggles to live up to its comedic action aspirations. With a rushed plot, inconsistent humor, and a lack of originality, the movie receives a rating of 4/10. Although it might still appeal to fans of the cast or those seeking a lighthearted action-comedy, it fails to deliver a memorable cinematic experience.

Kevin Hart is one of those actors/comedians who does well in the sidekick role, but struggles to lead an entire movie. Die Hart makes fun of this dynamic as well as poking fun at Hart's image and acting abilities. Its also the reason the move doesn't quite work, ironically.

Kevin Hart plays...well, Kevin Hart. He becomes upset with the image of himself as a short sidekick who is just there to be the comic relief. He wants to be seen as an action star. When a guerilla tactics director (Jean Reno) offers him an action role, but only if he agrees to attend an rogue action camp, Hart agrees. The camp is run by Ron Wilcox (John Travolta) who is, lets say, slightly mad. The methods Ron uses to teach Kevin to be the hero are both dangerous and outrageous. Soon, a second actor, Jordan (the lovely Nathalie Emmanuelle) joins the camp and becomes Kevin's classmate. Even Josh Hartnett has a cameo as himself, a former graduate of Ron's acting school. Milana Vayntrub (the AT&T spokesperson) has a small role as a talk show host.

The fun in the movie is that Hart really is thought of as just a comedic sidekick. The fact that he is willing to mock his image is both redeeming and funny. There are some genuine laughs in this film, notably the early scene of Hart melting down during an interview on the live morning talk show as well as the outrageous stunts Ron makes him perform. The problem is the gimmick runs out of steam after a while and only Hart's sincerity and energy hold it together. The "secret" revelation of what is really going on is telegraphed a mile ahead, but its still entertaining. Still, this is a decent 84 minutes of insanity that was well worth the time.

When I sat down to watch "Die Hart", I have to admit that I figured it was just going to be another of those assembly line mass produced movies that Kevin Hart has a tendency of spewing forth by the dozen. But still, I opted to watch the movie and give it a fair chance, on the account of it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, nor actually ever heard about.

But seeing the cast list for the movie, I must admit that my curiousity was tickled, because they definitely had quite the cast ensemble for the movie, with the likes of Nathalie Emmanuel, Jean Reno, Josh Hartnett and John Travolta.

I have to say that writer Derek Kolstad definitely delivered a script for the movie that turned out to be surprisingly good. I was genuinely entertained throughout the 84 minutes that the movie ran for. So I am glad that I opted to sit down and watch Kevin Hart play himself in this spoof of a movie.

There was a lot of action and comedy throughout the course of the movie, and director Eric Appel was good at mixing the two elements into a great combination, and that made for a very enjoyable and watchable movie.

My rating of "Die Hart" lands on a six out of ten stars.