Film Room Madness: #12 Fast and Furious vs #21 Die Hard

[MartyMcFly]

The franchise of family vs the franchise about a man with a broken family.

These are two very interesting franchises in how they've grown or diminished in terms of public esteem but all built on action tropes from the 80s. The first fast and furious flick is a point break remake while Die Hard has created a slew of imitators in its wake. In fact, I'd argue the first Die Hard is the most important action flick until the Matrix in 99. On the flip side, Fast and Furious has reinvented itself to become a bonafide worldwide phenomenon and one of the most valuable franchises in history. Also, it's got an eclectic, diverse cast and has defined what action movies are for a few years, much like Die Hard did for the late 80s and 90s.

John McClane has seen better days but maybe the film room will be kinder to him than the 2000s have been. Or maybe we all live our lives a quarter mile at a time and believe in the power of the Corona.

Tale of the tape-
Die Hard Franchise: 5 films from 1988-2013, future unknown. Worldwide gross=$1,435.1 billion
Fast and Furious Franchise: 8 films from 2001-2017. Two flicks currently in pre production, and they've got a theme park ride. Worldwide gross=$5,132.1 billion.

And as always, here's a recap of how we got here:

Star Wars > Child's Play
Batman > Elm St
Indiana Jones > Mad Max
Alien > Mission: Impossible

James Bond > Matrix
Back to the Future > Transformers

You got one week people, get your votes in and don't forget to explain the vote so we can have some good discussion. The Batman v Nightmare matchup had some good dialogue and interesting thoughts on each franchise.

 

[MartyMcFly]

@hex sticky this and unstick the other thread, my good sir.

 

[MartyMcFly]

While I adore Die Hard and Die Hard with a Vengeance, and love them more than any Fast and Furious flick, FF is just the more consistent for me. There are five Die Hard flicks and I only truly like two of them. There are moments in the other three that i do like, but that series takes a nosedive anytime someone not name John McTiernan directs one. Also doesn't help that they've turned McClane into a superhero.

On the flip side, turning the FF crew into superheroes has done wonders for the series. While Fate of the Furious is meh for me and sorely misses Paul Walker and some energy from anyone in front of the camera (besides Charlize), that series has been on a role since part 4. From 09-16, Justin Lin and James Wan dropped nothing but heat, with Fast Five being one of the best action flicks this decade. Fast and Furious has shown the ability to reinvent itself, something Die Hard sorely needs.

I'll watch 2 Fast, Fast and Furious, Fast Five, Furious 6, and Furious 7 before I watch any Die Hard that's not 1 or 3.

Much like the Alien vs M:I matchup, this one is about consistency of a franchise vs great movies. Die Hard 1 and 3 take dookies on any fast and furious flick, buuuuuuut FF has more good movies on its resume and that counts a lot for me.

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

For whatever reason, fast and furious movies are the most boring action flicks I've ever seen. I actually don't mind part 1. But the last 4 or 5 I could barely get through, actually i havent even seen the last one and maybe half of the previous. I remember seeing one of em in the movies and I damn near fell asleep.

Die Hard easily even with the shytty part 4 and 5.

 

[HHR]

Die Hard has one awful movie and one bad movie.

But nothing in the F&F run comes even close to the original Die Hard. Not even fukking close.

And it's not like F&F is super consistent either. Only half of their 8 are really rewatchable imo.

John McClane in a walk.

 

[MartyMcFly]

Die Hard has one awful movie and one bad movie.

But nothing in the F&F run comes even close to the original Die Hard. Not even fukking close.

And it's not like F&F is super consistent either. Only half of their 8 are really rewatchable imo.

John McClane in a walk.

Die hard 2 being a remake of die hard and a parody of the whole thing knocks it down in my book sir.

Also by your logic that’s four rewatchable movies over two

 

[HHR]

Die hard 2 being a remake of die hard and a parody of the whole thing knocks it down in my book sir.

Also by your logic that’s four rewatchable movies over two

Die Hard 2 is the "bad" one I mentioned. 5 is the worst movie in either series, but 3 is great and I like 4.

But I honestly only really revisit Fast Five from the FF series.

It would be 4 to 3 if I'm ranking rewatchability, but Die Hard is worth like 3 rewatches on it's own....sooooooo 5 to 4

 

[Devilinurear]

I watch ff. More then die hard

 

[MartyMcFly]

Die Hard 2 is the "bad" one I mentioned. 5 is the worst movie in either series, but 3 is great and I like 4.

But I honestly only really revisit Fast Five from the FF series.

It would be 4 to 3 if I'm ranking rewatchability, but Die Hard is worth like 3 rewatches on it's own....sooooooo 5 to 4

See I don’t like 4. 2 is bad to me, 5 is putrid and 4 is just boring. I like Olyphant as the bad guy but it just feels like it’s missing something. And I think that’s just not having a director who has their own style and sense of anything for action. Renny Harlin may not be the best director but at least he’s got a sense of style and knows what how to make his movie standout...even if it is a lesser version of the movie that came before it. 4 loses points from me for being boring.

I always say the worst thing a movie can do is be boring

 

[Dominic Brehetto]

FF>>>>

Great action,and a huge multi cultural cast that's an extremely rare thing in Hollywood instead of the usual white male worship.

Die hard is a classic but I could live with never watching the rest of the franchise again.

I love multiple ff films and fast five is an action classic.


FF is just such a strange franchise and theirs really nothing like it. It's successful because of how it celebrates different cultures.

Die hard has the best film but as a franchise it kind of sucks.

 

[Deltron]

Yippie Ki Yay motherfukkers!

 

[AllHolosEve]

Die Hard. F2F is popular but I don't rewatch it ever, I skip it and haven't cared about it since the first one Rock was in. I still will watch Die Hard and I actually liked part 2 and the twist at the end.

 

[Soymuscle Mike]

F&F.

Except for DH1 I never really got into the other flicks. I like the F&F movies because they don't take themselves that serious (except for the OG). They saw a formula and went for it.

DH1 and F&F1 are the only movies I would say are really good, but the F&F franchise is just way more fun.

 

[Jefe Blanco]

F&F series is becoming like Mission Impossible to me. Generic and repetitive. I’ll revisit any Die Hard before any F&F movie.

 

[dem bath salts]

Die Hard. I've only fully watched one FF, when they're in brazil. I get snacks and zone out when Goat hard comes on