NYPD detective John McClane inadvertently finds himself in the middle of a cyber-terrorist's plot to destroy the country. John McClane is an NYPD detective spending his spare time spying on his estranged daughter, Lucy, while she's in college dating boys. One night, he gets a call: the FBI needs someone to bring in a well-known hacker immediately. It turns out hackers are getting murdered everywhere, and this particular hacker, Matt Farrell, may have information about the murders. When McClane goes to pick up Farrell, however, he finds himself quickly under attack by professional hitmen, who have come to kill Farrell. They narrowly escape, and McClane takes Farrell to DC. Arriving in DC, they find the transportation systems all of whack: lights changing at random, electricity going out, and so forth. Farrell realizes what's going on-- this is a "fire sale," in which a cyber-terrorist organization essentially resets the entire country by hitting them in any government branch that relies on computers. McClane and Farrell are transported to FBI Headquarters, but not before their convoy is attacked by multiple SUVs and a helicopter, again aiming to kill Farrell and now picking a bone with McClane as well. When Farrell identifies the nation's power as the next likely point of attack, McClane takes them to a power plant in West Virginia, where an attack is under way-- Thomas Gabriel, the man behind the fire sale, has sent his girlfriend, the vicious Mal, to shut down the entire East Coast's power. When McClane momentarily stops them and murders Mal, McClane is furious, blows up the power station, and for good measure kidnaps McClane's daughter, holding her hostage. It's up to McClane, with Farrell's help, to stop Gabriel from taking the nation's assets for himself and from killing his daughter.
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Best part of story, including ending:
This is an exceptionally well-made action movie, with an awesome hero, some sensational fight sequences, and well-drawn characters.
Best scene in story:
In one scene, McClane is being chased by a helicopter, so McClane sends a car speeding up a ramp, using it as a missile to destroy the helicopter.
Opinion about the main character:
McClane is a noble guy, doing the work not because he loves taking lives, but because no one else is in a position to do anything about the attacks. Bruce Willis is iconic in this role.