History YMMV / LiveFreeOrDieHard

* HilariousInHindsight:
** [=McClane=] mentions to Farrell about having some ''Franchise/GIJoe'' action figures in his room. In ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'', Creator/BruceWillis plays Joseph Colton, the original G.I. Joe.
** Maggie Q would later star in ''Series/DesignatedSurvivor'', about the US Capitol Building ''actually'' being blown up.
** Nine years later, Creator/MaryElizabethWinstead would star in ''Film/TenCloverfieldLane'' playing a character who crawls through an air duct in a tank top and no shoes. Like father, like daughter. Both Winstead and that film's director Creator/DanTrachtenberg said that it was a deliberate ShoutOut.
** [=McClane=] shoots a ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' figurine to blow up one of the bad guys. 12 years later, [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios 20th Century Fox]] (the film's distributor) would distribute ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'' internationally, albeit through [[Creator/{{Disney}} Buena Vista International]].
** Maggie Q also happens to play a character called Mai. In ''Film/TheKingOfFighters2010'', she plays Mai Shiranui.

* EvilIsSexy: Creator/MaggieQ's character, which [=McClane=] comments on.
--> ''"That girl of yours? Smokin' hot."''

** Maggie Q also happens to play a character called Mai. In ''Film/TheKingOfFighters'' movie, she plays Mai Shiranui.

** McClane shoots a ''Francise/{{Terminator}}'' figurine to blow up one of the bad guys. 12 years later, [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios 20th Century Fox]] (the film's distributor) would distribute ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'' internationally, albeit through [[Creator/{{Disney}} Buena Vista International]].

* CriticalBacklash: On release, the film was badly received by fans of the series, due to its neutered violence and improbable action scenes. Many years later, some fans started to comment ''Live Free'' doesn't deserve that much of a bad rap, especially because its unrated cut that restored strong language and violence. This sentiment only grew stronger after the critical failure of ''Film/AGoodDayToDieHard'', which led some fans to regard this film as the true last ''Die Hard'' installment.

* VindicatedByHistory: On release, the film was badly received by fans of the series, due to its neutered violence and improbable action scenes. After ''Good Day'''s universally negative reception, though, fans started to give ''Live Free'' another chance. Some commented that, compared to ''Good Day'', ''Live Free'' at least felt like a ''Die Hard'' film at some points, especially in its unrated cut that restores strong language and violence. While ''Live Free'' is still devisive, it's considered a passable sequel at worst and no longer falls into FanonDiscontinuity like ''Good Day'' does.

* EvilIsSexy:
** Creator/MaggieQ's character, which [=McClane=] comments on.

* VindicatedByHistory: On release, the film was badly received by fans of the series, due to its neutered violence and improbable action scenes. After ''Good Day'''s universally negative reception, though, some fans have started to comment that, compared to ''Good Day'', ''Live Free'' at least felt like a ''Die Hard'' film at some points, especially in its unrated cut.

** Nine years later, Creator/MaryElizabethWinstead would star in ''Film/TenCloverfieldLane'' playing a character who crawls through an air duct in a tank top and no shoes. Like father, like daughter...

* MagnificentBitch: [[DarkActionGirl Mai Linh]] is a computer and combative expert and [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist Thomas Gabriel]]'s girlfriend, who contrasts her dramatic lover by constantly keeping a cool head. She assists Gabriel by helping to oversee the other hackers working on their team and freelancing other hackers for outside help, then taking the outsiders out with a virus that makes their computers explode. She shares in Gabriel's plan to launch a Fire Sale to shut the power down in the country and prove the system is vulnerable, while also digitally stealing money to get rich off the ordeal too. Upon discovering [=McClane=]'s involvement and his protecting Matthew Farrell, Mai redirects their Federal escort into a direct ambush and skillfully overtakes the guards at the facility needed for the mission with extreme ease before engaing [=McClane=].

* MagnificentBitch: [[DarkactionGirl Mai Linh]] is a computer and combative expert and [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist Thomas Gabriel]]'s girlfriend, who in contrast to her lover constantly keeps a cool head. She assists Gabriel in helping to oversee the other hackers working on their team and freelancing other hackers for outside help while then taking the outsiders each out with a virus that makes their computers explode. She shares in Gabriel's plan to launch a Fire Sale to shut the power down in the country and prove the system is vulnerable—while also digitally stealing money to get rich off the ordeal too. Upon discovering [=McClane=]'s involvement—while asking for everything on him—and his protecting Matthew Farrell, Mai redirects their Federal escort into a direct ambush and skillfully overtakes the guards at the facility needed for the mission with extreme ease.

* SignatureScene: The [[CarFu car thrown into a helicopter]].

* FanPreferredCouple: While John [=McClane=] had his tumultuous marriage to Holly in previous movies and Matthew Farrell has his budding romance with Lucy in this one, fans expressed far more interest in [=McClane=] and Farrell getting together due to the movie being centered around their dynamic and Bruce Willis and Justin Long having good chemistry too. Most of the fanfiction about the film series as a whole is John/Matt.

* CriticalDissonance: Critics loved this film when it came out, saying it was the best since the original. Audiences for the most part, disagreed.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Some saw Matt as [[TheScrappy annoying]] and [[TheLoad useless]], while others admired his courage in [[HyperCompetentSidekick assisting John through all of the dangerous insanity]] and even [[TookALevelInBadass killing two bad guys]] (case in point, [[Creator/SamuelLJackson Zeus]] in the third film didn't kill any).

* CriticalDissonance: Critics loved this film when it came out, saying it was the best since the original. Audiences today don't share this opinion.

** Her boyfriend Thomas Gabriel (played by Timothy Olyphant) is quite easy on the eyes himself.
* FandomSpecificPlot: Post-film fanfiction often has hacker Matt moving in with John, since Matt's apartment was destroyed in an explosion. John lives alone and kinda lonely without his ex-wife and kids; Matt was shot point-blank in the knee, an injury that would require weeks to months of recovery with assistance. What better setup for fanfic roommates?
* FanPreferredCouple: While John [=McClane=] had his tumultuous marriage to Holly in previous movies and Matthew Farrell has his budding romance with Lucy in this one, fans expressed far more interest in [=McClane=] and Farrell getting together due to the movie being centered around their dynamic and Bruce Willis and Justin Long having good chemistry too. Most of the fanfiction about the film series as a whole is John/Matt.

* VindicatedByHistory: The film wasn't well-received by fans of the series intially, because of the watered-down violence and over-the-top action. After ''Good Day'''s universally negative reception, though, some fans have started to comment that, compared to ''Good Day'', ''Live Free'' at least felt like a ''Die Hard'' film at some points, especially in its unrated cut.

** In the denouement, Matt receives medical attention and blisses out on how great morphine feels. Whimsical at the time, less so given America's subsequent opioid crisis.

* FandomSpecificPlot: Post-film fanfiction often has hacker Matt moving in with John McClane, since Matt's apartment was destroyed in an explosion. John lives alone and kinda lonely without his ex-wife and kids; Matt was shot point-blank in the knee, an injury that would require weeks to months of recovery with assistance. What better setup for fanfic roommates?

* HarsherInHindsight

* VindicatedByHistory: The film wasn't well-received by fans of the series intially, because of the watered-down violence and over-the-top action. After ''Good Day'''s universally negative reception, though, some fans have started to comment that, compared to ''Good Day'', ''Live Free'' at least felt like a ''Die Hard'' film at some points.

* FanPreferredCouple: While John [=McClane=] had his tumultuous marriage to Holly in previous movies and Matthew Farrell has his budding romance with Lucy in this one, fans expressed far more interest in [=McClane=] and Farrell getting together due to the movie being centered around their dynamic and Bruce Willis and Justin Long having good chemistry too. Most of the fanfiction about the film series for the series as a whole is John/Matt.

* FanPreferredCouple: While John [=McClane=] had his tumultuous marriage to Holly in previous movies and Matthew Farrell has his budding romance with Lucy in this one, fans expressed far more interest in [=McClane=] and Farrell getting together due to the movie being centered around their dynamic and Bruce Willis and Justin Long having good chemistry too. Most of the fanfiction about the films series for the series as a whole is John/Matt.