Kevin Hart is among the highest-paid Black comedy actors in the business today, but that doesn’t mean every movie he appears in has been a blockbuster hit. While throwbacks like Get Hard with Will Ferrell and Ride Along with Ice Cube remain fan favorites, one of his latest releases – 2023’s Die Hart 2: Die Harter – has just a 30% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting that the 44-year-old and director Eric Appel missed the mark with their sequel. While it might not appeal to mass audiences, High on Films notes that the project is still enjoyable if you approach it without any expectations. “It’s one of those movies that demands an absolute suspension of disbelief to guarantee maximum pleasure,” as the outlet puts it.
Die Hart 2 is available for streaming on The Roku Channel, with Nathalie Emmanuel, Ben Schwartz, John Cena, Greg Kriek and Melissa Ponzio rounding out the cast. The show began on the bite-sized streaming platform Quibi, but when that went under it was transitioned into a film for Amazon Prime Video; it’s now available in both episode and movie format. As we begin, Hart is eager to star in a full-out action movie a year after unexpectedly firing his stunt double, Doug. These days his work has mostly been in the realm of CGI, but the comedian (who plays himself on-screen) is eager to get back into the “real” world of entertainment. Few people have faith in his vision, but to make his dreams a reality, Hart needs the support of studio heads and financiers.
While meeting with a financier, Debra Simon, the entertainer hopes to prove he has what it takes to be an action star by staging a heist. Hart’s plans only disappoint his dinner companion, however, as she wants him to appear in a sequel for a past successful project instead of pouring his energy into his current affairs. Just when it seems as though all hope is lost, a mysterious European metal magnate reaches out to him with an offer to finance his film. Before he can do any research on Karl Stromberg, Hart is hit with a tranquillizer dart, only to awaken tied up with a goon watching him. If you want to hear how things end for the comedian in the full Die Hart 2 ending explained, keep reading!
‘Die Hart 2’ Ending Explained: Kevin Hart’s Worst Nightmare Comes True
Thankfully, Hart manages to escape from his captor only to run into an actress named Jordan King who he wanted to star in his action film. Initially, the Hollywood star believes the whole situation is a part of his dream movie, but a real bullet quickly sobers Hart up as he realizes that he’s being targeted and his life is at risk. He and King take shelter at his assistant, Andre’s house, where his fellow entertainer forces him to confront the fact that he hasn’t treated those around him with respect on his climb to the top. This is when we find out that Doug, his fired stunt double, hasn’t been able to land jobs since Hart let him go, causing him to seek revenge with an elaborate plan to impersonate Kevin and hijack all of his possessions.
With the help of King and his assistant, Hart can break into his mansion that’s been overtaken by Doug. While Andre prevents the stunt expert from killing his boss, Mr. 206 is taken down by Hart and King, but amid all the action, the former finds his mind elsewhere, ruminating on how poorly he’s treated others in the past. This proves that we’ve seen an evolution in the main character’s consciousness throughout Die Hart 2, but the twist ending suggests it might not have been enough to save him.
In the comedy’s final scene, the female financier we met earlier, Debra, returns for a business meeting with King and Hart. She’s shocked by the obvious change in the embattled actor’s demeanor and notably asks him to clarify whether Doug is in jail or not when he promises his potential business partner that he’ll have no problems arranging for a stunt double to shoot their action film. Hart’s forced laughter in the scene suggests that something is awry, and when the camera cuts to a jail cell seemingly housing the real Kevin Hart, it becomes clear that Doug’s mission might’ve succeeded after all. While the Philadelphia native insists to the police that there’s been a case of mistaken identity, audiences are left to ponder what’s next for Kevin and Doug.
Will There Be Another ‘Die Hart’ Movie?
The Die Hart 2 ending seems to be a setup for another film/season in the franchise, but not everyone is satisfied with the lack of clarity provided by Hart and Appel. As per Deadline, it was confirmed in April 2023 that a third installment will come from the Roku Channel after doubling the first season’s opening weekend audience with Die Hart 2. “My fans are the best and their reaction to season two fuels Hartbeat to keep raising the bar on this show. Watch out for what comes next, we are going bigger and better!!” the lead actor promised at the time.
