Located in Century City, Los Angeles, is 2121 Avenue of the Stars. It’s a 34-story office building that doesn’t necessarily stick out for any particular reason, but it is the locale for one of the greatest action films of all time.

In 1988 it was known as Fox Plaza that became better known as the Nakatomi Plaza as featured in the classic Die Hard.

Hoping to emulate that film’s success is Bond director Martin Campbell, with his ‘homage’ set in the heart of London.

Working in an office building in London’s Canary Wharf is Joey (Daisy Ridley). Actually, saying she works in the building isn’t quite the case, as she works more often on the outside of it, dangling down the side, charged with cleaning its many windows.

An energy company inside are getting ready for a big gala, with all the staff gathering, with a little entertainment put on for them all, as is expected at these corporate gigs these days.

But when the circus performers do arrive, their act isn’t what everyone expects, as they soon reveal themselves to be eco activists – with guns – calling themselves Earth Revolution. The mood quickly changes as they take everyone hostage, which Joey can see through the windows.

She is concerned, mostly because her autistic brother Michael (Matthew Tuck) is inside.

The situation escalates inside, with shots fired and casualties, so Joey decides she needs to get inside. Luckily for her brother, she just so happens to be ex military, so isn’t put off by some gun play. But can she take on a combat trained bunch of activists to save her brother?

New Zealand born director Martin Campbell knows his way around an action flick, having helmed not one but two Bond films – 1995’s GoldenEye and 2006’s Casino Royale. This embarrassing Die Hard knock-off however is beneath him.

It’s difficult to see how even the premise, that of a window cleaner who is ex-army, ends up in the middle of hostage scenario in an office building, wasn’t enough to set the alarm bells ringing, such is the ludicrous nature of it. And yet the 81-year-old director agreed to it.

Despite being a seasoned director, it doesn’t help that Campbell has Ridley dangling down the side of the building up until the hour mark, with 30 minutes to go. If you’re going to make her a female John McClane, then at least get her inside the building ASAP. But maybe those windows were just simply too darn dirty.

There’s also no getting away from the obvious fact that it is nothing more than Die Hard with a Squeegee, and should have leaned into it accordingly, with tongue very much firmly in cheek. But no, it plays it straight-faced throughout, which only makes it more difficult to take seriously.

Ridley currently appears to be in stand-by mode, waiting to reprise her role in the Star Wars universe with her supposed spin-off Rey, but with that in development hell, it seems the talented actress is prepared to do absolutely any old tosh in the meantime. Anyone who has soon her in the superb Sometimes I Think About Dying, is fully aware of how impressive she can be, but this, sadly, does her no favours whatsoever.

Everyone involved should be wholly embarrassed by their contribution to this heinous rip-off, but none more so than Campbell, who should have his license-to-direct revoked off the back of this appalling effort.

It’s no surprise that 2121 Avenue of the Stars has become a tourist attraction, considering the status it holds as an iconic locale. It’s safe to say that One Canada Square, Canary Wharf won’t enjoy the same kind of footfall or notoriety, remaining mostly ignored, with this awful film no doubt succumbing to the same fate.