Die Hard

In this new action film from director John McTiernan, NYPD cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) wants nothing more than to visit his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), who works at the Nakatomi Plaza. In fact, he came all the way from the Big Apple to spend Christmas with his family and hopes to make amends with her. But there is trouble in paradise. She has reverted back to her maiden name, which naturally upsets him. When he finds her, the reunion is far from a happy one. Their argument is only the beginning of his troubles when terrorists, headed by a man named Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), crash the party and take the guests—including Holly—hostage. McClane desperately races to the rescue. But the obstacles in his path as the lone hero are not limited to these villains: a sleazy Nakatomi exec, a weaselly reporter, and an ignorant police force (including the FBI) only make matters worse. Before the cop knows it, he is in for one of the longest nights of his life.

“Come on down to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs!” he mutters while evading terrorists by climbing through an airshaft.

This epitomizes John McClane, who fights off scores of baddies, gets bloodied and beaten within an inch of his life, yet frequently emerges with a quick quip. Fortunately, McClane has an ally in a discharged Sergeant, Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson).  He’s the only one who believes in this “cowboy”, who identifies, we learn, more with Roy Rogers than John Wayne.  Rickman’s Gruber is smart, but our unlikely hero is usually one step ahead of them, although he endures much suffering throughout.  And not just because McClane must crawl barefoot over broken glass in the aftermath of one fight scene. The humor, especially Willis’ well-timed one-liners, bring plenty of levity to a fairly grim plot. The result is a terrifically entertaining and thrilling summer action picture, with a smart script to boot.

Casting Bedelia in a role where she is allowed to be a strong female character was an inspired choice. It subverts the typical “damsel in distress” trope, and gives her more to do. She has a fantastic arc and is assertive, even able to stand up to the head terrorist. Usually, in male-dominant action movies, women are overshadowed by the men. So this is a welcome change of pace.

Director John McTiernan wisely focuses on character development in the first twenty minutes, before everything goes to hell. Willis embodies the everyman perfectly, making the hero feel more relatable than more musclebound action stars like Stallone or Schwarzenegger. Rickman plays a fantastic villain, capable of being menacing as well as funny. The supporting cast is wonderful. The stunts, set pieces, and special effects all attribute to this incredible film. All of these ingredients combine to create one of the greatest action blockbusters in recent years.

Rated R

2 hours, 11 minutes