Die Hard will blow you (through the backwall)

Directed by John McTiernan

Starring Bruce Willis

Bonny Bedelia

Alan Rickman

Written by Steven Souza

Jeb Stuart

Based on Nothing Lasts Forever by Rodrick Thorp

Produced by Lawrence Gordon

Joel Silver

Release Date: July 15, 1988

October 6, 1988 (Australia)

New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages -- but him.


Everyone's heard of Die Hard or Bruce Willis or Alan Rickman at least once. This was me for a long time, but then in February of this year after my family finally got a Disney+ subscription, I finally got to watch the movie, and it was amazing.

The main character is actually a believable realistic person who'd you want to be around. Alan Rickman does a great job as being the charming killer (even though he still bad) and Reginald VelJohnson was the funniest part of the movie, and the only reason I mark it as an action-comedy.

Not to mention the epic Yippie Ki Yay catchphrase by McClane. The film might not have any over-the-top stunts (if jumping off a 80 something story building isn't an over the top stunt), but it's a great flick and is a great option to watch, bored or not.

The film has a lot of swearing, a nude magazine, extreme violence and deaths. But what were you expecting from a film named "Die Hard"?

Aw, only 3 & 1/2 popcorns?

I think the swearing and nude magazine did it. Absolutely scandalous!

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

I am blown away that you are just now seeing this classic for the first time. Your review seems to point to a slightly higher rating than you gave it.

Yippee-Ki-Yay to that!

Trust me, this is my THIRD time seeing it. I review movies I've watched after like three months or something.

It was how lengthy (132 mins, some of these scenes weren't even needed) it was and the amount of crappy characters

Okay you might have mentioned that in your OP

I'm a big fan of the film. I'm curious to know which scenes you felt weren't necessary? I've never felt it was too long.

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The scene with Hans Gruber falling out the window felt unnecessary.

I've seen this film more times than it's humanly possible and consider it my favorite action film. It redefined the genre and it redefined what both action movie protagonists and antagonists should/could be.

If I were to find a flaw is with how they wrap up the Powell arc. The whole "Karl is back/Powell gets to shoot again" bit always feels awkward. Still, it's not enough to put a dent on my appreciation of the film.

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Hmm? I mean, I've never felt that Die Hard was a perfect movie or anything, but how is the scene where the main antagonist is defeated at all "unnecessary"?

Yeah, but don't you also feel that some of the characterizations in it were a bit too broad as well?

Maybe, but that's what they were going for and as far as I'm concerned, it works. My wife hates the FBI guys, but I love the way it satirizes the ineptitude of some LEOs through them, and of course, Dwayne.

I just didn't feel the need for him to fall out of a window or the 4 million FB posts about how it's "not Christmas" until he did fall out of that window.

Oh, I thought you were joking.

It's one of the iconic scenes. What better way for the hero to defeat the villain than to throw him out of the window of the skyscraper he's terrorised. It's fitting - and somewhat witty - that the bad guy ends up going out of the window from the "100th" floor instead of out the front door (even if it's in a body bag).

Tiernan also creates great suspense with the scene and the watch becomes pivotal. It's the first thing I mention in a piece I wrote about the 10 things that make Die Hard great. Remember it had been gifted to Holly from her slimy colleague and sort-of love rival to John. It's great to see John unclipping the watch to send Gruber to his demise. Meanwhile, we're left wondering, just maybe, all three might end up going out of the window.

hmm? no. that scene was needed. in fact it was one of the best.

I dunno, pretty sure it was extraneous at the time. And my Christmas began before it.