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Die Hard may not be ensconced in Christmas in the way that, say, Miracle on 34th Street is, but it is part of the holiday filament now. It’s arguably the best Christmas movie, because Die Hard is also arguably the best action movie. That’s how good it is.
The premise is so sharp it was basically replicated time and time again under the “Die Hard on/in a…” banner. John McClane, a New York cop, is visiting his estranged wife in Los Angeles. While at her company’s (Christmas Eve!?) party, criminals posing as terrorists led by Hans Gruber infiltrate the premises. McClane, with a bit of help from LAPD cop Al Powell on the street, has to effectively stop them himself. He’s no superhero. McClane is just a tenacious dude with no shoes and a machine gun. Ho ho ho.
Die Hard made Bruce Willis a movie star, and rightfully so. However, this cast is stellar. Playing Habs also effectively made Alan Rickman’s career. It’s such a taut, well-balanced action movie. There’s violence, but it’s not gory. The characters are memorable, and the tension is cut with a few well-placed jokes. Just watching Willis and Rickman effectively at their peak helps, though.
Yeah, Die Hard could have happened another time of the year, but then again how often do businesses have parties when it isn’t Christmas? The holiday trappings add to the quality of Die Hard, so I’m definitely glad it is set at that time of year. Alas, the sequels are lackluster, but we’ll always have the original, a top Christmas film of all time.
