Still the greatest action movie of all time, Die Hard originated so many tropes you see in action movies that came after. So much so, that it is now considered a subgenre of action movies called the, "die hard scenario," where the often outnumbered hero or heroes go up against insurmountable odds to take on the villains normally in one location. Bruce Willis, the normal looking everyman with a wisecracking attitude compared to the more macho action stars of the time. Alan Rickman, the sophisticated, dapper, British villain. They say opposites attract and both of them aren't what you would expect from an action movie, that is why it works so well. It also has a great story and interesting themes. John McClane first asks for help from authorities before realizing that the only way to stop these villains is to take them head on. The rest of the movie is about how first responders, media and journalists, negotiators and federal agents make the situation worse by underestimating the conviction of the villains. In the case of the media their sensationalism of a hostage situation makes everyone just as unsafe and uninformed. The film is also well made with some of the best gunshot sounds, Jan De Bont's camerawork, Michael Kamen's overpowering score, and John McTiernan's direction making every scene more suspenseful.
Synopsis: 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.
The set up to this movie is great. Showing McClane in an airplane, showing his anxiety about flying, and having him grab his gun to tell the person he was next to that he was a cop makes him instantly relatable. I actually enjoy the scenes of him and Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) early on because of their age difference. Bedelia is about seven years older than Bruce Willis. I think reflects it in both of their characters. John being a little more fiery and immature and that explains more about how couldn't leave his job because he probably needs it.
Once the villains show up McClane takes off from the floor that the party was on and goes upstairs. He tries to ask for help before doing anything else. He tries to get the attention of the fire department but the alarm is called off. Eventually he is found by Tony (Andreas Wisniewski), one of Hans' henchmen and kills him. He then takes his machine gun and C4 to use. After killing the first terrorist McClane uses the radio to call the LAPD who eventually make their way there, setting up a control room type scenario that every action movie had after this.
I talked in the thesis about how McClane is the only one who knows how to fight these terrorists properly.
He usually waits until he can dispatch only one or two at a time and often stays put in one spot of the building. He doesn't try to take them all on at once like the LAPD does when they try to get into the building and use their RV, and he doesn't try to pull a fast one with helicopters like the F.BI. The F.B.I. were okay with losing some of the hostages in order to take out the terrorists. McClane wants to find a way to save them all. What is interesting is how that contrasts with Hans' plan. Hans doesn't seem like the type of guy who wants to kill people. He is the type of guy to get his money and get away with it at all costs. It is his will and conviction that makes him such a great villain. Every time he makes a threat he follows through with it, killing Takagi, blowing up the roof while the hostages are supposed to be on it when the F.B.I. arrives, shooting the police RV instead of giving them a chance to drive away, and killing Ellis. Everyone else including negotiators like Ellis are trying to bargain with the terrorists. In the case of the F.B.I. they try to outsmart them with no concern for collateral damage and end up being outsmarted.
The media response to this is another angle. While I do think there is a case that the media angle and Dick Thornburg (William Atherton) don't need to be a part of the movie it shows how situations like this can be misinterpreted. The media brings on doctors to tell an inaccurate story of what the hostages could be going through. Like Ellis, Thornburg wanted to make things about himself and look for a story for his own benefit and no one else's. Without his insensitivity Holly wouldn't have needed to be saved at the end of the movie.
There are many other things this movie sets up that action movies would do in the future. I all ready mentioned the control room scenario. Here are some others:
- Authority figures assembling a team that all gets killed, in this case the LAPD
- Hero corresponding with someone on the outside, in this case Powell and Argyle
- Villain scheme is more than just meets the eye or they have something the hero doesn't know about, in this case more explosives and detonators than previously thought
- The villain having a strongman type henchman and a tech guy, in this case Karl and Theo
- Hero and villain confrontation and meeting coming late in the movie
- Villain killing a hostage for everyone to see or hear
Jan De Bont and John McTiernan do such a good job with the suspense scenes in this movie. While the action scenes are great as well it is really the suspense that keeps me invested. The scene where Tony goes to confront McClane on one of the top floors is great because once Tony gets out of the elevator the whole thing is shot from his perspective. We don't know what McClane is doing to get the drop on him but the camera panning with Tony while he shoots the gun behind those construction boards is great because for all you know he just killed McClane until the camera reveals there is nothing there. That starts the sound of the gunshots in this movie which are some of the loudest I've ever heard. Another great scene is the meeting between Hans and McClane because of all the weird dutch angles, and stretchy close ups. I do like how they show Hans leaving his gun and trying to make an excuse to get to it. Apparently McClane knows who he is because of the watches the terrorists have. There is a deleted scene showing they have those watches. Though it could be implied that McClane is seeing through his accent which is actually great acting by Alan Rickman to pretend to have such an SNL type of American accent. What makes the action scenes better and more climactic is Michael Kamen's overpowering score. Once some action starts his score full of horns, brass, and other percussion instruments is just overwhelming. It works with the rest of the movie.
I haven't even talked yet about some of the characters and why I enjoy them. McClane talks to himself a lot and makes him cinematic. It's almost like he is talking to an audience. I like that he is more beat up and dirty as the film goes on. It makes him real. Rickman never seems like the tough villain you'd find in any action movie yet he is matched with another person who doesn't look like he belongs either. It works so well. Alexander Godunov as Karl is great. He goes from being the nicest guy ever in Witness to cold-bloodied villain in this. Every supporting role has personality. From Al Leong as one of the henchmen, to Robert Davi as the overconfident FBI agent. Everyone gets a moment to shine. No other action movie has had all of these elements work as well as Die Hard does. That is why it is among the best action movies ever.
Rating: 10/10
Trivia: The Costume department had 17 shirts in various stages of degradation for Bruce Willis to wear.
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