Review: Die Hard Has Earned Its Place In History
- Jul 11, 2018
- 2 min read
Its been almost 30 years since John McTiernan's seminal action film Die Hard landed on screen. And for the last 30 years it has been one of the best around.
It's Christmas Eve and John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife during a party at Nakatomi Plaza, a high-rise in Los Angeles. Aside from an awkward interaction, things are going well, right up until they don't. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), a German terrorist, along with his gang, take the party-goers hostage. By mere circumstance McClane is absent, thus leaving him alone in a building filled with armed men who want him dead. And he doesn't even have the shoes on his feet.
They say that the devil is in the detail, and Die Hard is no exception. Between McClane writing the names of his enemies on his arm, and going so far as to cross the deceased off the list, and his lack of shoes becoming a plot point, it's the little things that make Die Hard shine. Much like Gruber's plan, the film is meticulous in its various setups, teases and reveals. Then there's McClane himself. Willis perfectly captures the wise-ass cop that he is, bringing levity to the film through a near constant train of endlessly quotable lines. But Rickman is the real standout in his first major cinematic role, a part that would forever earn him his place atop the pedestal of film villainy.
Then there's the action. Oh my, the action. Die Hard has it all. Stand offs, shootouts, brawls, death defying stunts, explosions and plenty of violence. McClane's job isn't an easy one and between enraged German giants, overzealous SWAT teams and not knowing what's going on, things keep moving at a cracking pace, never letting up for a moment. It's the best kind of fast moving, leaving an over 2 hour film feeling more like a 90 minute roller-coaster ride.
Die Hard is, without a doubt, one of action cinema's finest. Not even a string of mostly terrible sequels can dim this light. For many, it's the all time great, for all, it's just an excellent film.
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