No matter what type of cinematic genre is your favorite, one point most of us can agree on is that the ’80s were the Golden Age of action flicks. Of course, that’s not to say other decades haven’t produced excellent films within the genre. Nor is it stating that action movies that came out in the ’80s were perfect because they certainly weren’t. But it’s hard to argue with the decade that gave us Rambo, Predator, Commando, Terminator, Big Trouble in Little China, and Red Dawn… just to name a few.
It was a time when movies went full throttle. Stunts were bigger, scenes were more explosive, and the actors were regarded as rock stars. Over the years, some films have inevitably faded into the shadows, lost in a sea of an admittedly oversaturated market. Others, however, have stood the test of time, firmly placing themselves in the annals of action movie notoriety. Thirty-five years ago, one such film graced the silver screen, enthralling audiences with a non-stop thrill ride that took place almost entirely in a single location. It’s so well known that a single quote can make most people immediately know what you’re referencing: “Yippee-ki-yay….”
Die Hard hit theaters in July of 1988, which may come as a surprise to some, considering that it’s widely thought of as a Christmas movie amongst fans and film buffs alike. Whether you deem this a holiday film or not, it does take place during a Christmas party, which is a major plot point. Either way, this article focuses more on why Die Hard remains one of the best action films ever made, even thirty-five years later.
An Unlikely Action Hero
Bruce Willis’ John McClane is, by and large, an incredibly well-written character. The movie does an excellent job of making him likable by showing us that he’s an everyman. Within the first few minutes, it’s established that McClane isn’t your typical muscular, macho, tough-guy action character. He may be an NYPD detective, but he’s still afraid to fly, having to partake in coping techniques just to get through the flight to Los Angeles, where his estranged wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), currently lives. Once there, he appears taken by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, coming off more like a tourist than anything else. The whole reason he’s even in Los Angeles is to try to win her back, which also wins him likeability points.
Once he arrives at Nakatomi Plaza, where Holly’s workplace Christmas party is being held, it doesn’t take long before the story shifts. The building is overtaken by terrorist Hans Gruber (played by the late, great Alan Rickman) and his band of henchmen. That’s when we see John McClane transform from a heartbroken ”Average Joe” to a fearless hero determined to save his wife and the other party guests, who’ve all been taken hostage.
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He immediately goes into cop mode, killing any terrorists he comes across and taking their weapons to use against them. As the movie progresses, he’s bloodied, barefoot, and injured, but he trudges on, resolved to save the day (or night, as it were) and every hostage in the tower. It’s a cat-and-mouse battle of wits between hero and villain, with McClane repeatedly outsmarting the radical terrorists’ every move.
To help balance out that conflict, you have the unlikely friendship that forms between McClane and LAPD cop Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson), who is stationed outside the building. The two share bonding moments via walkie-talkie as the FBI attempts negotiations from the outside. They banter about the differences between New York and Los Angeles police officers while also sharing an unspoken understanding of the danger McClane and the hostages are in. When the two finally meet face to face once the crisis ends, it’s a moment with a huge emotional payoff.
A Perfect Villain
On the other end of the spectrum, Hans Gruber also fits into the story as the perfect villain. Yes, he may exhibit stereotypical ’80s bad guy vibes (foreign, unhinged, always angry, and inexplicably fortified with an endless amount of weaponry), but Rickman plays him with such gusto that you can’t help but love to hate him. He’s slimy, dastardly, and the exact opposite of everything John McClane is and stands for. Their friction and constant one-upmanship are part of what makes this Die Hard so iconic.
Every time it seems like Gruber has the advantage, McClane is there to beat him down, metaphorically and literally speaking. By the time Gruber finally falls to his death off the very tower he tried so hard to overtake, it’s a cheer-worthy, fist-pumping, momentous point in the story — and one of the most memorable in cinematic history.
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Aside from a cast of outstanding characters, the action sequences are iconic and quintessential “eighties.” There are machine guns, a LOT of bullets, explosions, and noise. As a viewer, you spend a good portion of the film wondering who will win, how they’ll do it, and how many people will die in the process. It’s a tug-of-war between the good guys and the bad guys, but like so many other movies of the genre, the good guy not only wins, he also gets the girl. What more could you want from an action flick?
The Legacy of Die Hard
It’s not surprising that in the thirty-five years since its release, there have been many copycats and movies “inspired” by the Die Hard formula. So much so that it’s common to see a film or television show described as “Die Hard in a ______,” meaning that the premise is the same but in a different location. You know there will be bad guys who have taken over a building, and there will be a good guy traversing it to try to take them out. That’s because, from a storytelling perspective, it still works. Sometimes, an audience just wants to watch the hero take down the villain in the most spectacular, loud, uproarious way.
At one point, Hans Gruber tells John McClane, “You Americans are all alike. Well, this time, John Wayne does not walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly.” Except in a fabulous twist of irony, that’s exactly what happens… and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
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