One Line Review: Die Hard was once in the century film that had everything one can imagine in an action movie.

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Youtube Trailer Die Hard

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Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman

Director: John McTiernan

Release Date: 15 July 1988

Introduction

Ever since I reviewed Die Hard 2, I was waiting eagerly to Review Die Hard 1 because it’s not very often you get the chance to write for something of this greatness. I can’t wait, let’s dive into this. 

Trivia

The Nakatomi plaza used in the movie is the headquarters of the 20th-century fox. The company charged rent for the use of the building.

Iconic dialogues from this movie

Hans Gruber: I wanted this to be professional, efficient, adult, cooperative. Not a lot to ask. Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way… so he won’t be joining us for the rest of his life. We can go any way you want it. You can walk out of here or be carried out. But have no illusions. We are in charge.

And finally the Epic Conversation:

Hans Gruber: [impersonating a hostage] You don’t work for Nakatomi, and if you’re not one of them?

John McClane: I’m a cop from New York.

Hans Gruber: New York?

John McClane: Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake. Who knew? (Hans looks at John’s bare feet) Better than getting caught with your pants down. (Laughs) I’m John McClane. You’re uh…

Hans Gruber: Clay. Bill Clay.

John McClane: You know how to use a handgun, Bill?

Hans Gruber: I spent a weekend at a combat ranch. You know that game with the guns that shoot red paint? Probably seems kind of stupid to you. John McClane: No. (Hands him the gun) Time for the real thing, Bill. All you gotta do is pull the trigger.

(Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

Critic Reviews

“It’s a glorious scene-stealer for Alan Rickman, though it’s a credit to Willis’s cheeky charisma that his scene is not in fact stolen.” Peter Bradshaw

“Willis gleefully strips down the action movie to a pretend game for children who like to fire guns and shoot bad guys. Machismo may never be the same.” Peter Travers 

Plot Summary

John McClane was just planning to spend his holidays but ends up getting trapped in a seizure. He decides to take things into his own control and goes into a fight with the clever and powerful villain Hans Gruber.  

The reality in the characters

I can’t stress this enough but this is something that escalates this film from any other hero vs villain action film out there. I think I’ve touched on this point in my Die Hard 2 review article also. The characters, John Maclan and Hans are surprisingly vulnerable and fearful.

Seeing this in an action film adds an extra layer of fun and excitement. If the hero is fearing and panicking then the shit is tough out there. Man with a plan takes away all the adventure unless it is a heist drama like Le Casa De Papel (Money Heist) and The Italian Job. The villain panics when the hero gets one step closer to him and the hero stresses as he reaches closer. This brings out to another point worth talking about, that is:

Flawless Story

A person accidentally gets trapped in a seize or a hijack and he decides to take things into his own hand and goes to fight the villains. He crushes them with ease with his solid and fool-proof plan. Does it sound appealing to you? For me and, apparently, for hundreds of thousands of people who loved Die Hard it does not. For two reasons, first, it doesn’t fit with the fact that the person “accidentally” gets in the middle of a seizure. Unless He has a team of strategists and raid experts with him, there’s no way he could possibly come up with a “plan”. The second reason, it totally undermines the image of the villains if a person who accidentally got into the situation beats a well-formed group of villains who acted prepared the plan to do their job, then they aren’t villains. They are just a bunch of clowns. 

Die Hard writers took care of the fact and created a story that matched with the standards they intended to create and shackled the typical action film concepts.

Conclusion

So there you go. I finally wrote for this truly iconic movie. I was I could get my feeling out more but I’m afraid that will turn this novel into a speech and bore the hell out of you. I tried the KISS. Keep it simple, stupid.