“Now I have a machine gun. Ho, ho, ho.” Often imitated but never duplicated, Die Hard has withstood the test of time to become firmly established in that hallowed pantheon of All-Time Classic Action Films. Its protagonist, John McClane, the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time, has become an archetypal action movie hero, the everyman answer to the muscle-bound question posed by the likes of Schwarzenegger and Stallone. Played to perfection by Bruce Willis, McClane was relatable precisely because he wasn’t indestructible and showed real vulnerability, both physical and emotional, despite his gruff and sometimes disheveled exterior. Forever the fly in the ointment of any thief or terrorist who happened to pick the wrong building, airport, or city to steal from or terrorize (not that there’s ever a right target for such activities), McClane was somebody the audience could cheer for because despite his flaws, he would always fight to the end. No matter how many times he was battered, bruised, beaten, or knocked down, he would pick himself up, bandage those wounds, and walk, limp, or drag himself to the next fight. Long before Captain America vocalized his willingness to go toe to toe with his opponents, McClane was already doing it all day, and if I may say so myself, with a much better catch phrase. Stuck in a skyscraper with a surprisingly diverse group of terrorists, John McClane’s quest to free the hostages and rescue his estranged wife has become so iconic that the concept of “Die Hard in/on a Unique Location/Vehicle” has become a genre unto itself. So come out to the coast and have a few laughs with your intrepid hosts as they discuss the enduring legacy of Die Hard just in time for the holidays. No matter where you fall in the debate about its validity as a Christmas movie, there’s never a bad time of year to revisit the action movie that most action movies wish they could be when they grow up. And if it’s your first time watching Die Hard, then welcome to the party pal!
Die Hard (1988)
directed by: John McTiernan
starring: Bruce Willis – Alan Rickman – Bonnie Bedelia – Reginald VelJohnson
Thriller – Action
132 min
