Die Hard

1988 "Twelve terrorists. One cop. The odds are against John McClane... That's just the way he likes it."
8.2| 2h12m| R| en| More Info
Released: 15 July 1988 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/die-hard
Info

NYPD cop John McClane's plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her office, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.

Genre

Action, Thriller

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Die Hard (1988) is now streaming with subscription on Prime Video

Director

John McTiernan

Production Companies

20th Century Fox

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Die Hard Audience Reviews

Chatverock Takes itself way too seriously
ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
wheelz-lv In my opinion, this is the best movie in the 'Die Hard' series. It has become a classic shown around Christmas time, since the action in the movie takes place around this holiday.When the NY police officer John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) lands in LA to visit his family, he has no idea that his day will turn into a nightmare where he will be outgunned and outmanned while trying to survive and trying to find his way out of this mess. While the performance of Bruce Willis as John McClane didn't win him any awards, this should be considered as his iconic break-out into fame role. As a protagonist of this movie he's by no means perfect, but still gets the audience on his side while he battles his nemesis Hans Gruber. Hans is brilliantly played by Alan Rickman - he's confident, ruthless and one step ahead of law enforcement in terms of executing his plan. The only thing he didn't account for was... John McClane.The movie provides an entertaining battle between the two, while also throws some punches and makes fun of the police, the FBI and the media about how cliché and ignorant they can be in crisis situations.If you like action movies, this definitely is a must-see or as John McClane would say, "Welcome to the party, pal."
metalgear-25259 I guess we could go down the 'Bruce Willis is in his prime here' path or even Alan Rickman is the perfect bad guy. But really this film excels beyond the average action film and it's sequels due to the fact it's in a contained, restricted environment where only stealth and quick thinking can secure the advantage against the odds. This scenario ramps up tension when there's little chance of escape. Unlike the following films which diluted the tension somewhat by allowing John McClane to run around freely or going on chaotic vehicle chases. Bruce Willis wisecracks become the light in the darkness in Die Hard. Including his lighter that leads him down ventilation shafts. The action is purposeful and tense. Each fight there's a reward to be had for success which helps to heighten the action suspense. Ammo is limited and our hero really doesn't want to be where he is. All in all Die Hard becomes an action, suspense, thriller where the outcome isn't looking positive and the underdog faces some strict odds in a claustrophobic scenario. A tension filled, thinking man's action film is what results here. And something which is rarely achieved to this day.
bitomurder In 1988, a little film with a little known actor burst onto the screens of America. Its high powered action and wise cracking unsuspecting hero found their way into the hearts of action movie fans and, to this day, it remains a testament to the great and glorious eighties. The decade of great action, unforgettable comedy, and undying horror. Following a short stint on TV's Moonlighting, Bruce Willis teamed up with director John McTiernan to bring to life the character of Detective John McClaine. A New York City police officer who flies out to Los Angeles to see his estranged wife and kids. What follows is the most unlucky day a man can have. People do not remember that before this film came out nobody knew who Bruce Willis was, but after, you could not find someone who did not know his name or his face. His popularity is still high to this day, and it is all owed to one man. Detective John McClaine. Bruce Willis' portrayal of the character is one of the main reasons this movie is considered a modern classic. His quick wit and gun-tastic prescene make him the ultimate action hero. He is not the indestructible terminator or the special forces trained Rambo. He is just a regular guy who has been unwittingly sucked into the most unfortunate of circumstances and Bruce Willis plays the character like no one else could, with great humor and a sense of foolhardy abandon. Bruce Willis is not the only great performance in this one. Alan Rickman as the German terrorist, Hans Gruber is amazing. He always seems to impress and that is no different in this classic. Hans Gruber is backed up by two great performances by his second in command Karl, played by Alexander Godonov, and Clarence Gilyard Jr who plays Hans' tech guy, Theo. Sgt. Al Powell, played by Reginald VelJohnson, lends a simpathetic ear to our hero and he performs amazingly. A semi-static performance by Bonnie Bedelia as John's wife does little to bring the overall performances in this one down one bit. Die Hard accomplished many things in its theatrical run and subsequent release on video. It started the career of one of personal favorite actors, Bruce Willis. It gave us the unkillable and highly lovable character of John McClaine who still seems to impress after all these years, and it laid the groundwork for everything that came after it. Die Hard raised the bar for action movies, and to this day it remains one of the few high water marks for the action genre. This one is a great addition to any movie library and makes for an entertaining view every few months. While many movies seem to lose their luster after several viewings, this one seems to find its way onto my screen, thirty years after its release, more often than movies of only a couple of years old. Watch it now.
Herra Johansson The first action movie I can remember and still the best one.. the best action movie of all time, forever.. yes, indeed. No matter how many times you watch it you always die hard. I can't see anything top this? You can't.. this is die hard!