Die Hard (1988)-"R"

Run Time:131 minutes

3 stars out of 4

Die Hard is one of those hardcore action films that has you cheering all of the way. Sure, it doesn't have much in the way of artistic expression, but the humor is quick and perfectly timed, the action scenes are incredible, and it has the viewer completely involved in the plot. Directed by John McTiernan, it is similar in genre to a lot of his other films, like Predator, Last Action Hero, even The Hunt for Red October, but this film also has its own originality and rugged charm. Based on a book (believe it or not) by Roderick Thorp, the story takes place at a luxurious Los Angeles high-rise office building during a Christmas party for the executives. John McClane (Bruce Willis), a tough NYC cop and husband of executive Holly McClane (Bonnie Bedelia), is attending the party with his wife when a group of German terrorists takes the entire staff hostage. The terrorists are armed with C4 plastic explosive and high-power weapons and are led by a dangerous renegade militant Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). First, they murder the security guards, and then the highest ranking official in the office building, Mr. Takagi, when he won't disclose the vault's access codes. They then proceed to break through a complex system of seven locks, the last of which opens the company's vault, which contains millions of dollars in cash and artifacts. Meanwhile, John McClane has slipped away during the hostage-taking pandemonium, and has killed a terrorist and taken his machine guns. After repeated attempts to summon the police, Willis becomes a guerilla fighter, taking matters into his own hands, and doing whatever it takes to stop the terrorists from getting away. The stunts, action scenes, and special effects are all fantastic, making the film exhilarating and interesting, but that's not what really sets apart this film in a genre that is full of stunts, action, and effects. The difference is the witty and intelligent dialogue, not just cheap-sounding catchphrases, and reasonable spacing between action scenes, as opposed to a god-awful orgy of nonstop explosions that belongs more in a Jerry Bruckheimer film. Willis himself is also a positive for Die Hard, despite it being his first major film role, and you have to admit, he seems born into the part. Like I said before, Die Hard is no Oscar-winner or art film, but it does an excellent job maintaining a degree of intelligence despite the action-based plot that is targeted for explosion-craving audiences.