Review of Die Hard (1988) by Diego T — 07 Jun 2013
Die Hard is, simply put, a masterpiece. Although thousands of people across the planet probably loathe this film for what it represents, they are morons who probably have never even seen it. Die Hard is really the original action movie, spawning the entire genre of Blowing Shit Up, not to mention the sub-genres Shooting Shit Up and Punching Shit.
What makes Die Hard stay so relevant in the 21st century, long after its technology and special effects were rendered obsolete, is the two greatest performances of any action film. Bruce Willis essentially defined the persona of the relatable, everyman tough-guy with his performance as John McClane, while Alan Rickman essentially parodies himself with a stone-cold role as a terrorist crossed with an ingenious bank robber. The dialogue is spectacular, and (unlike most action films) the supporting cast is able to carry even the least electric parts of the film.
Die Hard also must be commended for never overstepping the line of reality. Every decision, every event, every plot point in this movie is just how it would happen in real life. There are no Mission: Impossible sequences with helicopters flying through the Chunnel. There are no Transformer-esque slo-mo action sequences. It's a realistic, spectacular study of what humans are capable of doing, and deserves its slot on the list of greatest films of all time.
This review of Die Hard (1988) was written by Diego T on 07 Jun 2013.
Die Hard has generally received very positive reviews.
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