Review of Krepkiy Oreshek (1968) by Trevor R — 07 Apr 2014

Most movies that attempt to copy the ingenious formula established here (Including all of the "Die Hard" sequels) often hit the broad strokes, but they miss the clever subtleties that make this film such a wonderful and unique experience: The quirky weirdness of the FBI agents, the heartfelt scene where McClane pulls the glass from his feet, the cutting criticisms of 80's yuppie-culture... Along with impeccable story structure, it's these countless little things that elevate it into masterpiece status (Including several of the greatest one-liners ever written).

Also, I can't praise the performances of Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman enough. What easily could have become a jokey, one-note bit of manly posturing, Willis instead turns into an honest portrayal of a regular joe caught in an impossible situation. Rickman takes what could be a generic evil-doer, and instead gives him true charm and intelligence that is mesmerizing. Their tense game of cat and mouse is one of the all-time thrilling hero-villain relationships in film.