New York City Detective John McClane has just arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife. Unfortunatly it is not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone. A group of terrorists led by Hans Gruber is holding everyone in the Nakatomi Plaza building hostage. With no way of anyone getting in or out its up to McClane to stop them all. All 12!
Review
In the Sixties author Roderick Thorp wrote a novel The Detective which was turned into a movie starring Frank Sinatra in the title role of Joe Leland. A sequel was written in which Joe becomes trapped in the Claxxon Oil Corporation skyscraper after it is taken over by German terrorists and he has to rescue his daughter and grandchildren. Two decades later the skyscraper becomes Nakatomi the daughter becomes the wife Leland becomes John McClane and the title becomes Die Hard.
To say that Die Hard sets new standards for action movies is like calling Bill Gates well off. The movie was so innovative and groundbreaking that dozens of ripoffs followed Passenger 57 Under Siege Cliffhanger Sudden Death et al. Hostageterrorist movies were all the rage in the early Nineties.
Very few came close because Die Hard had so many strong points not least of which was Alan Rickmans marvellous performance as Hans Gruber also the name of the villain in Our Man Flint the classically educated smartly dressed terrorist leader. This is not some hammy guy in a chainmail shirt with spikes on his gloves (Commando). Gruber would have been well at home on Wall Street.
His plan is to break into the vault on the 30th floor of the Nakatomi Plaza and take away $640million in negotiable bearer bonds. When he and his 12 European henchmen round up the office workers who are enjoying a Christmas Eve party one man slips away unnoticed. He is John McClane a New York cop who has come to LA to settle down with his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). The odds are against him. But thats just the way he likes it.
The terrorists even have names. And we remember them. Most action movies these days have unidentified heavies played by stunt men who are lined up and knocked over.
In his battle to save his Holly McClane is scorched torched beaten and blown up. He jumps off the roof and falls through air ducts. He uncovers deception and doublecross and picks broken glass out of his bare feet. No help comes from the naive and incompetent police who are unable to get inside and even less from the FBI.
McClane is not a supercop. He is an ordinary guy who doesnt want a fight. When he is shot he bleeds. He hurts. All he has are his pants his vest his gun which runs out of ammo. This is the first realistic connection the audience has. When you dont want to be in McClanes position it makes for much excitement.
John McTiernan whos only previous mainstream movie was Predator uses awesome photography and technical skills to give the film a truly polished and sophisticated look it was nominated for four technical Academy Awards. He also allows for enough time for decent character development most of which comes between McClane and a cop (Reginald Veljohnson) he makes friends with on a CB radio.
Die Hard manages to be heartpounding and teethgritting every single time. And if you are one of those many people who have only ever been able to watch it on TV then now is definitely the time to rediscover a cool classic and creative action picture.