Die Hard (1988) Dir: John McTiernan
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Christmas might be long gone, but there's never a bad time to watch this late 80s action classic from director John McTiernan. There's a reason this one has lasted so long in the movie mainstream, and that's because its one of the best all-around action films ever.
It has everything; explosions, fights, high stakes, romance, twists and, of course, a charismatic villain. It epitomises American action films nearly perfectly. It even has elements of the Christmas genre, just to make it more of a talking point. Whether you think it is or isn't a Christmas film though, it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that it's a romping good time.
The narrative has a lot more going for it than one would perhaps assume from its genre and premise. There's a few storylines that run through it and give it some depth, beyond the surface. I for one really love the different strands that interlink characters and plot points.
Bruce Willis gives one of his best and most memorable performances, mixing his famous charisma with some pretty solid acting. He's so easy to enjoy in this one, and makes the cheesy one-liners work hilariously. This will, almost certainly, always be my favourite Willis role and film.
Alan Rickman was, quite frankly, brilliant as the film's memorable antagonist. I love how he played the role; slightly over-acting, and only in some scenes, and just enough for it to be brilliant. He matched the charisma of Willis and executed his own witty dialogue magnificently.
Bonnie Bedelia and Reginald VelJohnson were both pretty memorable in the two key supporting roles, although I'd have loved to see more of both. There were a few other actors whose performances were worth mentions too, those being; Paul Gleason, Alexander Godunov, De'voreaux White and James Shigeta.
Overall, as nutty action films with lots of gunfire and explosions go, this may be among the very best. It's just so iconic, and with good reason. What makes it even better, is that it's a seasonal film that can be watched all year round. It's a film I happily watch at least once a year, and will continue to do so, because of how fun it is.
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