Die Hard follows a New York City cop navigating a terrorist takeover of business hub Nakatomi Plaza during a Christmas party. It takes place on Christmas, and John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) to spread Christmas joy to his children but ends up spreading hot lead to some members of the naughty list. All jokes aside, “Die Hard,” a classic ‘80s action movie, passes the test of time.

The terrorists, led by Hans Gruber (played by Alan Rickman), are a menacing and hauntingly charismatic group, always two steps ahead of everyone – except John McClane. Straight from the start, the atmosphere is tense, as John uses his expertise and quick thinking to evade and outsmart death in daring but believable ways. That is where the heart of the movie stays, in believability. The circumstances are seemingly outlandish, but the writing and characters keep you invested.

The debate of whether Die Hard truly is a holiday movie rages on, with even Bruce Willis himself joining in. The answer to the question is that the sheer quality of the production, from the writing to the choreography, combined with the setting, makes Die Hard a quintessential holiday movie.   

Christmas Spirit –  ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Action –       ★★★★★★★★★★

Quality –       ★★★★★★★☆☆☆