The first is still the best of the four

Rating: 9/10 (6 August 2007)

I liked Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Die Hard 2, and I also enjoyed the fourth film in the series, but the original Die Hard is still the best of the four movies. It introduced us to John McClane, a role that would become Bruce Willis' most successful character, and gave us one of the best action films of all time.
John McClane (Willis), a New York police officer, flies to LA to meet his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedalia) who has transferred there because of a job. Their marriage is strained, and this is McClane's attempt at trying to mend the problems between them and keep the marriage working. Enter a group of terrorists led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman in a much earlier role before Harry Potter). The terrorists quickly cease control of the Nakatomi Tower where Holly works, and suddenly there is a hostage situation. McClane manages to escape and becomes the only salvation for the hostages and himself in a standoff which pits him alone against all the terrorists.
Die Hard is one fantastic action film. The story is very well done, and the action and pacing is incredible, as it moves at breakneck speed. John McTeirnan, the director, not only gives us great action, but he gives us believable characters. Casting Alan Rickman as the lead villain was smart because with a film like Die Hard, you need a villain who is as good as the hero, and Rickman is up to the task with Willis.
Between all the gun play and furious battle sequences, we have some minor roles that are also given some time. Reggie Johnson as Sgt. Al Powell is wonderful in a role as the first officer of the law that McClane comes in contact with over the radio. Bonnie Bedalia, as McClane's wife Holly, also plays a good role.
In fact just about everything in this movie works until we get to meet Police Chief Dwayne Robinson (Paul Gleason). His role in this movie should've been cut, since he really has nothing at all to do except be wrong all the time in every situation. He even has a few one-liners which fail miserably because his character is so completely incompetent, you find yourself wondering how he got the job of police chief in the first place. It is because of this one character that Die Hard loses a star.
Overall Die Hard was fast, ferocious, fast paced, and offered some great stunt sequences and explosions. It's too bad that we had to have one annoying and useless character as a big flaw in and otherwise superb action thriller.