Probably the best action movie of the 80's.

Rating: Null/10 (25 July 2000)

Bruce Willis was a bit of a joke before this film was first released. A TV star from a once successful show, unproven as a movie star, demanding several million to star in a big budget action movie - people were booing and throwing popcorn at the screen when only the trailer was showing. Little did they know... Mr Willis may have made a few suspect choices in his film roles over the years ('North' and, Heaven help us, 'The Bonfire of the Vanities'), but Die Hard was probably the best career move he will make. Ever. James Bond was getting a bit tedious, Rambo was nothing more than an indestructable muscle-bound meathead, the Eighties needed a real action hero. Step forward John McClane. When we first meet him, we immediately know this is a guy we can trust. While James Bond would just sit calmly sipping his cocktail, McClane is tense after a long flight - he's not too keen on flying. This instantly shows that he's mortal and not some sort of machine that is only operative when there are bad guys to despatch. On his drive from the airport, we find out more about his human side. He's a male chauvanist because he doesn't have any real faith in his wife's ability to be independent in her chosen career. The way he talks about her to the driver of his limo tells us that he does genuinely miss her. When he gets to the office block, the fact that Holly is registered under her maiden name hurts his pride leading to an angry (and instantly regrettable) argument later on. In case we were worried that this guy was abit too touchy-feely to be a real hero, we see him briefly spying on an unidentified, naked bimbo in an adjacent building. Our kinda guy!
At first, the bad guys show themselves to be highly efficient, ruthless and very cool (in direct contrast to our all too human hero?). Chief Baddie Alan Rickman puts such a fantastic performance that he nearly walks away with the film (as he did a couple of years later with the Robin Hood movie), but he doesn't quite steal it away from Mr Willis. Polishing off the bad guys whilst uttering a corny pun wearing a vest designed to show off his pecs as much as possible, and injuries that get more severe with each increasingly improbable set-piece, Bruce becomes the action hero blue-print for the next decade. Not only that but the film itself practically invented the 90's big-budget blockbuster two years before that decade had even began. In addition to the splendid performances we have brilliant direction by John McTiernan, a superb score by Michael Kamen, and almost flawless special effects.
The film is not without its bad points: Firstly, would you remove your shoes and socks and "make fists with your toes" on the advice of a complete stranger? Didn't think so. You might consider the film to be a little bit far fetched. Well, fair enough. If you want social realism or politics watch an Oliver Stone film. Die Hard is escapism, entertainment and fun. And as such its the best of its kind.