My sister's all time favorite

Rating: 10/10 (29 May 2005)

I've seen this movie countless times, and it never ceases to amaze me. Because this movie is my sister's favorite, she would put it on, time and time again.
I gave this movie a 10. It isn't that I think this movie is on the same level as something like Dr. Strangelove, or Roshomon, but it certainly isn't worse. I just feel that you can't compare these movies to each other. This film is completely successful in delivering what I would ask for in an action film.
What are those criteria? Good story, likable hero, few plot holes, and a superb bad guy.
Alan Rickman deserves MASSIVE praise for his role in this film. Without him or Bruce Willis, this film doesn't work. I would even argue that he was more important. I base that on the sequels to this film. He is so amoral, deceitful, cunning, and charismatic, that I don't think he has been topped as an action movie bad guy.
An example as to the genius of this film. My sister's favorite movie for a short time, only to be re-replaced by Die Hard, was Speed. Now I've also seen that movie more times than I would care to admit, but the more times I watched it, the more I noticed about it that was totally ridiculous. It ended up being a game of "spot the inconsistencies." Die Hard never did that.
Add to that the fact that this is a Christmas movie, and I'm totally sold.
The best American action movie made (to date).