Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard
This is one of the most iconic action movies of all time, and definitely one that I immensely love. Bruce Willis is the perfect casting for John McClane, and watching him fight off a bunch of terrorists is awesome. The story is really great, and I love how it takes place on Christmas Eve. It’s the perfect feeling, and it really helps amplify the fun action that takes place. I also really love the setting, and the fictional Nakatomi Plaza is a great location. Being stranded in a 34-story building full of German terrorists is pretty terrifying, but watching it on TV is pretty hype. I always love movies with hostage situations and demanding terrorists, so this film perfectly fits that. Alan Rickman playing Hans Gruber was also perfect casting. I’ve only ever seen Alan as Snape, so seeing him in a different role is refreshing. Although he still has the same villain aura, it’s still a completely different character, and there are very few other people I would’ve liked to see in that role. He reminded me a lot of Gary Oldman in Air Force One, which actually came out after Die Hard. I really liked Reginald VelJohnson, and it’s really fun to see him go from the hardcore cop to the friendly one he is in Family Matters. And I have to mention the late, great Clarence Gilyard Jr, as it was fun to see him in an evil role. I absolutely love him in Matlock, so watching him flip the script and help the terrorists was cool. The action sequences are really well shot in this movie, as well as being accompanied by great dialogue. Watching McClane struggle with his decisions is nice to see from the hero, instead of a hero who just barges in and does whatever. I like to think of McClane as a scaled down Rambo, because like I said, you see his flawed character fight with himself while trying to take out the terrorists. It was written well, and I really enjoy his character. The music in this movie was great, and it had some really great climatic themes. I also loved the use of Ode to Joy, which has great juxtaposition when it was used. One thing I didn’t care for was the lack of explanation that some characters had, and they basically disappeared at the end and you don’t see where they go. Overall, this is a really great action movie, and I will leave you with this bold statement: this is NOT a Christmas movie. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!