Die Hard (DVD 2000)

Detective John McClaine (Bruce Willis) has arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his estranged wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). Meeting her at her Christmas works party, in the plush high-rised Nakatomi Plaza, McClaine gets a slice of Hollywood lifestyle. That is until a group of terrorist take over the building, and John is the only one who can save them.

Through the air vents and different floors, McLaine manages to get a walkie-talkie to taunt the leader Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and to make contact with the outside world. As the hostages get less, the police are stuck outside, John must make decisions that could be dangerous not only for himself but for all around, as the truth about the terrorists start coming out.

Just when Hollywood was starting to get very predictable, it came up with this high-octane, edge-of-your-seat action thriller that did amazing things at the box office, and made Bruce Willis into a superstar.

But why does it work? Firstly, making the hero human. This guy actually gets hurts. He bleeds. Unlike the heroes of previous movies like Commando and Cobra, he knew that Arnie or Sly would save the day, but you spent most of this masterpiece wondering if McClaine would live through it. Secondly, Ala Rickman makes such a wonderful villain, that you can’t help but like him. His classic stage training makes the most of the evil Hans. Thirdly, it manages to make movie going fun. It’s like an adult version of Indiana Jones. Each set-piece is built upon and built upon until the tension becomes unbearable.

Let’s not forget the best editing in an action movie ever. Never does it overcut, or head down the MTV video school of editing. It keeps the action taut and doesn’t make the scenes too long. All credit to John McTiernan for keeping the direction smooth and flowing. We get 20 minutes of introduction to the character, and why he’s there and then boom, the roller coaster begins.

Willis is perfect for the role, even though he was fifth choice (Arnie, Sly, Burt Reynolds and Richard Gere all turned it down). With his wise-cracks and his cocky charm that he carried on from Moonlighting, its hard to imagine anyone else playing the role. Rickman, as he has proved in so many other movies, is a master actor, and manages to fill the screen with his presence.

Hard to imagine that this classic is almost 20 years old. It hasn’t lost any of its power. Truly terrific.