| What sets this movie
apart from most of the others in its genre are the quiet moments...
the ones where we, like our hero John McClane (Willis), get to breathe
and soak in the gravity of the situation. Most action films
never stop moving for fear that the audience will be awash with
boredom. What director John McTiernan is able to do with "Die Hard"
is balance the brilliant pyrotechnics and crazy stunts with moments of
subtle humor and a brand of "guy sensitivity" that doesn't ever
overflow into gushy sentimentality.
"Die Hard" is the cinematic version of the 'guy hug', where two
guys grasp hands, pull each other in swiftly, slap each other on the
back and then pull away with manly swagger.
Bruce Willis is the ultimate 'everyman' cop just trying to do the
right thing. This is one of the definitive examples of perfect
casting. Schwarzenegger and Stallone were both considered for
the part, but neither would have felt as authentic. Willis has a
charm and an 'average' quality that allows the viewer to feel that
they could be in his place.
Alan Rickman teeters dangerously on the edge of utter camp with his
German bad guy accent... but he pulls it off and delivers one of the
classic villains in film history.
I suppose it's easy to write this film off as just another action
flick... but I believe it redefined the action genre and has become
the film that all others of its kind are compared to. I am sure you've
heard the comments...'Die Hard on a Boat,' 'Die Hard on a Plane,' 'Die
Hard Under Water'... etc.
This is a fantastic movie that is supremely re-watchable and has held
up as the years go by. It is funny, exciting and deceptively smart.
This is easily one of the ten best action films ever made!
Scratch that... "Die Hard" is one of the best films ever made.
It is the only 'pure action flick' that I have ever been able to say
that about. |
