Retro Review: Die Hard

I feel silly writing this review since I’ve probably seen this movie a dozen or more times. ¬†But for the last few years, it’s been my favorite Christmas movie and has become a holiday staple in our house every year. ¬†I mean seriously, can you name another Christmas movie that’s better? ¬†Didn’t think so. ¬†Now let’s see if I can dig up anything about this flick that doesn’t make this review just a gimme.

For those that haven’t seen this action classic, you’ll be very familiar with the premise. ¬†An off-duty New York Detective, John McClane (Bruce Willis), visits his estranged wife, Holly Gennaro ¬†(Bonnie Bedelia), in Los Angelos. ¬†He arrives to her company Christmas party just in time to meet a group of would be terrorists who are taking the building and its inhabitants hostage. ¬†McClane slips away, starts picking the terrorists one by one, and shows audiences how many bullets and broken glass you can throw at a character and still have him upright.

No matter how trite the plot may seem now, it’s been regarded as the best action film ever made. ¬†I can’t say I disagree with that sentiment. ¬†And you really don’t have look hard to find the footprint left behind by Die Hard on the action genre. ¬†How many times have we heard critics say “it’s like Die Hard but on/in a plane/bus/boat/prison/Turkish bath”? ¬†The plot has been recycled over and we’ve had our fair share of terrorist plots that merely serve to gain the bad guys some bling. ¬†Hell, even the McClane character has given way to the anti-hero in modern cinema. ¬†Do you like Vin Diesel? ¬†Thank Bruce Willis for priming your silly ass into liking a dick head with a heart of gold.

There are times during Die Hard where the audience might be trying to determine if McClane is a bigger asshole than the terrorist leader, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman in his first feature film role). ¬†I would even argue that Hans treats Holly with more respect than McClane does. ¬†The difference is the pain we have to see McClane endure. ¬†And I’m not talking shards of glass in his feet although that certainly helps. ¬†The scene where McClane discovers that Holly has gone back to using her maiden name indicates how crushed he is by her decision. ¬†But like a real human being, he takes out his anger on her and ends up making the situation worse. ¬†We’ve all made similar mistakes so we’re right there with him when he’s banging his head against the wall. ¬†It’s these scenes that keep him more likable than Hans. ¬†Or maybe you really like someone that blows lots of shit up since Hans only has two kills throughout the whole flick. ¬†Perhaps I’m gauging this whole thing wrong and you’re really into Germans. ¬†I don’t know, I can’t read you from here.

Another thing I noticed from this viewing was how pertinent technology was to the bad guys being able to pull the heist off. ¬†Although most of it seems archaic by today’s standards, it was one first action films I can remember that has a little nerd angle for us. ¬†Think about it- Commando (from the same director, John McTiernan) demonstrates what a lot of films during that period consisted of- the bad guy kidnaps the good guy’s daughter, and with guns blazing the good guy storms the castle. ¬†I don’t recall at any point where a computer comes into play during Commando. ¬†But in Die Hard, your bad guys are using computers to break into vaults, redirect 911 calls, and monitor surveillance on the building. ¬†It’s interesting to note because in the fourth film of the series, Live Free or Die Hard, the only method of destruction the terrorists use is technology. ¬†A lot of people gave that film shit for that but if they considered themselves true fans of the franchise, they would realize that it’s not so much of a departure from the first film. ¬†At least in terms of the tools the bad guys are using. ¬†I can understand still being mad about that McClane vs. fighter jet sequence on the highway. ¬†But then again, I’m cool and like that sort of thing. ¬†So suck it!

Beyond the bad guys, technology also bridges something as simple as the relationship that McClane has with Sgt. Powell (Reginald VelJohnson). ¬†The way Die Hard uses the police radio can be much akin to the cell phone conversations we saw in the climactic chase of The Matrix. ¬†You have one character in a precarious situation while another is on the other end of a radio/cell phone instructing them on where they need to go or how they’re doing. ¬†It was a great concept for Die Hard because while one character is in constant danger, the only predicament the character on the other end of the line can claim is the fear of getting McClane killed. ¬†Now we have entire movies (Phone Booth, Cellular) based off of this notion that a full blown relationship between characters can exist without them even being in the same shot.

And it’s a fucking Christmas movie, people! ¬†Besides seeing a giant Christmas tree careen to the floor, the music really sets the mood. ¬†You get to hear Ode to Joy a lot, the credits play to Let It Snow, and even the classic Run DMC diddy, Christmas in Hollis makes an appearance. ¬†It really is my favorite one and with any luck, TBS will start showing Die Hard marathons on Christmas in place of A Christmas Story. ¬†I know the wife likes being able to watch a topless, sweaty Bruce Willis each Christmas.

Lord knows I do, too…

Retro Review is a weekly column written by Dustin and occasionally other authors from the Breach. ¬†Here we take a look at films from yesteryear. ¬†1989 and older to be exact. ¬†At times we’ll try and analyze how the film has influenced modern cinema, discuss the quality of the current release, or just do a traditional review of the damn thing and throw it up here. ¬†As always, requests for these reviews are welcomed.

Recent posts by Dustin

• SXSW 2012 Reviews: Days 5 and 6 - March 15th, 2012
• SXSW 2012 Reviews: Days 3 and 4 - March 13th, 2012
• SXSW 2012 Reviews: Days 1 and 2 - March 11th, 2012
• Monday Morning Dork Attack: Dublin Dr. Pepper - January 16th, 2012
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