Review : Die Hard

DIE HARD : Twelve terrorists, one cop. The odds are against John McClane... that's just the way he likes it.

Hello There Film Fans

I'm sure your all aware by now, that today's movie review is DIE HARD by John McTiernan. It stars Bruce Willis as the grown to be Iconic NYPD cop - John McClane, It's Christmas Eve, and McClane's skills are put to drastic and dramatic test, as he has to save wife - Holly Gennaro, and several others, taken hostage by German terrorist Hans Gruber during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. This film can only end in blood, sweat and tears.

There's something to Die Hard's success in the past, which has influenced other film makers to make films similar to it. For example you got 'Olympus has Fallen,' which is essentially Gerard Butler doing the second rate basement Die Hard stuff. Which just goes to prove that Die Hard has gone on to influence the media we're in today. I like films like that. Films that are still loved, and films that we can learn from. That's my type of film, I like to see.

There was never a moment in Die Hard where I felt,  I have better things to do with my time. Once the action starts, your in. No question about it.  Though this film compared to more recent stuff, is dated and under rated, the concept is great and plot is clear. 

What does Die Hard an advantage is, there isn't any loose ends to it. It's all really clear and present, and the events that occur in it, are spontaneous and adventurous.  The Storyline for Die Hard is based on the 1979 novel. "Nothing Lasts Forever" by Roderick Thorpe, The audience is introduced to New York City Detective John McClane; a man who has just arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife and family. Unfortunately, things do not go according to plan, and it is not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone. 

A group of determined terrorists, led by Hans Gruber, take over the Nakatomi Plaza building and hold everyone there hostage. With no way of anyone getting in or out, it's up to McClane to stop them all. All 12!

Couldn't find any clips. So here's a trailer.

I'll be perfectly honest; Die Hard is not good... It's brilliant! I absolutely loved it. I think it shows contributing factors which are key to the success of some films. I also think it contains things in it's story telling which are absent in more current films that are released today.

The pace of it is great. Never did I get the impression that it was slowing down, the pace of it stays up. And it just goes so quickly, once your in the zone and all the action starts happening, brace yourself because off you go.

The story telling is very undermined yet clever, It villains sub plot did have me guessing here and there, and you never get the impression that too much is being given away. The story always stays true to itself and you always get caught up into the story.

Bruce Willis as John McClane, superb. Nails the roll in this story, gives his best performance in all the Die Hards. I think I say that Die Hard 1 is his best because he's just adapting to the character, and he's convincing the audience to respect him and have trust in his character, so you'll gain interest and follow him. It's Bruce which guides the film, and makes the film. He out shone the rest of the cast - even Alan Rickman!







John McTiernan, very clean cut and keeps the audience alert as to whats going on in the film.

The 'Hostage' plot, it works well. You got heavy action in sequence so it makes what could potentially be quite a boring plot alasis, very exciting and gripping.

There is a lot to learn from Die Hard, the more you watch it, the more you gain from it. It's basically one of those give and take, kind of films where you sit down and watch it and get a good thrill out of it, after the third or fourth time you learn more than you thought you did from watching it the first time.

So overall I have to give it 9/10.

1 Gold Star to Bruce Willis.

Thank you for reading this review.

NEXT TIME : I will continue my Die Hard reviews, by reviewing ''Die Hard 2".  I will post that review on Saturday the 28th of September 2013.