DIE HARD ****1/2 (out of five stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia and Reginald VelJohnson Director-John McTiernan Rated R Released 1988 20th Century Fox
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`Die Hard' may seem like an unusual choice for a Christmas review, and I suppose it is. Bruce Willis stars as John McClane, a NYC cop who finds himself planted in the middle of a elaborate terrorist situation at a towering high rise in Los Angeles. McClane weaves his way through the bowels of the building, navigating elevator shafts and various air ducts with a machine gun slung over his shoulder and a bag of explosives in hand. Plenty of terrorists are pumped full of lead, and a lot of sh*t gets blown up. It's a great deal of fun.
But what does this have to do with Christmas? Here's my argument: all of these events occur on Christmas Eve, and after this berserk rollercoaster ride of mind-blowing stunts and white-knuckle action comes to a close, the festive selection `Let it Snow' plays over the closing credits. Pretty Christmasy, eh?
Just one refreshing thing about this influential action extravaganza is the hero at the center of the action. McClane is not only a clever cop able to evade oncoming gunmen in a constant game of cat-and-mouse - he's also got a sense of humor. Leading the international pack of terrorists is the cool and collected Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his infuriated right-hand man Karl (Alexander Godunov), who is seriously PO'd at McClane for killing his little hooligan brother. These guys have got a lot of suave, professional tactics - not to mention a truck load of impressive artillery. But even while he is constantly flirting with death, McClane always has a witty comeback for his foreign opponents, and Willis is fluent and enjoyable as he barrels his way through punchline after glorious punchline. Stacked up, all of this makes John McClane one of the most memorable action heroes to recently grace the silver screen. Yipee ki-yay, indeed.
`Die Hard' is quite possibly the most efficient action movie ever constructed. It's a red-blooded thrill ride, featuring components that are perfectly in place, and it's flawless precision in capturing a terrorist situation has been the basis for numerous clones and cheap imitations that have since followed. Examining the layout of the film, you realize this is how every action film should be assembled: with a pace that never lags, characters and dialogue that crackle with cleverness and intensity, and action that is both exciting and believable. From just about every angle you examine it from, this film is rollicking good fun. Upon it's release in 1988, although it wasn't the inaugural example of it's kind, `Die Hard' set new and exciting standards for the action/adventure genre.
I suppose, if there a noticeable defect in the film, it lies within the supporting cast. And even that is admirable given the typical population of stereotypes usually associated with the genre. Both Bonnie Bedelia (as McClane's wife and fellow hostage) and Reginald VelJohnson (as a fellow cop negotiating from the outside) are solid in their roles. Alan Rickman, as the deviously sly terrorist Hans, is not only the best villain in the `Die Hard' series - he's also one of the finest and well-constructed in film history, a structural model for all other bad guys to follow. Rickman, who combines dry wit with sinister intelligence, is an absolute pleasure to watch. The bad news arrives with the introduction of police chief Dwayne T. Robinson (Paul Gleason), a pompous jerk determined to be an obstacle in every relevant matter. The character is annoying, but Gleason plays it well. Afterward, though, a pair of even bigger pricks - FBI agents, of course - arrive at the scene and take charge with a stunning amount of incompetence. Add this to a whiny gung-ho reporter (William Atherton), a weasily drug-abusing co-worker (Hart Bochner), and a bunch of ornery terrorists armed with automatic weapons....is there actually a likable supporting character in the movie?
Of course, but never mind that little detail anyhow. `Die Hard' delivers the goods in plausible suspense, adrenaline-pumping action, and stupendous special effects to such a degree you almost beg for mercy. Director John McTiernan has created the action movie of the century, squeezing every ounce of possible excitement out of the premise, which (in all fairness) is rather simple. It's the one to challenge....the big kahuna.....the cream of the crop. And it also makes a great stocking stuffer.
(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton
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