Directed by: John McTiernan
Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Alexander Gudonov, Reginald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason, Robert Davi, Hart Bochner, William Atherton
All New York cop John McClane wanted to do was visit his estranged wife at her office Christmas party in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve. Perhaps they could work out their differences and resume their marriage? She moved cross-country to take a job in L.A. for a large Japanese corporation with its headquarters in a sleek high-rise. John stayed behind in New York. Then, the terrorists showed up and threw a monkey wrench into everyone's plans.
That is the setup for Die Hard, which established Bruce Willis as a major movie star after his successful run on the 80's TV series Moonlighting. The film spawned four sequels, three of which were very good and the final one which was a stinker. Each follows the same formula: McClane is a smart, resourceful, tough cop who manages through will, luck, and determination to outwit the bad guys and save the day. He is bloodied, but unbowed in the process, like a living, breathing Energizer bunny. Die Hard is an exemplary action thriller with brains and humor.
The terrorists here are led by Hans Gruber (Rickman), a smug, arrogant intellectual with his eyes on the company's vault containing $640 million in bearer bonds. They take the employees hostage, including McClane's wife Holly (Bedelia). Everything was going according to plan, until McClane starts killing his accomplices while staying hidden on the floors above. McClane takes a licking, but keeps on ticking. He spends most of the movie running around in bare feet, which leads to nasty cuts when he walks on broken glass.
Rickman plays a nice contrast to McClane's everyman. His slicked back hair, neatly trimmed beard, expensive suits, and English accent ooze arrogance and assumed superiority. Yes, he's supposed to be German, but the English accent just fits better. The police soon arrive, with a beat cop providing support over the radio to McClane while the cops and FBI struggle in vain to counteract the terrorists. The lawmen are portrayed mostly as buffoons, which is good for some laughs although you wonder how they got to be in the positions they're in.
The battle between McClane and Gruber is not just one of physicality, but smarts. Gruber sees McClane as an annoyance, but soon realizes he is in over his head dealing with him. This dynamic underscores the well-choreographed action sequences. McClane is not a superhero, just someone with a dogged determination to win. At the end of all of this, someone better have a hot shower and a bed waiting for him. What a lousy way to spend Christmas Eve.
No comments:
Post a Comment