Die Hard

police dispatcher: "Attention, whoever you are, this channel is reserved for emergency calls only."
John McClane: "No fucking shit, lady! Does it sound like I'm ordering a pizza?"

release year: 1988
genre: action
viewing setting: home streaming 12/30/23 and home Bluray 10/23/21 and 12/24/17 and DVD, 11/11/12 and many other times in the past

synopsis: Terrorists take over a nearly-abandoned skyscraper full of hostages, but a lone cop on vacation is also trapped in the building, and he's not going to go down without a fight.

impressions: This is a genre-creating movie, which inspired countless variations on the same theme. No matter - this was still the first and best. It's a tightly-scripted, well-plotted, well-acted, and violent action movie that hits on all cylinders. Every little detail has some significance and ties into something else, there are memorable characters on both sides of the conflict, and there are numerous little humor bits that are priceless.

something this movie has that no other movie has: A bad guy preparing an ambush near a vending area, spotting a candy bar, and looking around guiltily before taking it.

acting: Bruce Willis is the protagonist, and does a great job of mixing action and humor. Alan Rickman is the head thief, Hans, and this was one of his greatest roles ever. Many, many others do good jobs with their roles as well - the self-serving reporter, the idiotic police chief, the cop who befriends McClane over the radio, the evil FBI guys...they're all here.

final word: This is one of the best action movies ever made...a definite member of the "top ten of all time" club.

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