An action film lover has hailed a classic of the genre as a “masterpiece” that he can’t stop watching. Daniel Boyer at Collider put together a list of the films that as a “hardcore film and action buff” rewatches most.
Boyer named the 1988 Bruce Willis blockbuster Die Hard as “one of the most rewatchable movies ever”, as many will attest. He added that the breathless flick is “the ultimate action movie”, with “intense violence, nail-biting suspense”, a “legendary story and memorable characters”, adding that it “never gets old”.
Willis stars as John McClane, an NYPD cop visiting his estranged wife Holly Gennaro-McClane (Bonnie Bedelia) as a Christmas eve party takes place at her office in the fictional LA skyscraper Nakatomi Plaza.
But his attempts to get their relationship back on track take a back seat as a gang of terrorists led by the cool, calculating Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), storm the building and take everyone hostage.
Everyone except McClane, who manages to stay hidden and launches a one-man mission to save his wife and her colleagues.
One fan on IMDb gave the film a 10/10, saying: “Watching this every time always brings back memories of watching it back in the day. Bruce Willis is phenomenal, I love everything this guy makes.
“Great story that keeps you on the edge wondering what happens next.”
Another called it the “greatest action film of all time”, adding that it’s “very rare to come across an action movie that doesn’t use the formula that Die Hard created or to come across an action movie that’s as good as Die Hard”.
“I’d like to thank director John McTiernan and screenwriters Jeb Stuart and Steven E de Souza for giving us the perfect 80’s action film.”
A fan on Rotten Tomatoes gave it five stars and said the “scene is set remarkably well, the action is incredible and the tension and drama and twists are all fantastic”.
“Bruce Willis is at this all-time best an Alan Rickman is perfect,” they added. “The relationships on-screen are great. I can’t think of a single improvement I would make.”
The film is “Certified Fresh” on the website, and has a stonking 94% score on its Tomatometer (which reflects the percentage of approved critics who have given the film a positive review”. It has the same score among general audiences too, reflecting the high regard its held in.
The action epic has a 15 certificate and contains strong violence, language, nudity and hard drug use, so may not be for everyone.
Die Hard is streaming now on Disney+ and is available to buy or rent on Sky Store and Amazon Prime.