Die Hard.
When it was made, surely nobody knew the decades-long debate it would spawn.
On the face of it, the film is a simple action blockbuster.
The plot is well-known: John McClane, a New York police detective, visits his estranged wife in Los Angeles for Christmas. While attending her office party, a group of terrorists, led by the iconic Hans Gruber, infiltrate the building and attempt to steal a large sum of money from the vault. McClane, who happens to be in the bathroom at the time, manages to evade capture and embarks on a mission to stop the terrorists and save the day.
At first glance, Die Hard seems like an unlikely Christmas movie. The film is filled with action, violence, and explosions, which doesn’t exactly scream “peace on earth and goodwill to all.” However, upon closer inspection, there are several reasons why Die Hard can be considered a Christmas movie.
Die Hard is a Christmas Movie
Aside from the obvious Christmas-party setting, Christmas music, and the fact that John’s wife is called Holly, there are a couple of key points to note.
The film is all about the struggle to reconnect with family, a classic Christmas theme.
Being trapped in a building defending it against invaders is, surprisingly, a fairly common Christmas film plot. Think “Home Alone”, and “Better Watch Out”, for starters.
Oh no it isn’t!
A lot of people die. There is swearing. It’s definitely not one to watch with younger children. If you took out the Christmas party and replaced it with some important boss’s birthday or retirement party, it would be the exact same film.
Oh yes it is!
Ultimately, whether or not Die Hard is considered a Christmas movie is a matter of personal opinion. However, as McClane himself might say, “Now I have a machine gun. Ho, ho, ho.”
And that is all I will say about that.