Die Hard

19881988
RR
2h 12min

Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis is John McClane in the film that launched the billion-dollar 'Die Hard' action franchise.

Play trailer1:28

Action Thriller

An NYPD officer tries to save his wife and several others taken hostage by German terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.An NYPD officer tries to save his wife and several others taken hostage by German terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.An NYPD officer tries to save his wife and several others taken hostage by German terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.

Director
- John McTiernan
Writers
- Roderick Thorp(based on the novel by)
- Jeb Stuart(screenplay by)
- Steven E. de Souza(screenplay by)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Top rated movie #131

Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 8 wins & 6 nominations total

Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis and Andreas Wisniewski in Die Hard (1988)

Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia in Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, and Reginald VelJohnson in Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)

Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia in Die Hard (1988)

Alan Rickman, Bruno Doyon, and Wilhelm von Homburg in Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)

Die Hard (1988)

Hans Buhringer in Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)

NYPD cop John McClane goes on a Christmas vacation to visit his wife Holly in Los Angeles where she works for the Nakatomi Corporation. While they are at the Nakatomi headquarters for a Christmas party, a group of robbers led by Hans Gruber take control of the building and hold everyone hostage, with the exception of John, while they plan to perform a lucrative heist. Unable to escape and with no immediate police response, John is forced to take matters into his own hands. —Sam

hostage one against many los angeles california christmas heist 467 more

Taglines
- It will blow you through the back wall of the theater!
Genres
- Action
- Thriller
Certificate
- R
Parents guide

Trivia
The fictional Nakatomi Plaza is the headquarters of 20th Century Fox. The company charged itself rent for the use of the then-unfinished building.

Goofs
There is no ambulance in the truck when the terrorists first arrive, but Theo drives an ambulance out of the truck near the end of the movie (error acknowledged by filmmakers).

Quotes
John McClane: [huddled in an air vent, recalls his wife's invitation] "Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..."

Crazy credits
In the widescreen version, the 20th Century Fox logo is stretched.

Alternate versions
The Ultimate edition DVD contains the following deleted/extended scenes:
Extended power shutdown sequence.
Extended opening flight scene.
Brief dialogue in the first Hans/McClane confrontation.
Extended scene where Robinson/Powell brief the FBI on the tower situation.
Brief dialogue when Hans interrogates Takagi.
Brief dialogue after Theo says "You didn't bring me along for my charming personality".
Extended/alternate dialogue in McClane/Powell conversation after McClane uses the plastic explosives.
Brief scene of FBI agents getting stuck in thorn bushes as they make their way towards the building.
At the end, McClane says "You got a warranty for this (Holly's watch, a gift from Ellis)?" to which Holly laughs.
Argyle's dialogue as Powell's police cruiser flies by in the background.
Brief Ellis dialogue reacting to the terrorist intrusion.
City engineer briefly coughs before pulling out the power cord.
Brief dialogue in Hans/Karl argument about "neutralizing" McClane.
Additional Holly dialogue after seeing Karl's reaction to McClane's escape.

Connections
Edited into Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

Soundtracks
Singin' in the Rain
Written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown

Top review

8/10

Classic action movie

I first saw this movie a thousand years ago, but have been meaning to rewatch it since I started reading the debates on whether it can be considered a Christmas movie. But every Christmas when I suggested it to my girlfriend she would reply, "maybe later."

And then, after several years, we watched it. And while she's not always a big action-movie person, she loved it. The story is engaging. Bruce Willis has a way with a snappy line. The movie is full of snappy lines. It's exciting.

Some elements don't make any sense. It's certainly pure nonsense. And while it may technically have the features of a Christmas movie, it sure ain't Christmasy. But it is lots of fun and if you haven't seen it you really should. Even if it's not Christmas.

helpful•6

0

cherold
Jan 14, 2021

Budget
- $28,000,000 (estimated)
Gross US & Canada
- $83,844,093
Opening weekend US & Canada
- $601,851
- Jul 17, 1988
Gross worldwide
- $141,603,197

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
- 2h 12min
Color
- Color
Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1

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