Die Hard. 1988. USA. Directed by John McTiernan. With Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Alan Rickman. 35mm. 132 min.
Director John McTiernan wisely pivoted away from the Schwarzenegger/Stallone archetype when he cast Bruce Willis as New York detective John McClane in Die Hard, and Willis gave the part an air of bruised vulnerability that was scarce on the big screen at the time. McTiernan pits Willis against British stage actor Alan Rickman (in his screen debut) as Hans Gruber, the ruthless yet debonair leader of a gang of thieves who take control of Nakatomi Plaza, a Los Angeles high-rise, on Christmas Eve with a plan to steal millions in bearer bonds. Working from a sharp script by Jeb Stuart (and refined by Steven E. de Souza) and leaning into the Willis/Rickman chemistry, McTiernan elevated Die Hard above the mindless shoot ’em ups of the era—and created a fresh blueprint for spectacular action films that Hollywood still uses today.