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Even if the non-action parts are a tad slow in comparison, that is more than compensated by so many things that makes Die Hard so brilliant.

For one thing the action is explosive and consistently exciting, and the cinematography is astounding being very inventive and colourful. John McTiernon(The Hunt for Red October, Last Action Hero) directs briskly and efficiently, and the pacing a vast majority of the time is exhilarating.

Then there is a terrific score by Michael Kamen, some intelligent and witty scripting and a plot that doesn't feel forced or convoluted. Not to mention some excellent acting. As good as Bruce Willis is, yes his character is somewhat two-dimensional, but he is also resourceful and world-weary and Willis handles this really well, it is Alan Rickman who steals the acting honours as Hans Gruber. Gruber is cold, calculating, suave and menacing, in my opinion only Rickman could do justice to such a character. Overall, a superb movie, not only the best of the Die Hard franchise but one of the best of the action genre. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Die Hard (1988)

*** (out of 4)

Enjoyable and tense thriller about a group of terrorists (led by Alan Rickman) who overtake a L.A. skyscraper and the only thing keeping them from getting away with their crime is a New York police officer (Bruce Willis) there on vacation. There's a lot of very good things about this movie but I've always thought that the majority of the credit has to go to star Willis. He might not have been a A-list star at the time this was released but it's easy to see why he became one afterwards. I think what's so great about him and the character he plays is that we can believe he's just your typical guy you'd see walking around on the streets with you. That every-day-man quality that Willis has works so well here because of the odds stacked against his character you can't help but just sit back and enjoy this one person taking out a professional organization. The hilarious one-liners, the smart remarks and the way Willis makes himself know to the terrorists is just classic and we get so many great showdowns that you can't help enjoy all of them. It certainly doesn't hurt that you've got a strong supporting cast with Rickman being a villain you just love to hate. The coldness RIckman brings to the part is the perfect contrast to Willis' cop and it works perfectly. Reginald VelJohnson, William Atherton, Bonnie Bedelia and Paul Gleason also add great support for Willis to play off of. The action scenes are certainly some of the best you're going to see and what holds them together so well is the direction by John McTiernan. He perfectly blends the humor, tension and the action but he also gives the film a wonderful pace that keeps it moving at a fast rate. DIE HARD might be far-fetched in what one man is able to do but this really doesn't take away from any of the fun.

Bruce Willis is stirring up trouble for the bad guys in "Die Hard." In the first of three awesome films, he stars as Lt. John McClane, a New York police officer, who has been invited to the wrong Christmas party.

This is an action film for future actors and directors to watch and use as a model because it is what an action film should be. I have seen many action films in my life, but this ranks at the top as it has all the right components. Action packed sequences, explosions, special effects and most of all superb performances with excellent dialogue.

"Die Hard" is a movie I will not soon forget because the story is so well crafted. Though there are no twists or curves thrown at the audience, the audience can be assured they will be treated to two hours of non-stop action from beginning to end.

"Die Hard" did not only produce great action and explosions but future stars as well. I am talking about Clarence Gilyard Jr. who starred in Walker, Texas Ranger and Reginald VelJohnson who starred in the series "Family Matters." These two actors were pivotal to this film in their respective roles.

Two other names to keep in mind while thinking of key performers are Bonnie Bedelia and Alan Rickman. I was blown away when I saw the impact they had on this film. It is as if they came in and said 'Okay boys, watch out I'm taking over." They certainly did that; however, nobody could have done better than the impact performer himself Bruce Willis.

On a scale of 1-10; "Die Hard" is given a 100 by yours truly. My only regret would be that the movie ended. I wish there was more to see in this film. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE "DIE HARD" AGAIN.

In stepped John McTiernan and Bruce Willis with Die Hard. Willis, most famous at the time for the comic TV Series 'Moonlighting', made a perfect ordinary-man-in-an-extraordinary-situation action hero. He was believable as John McClane and not immune to being hurt. He bled and felt pain, a first for the genre. And yet his cool confident delivery of a great wisecracking, intelligent script made him all the cooler. But most credit should go to Director John McTiernan, king of the sophisticated action flick. He made action movies slick, smart and full of pace and wit while never letting up on the bullets, cars and bombs front.

Special praise must go out to Alan Rickman too whose performance as chief baddie Hans is to this day one of cinemas finest, moving convincingly from cool, calm and collected to desperate and nervous, never once seeming anything less than utterly ruthless and calculating. Even after we discover that Hans isn't there as a political terrorist but simply as a thief, he loses absolutely no villain credibility when he responds to Holly McClane's criticism by saying "I am an exceptional thief, Mrs. McClane and since I'm moving to kidnapping you should be more polite." Although we know Hans is capable of vile acts, he actually sees those as merely means to a greater and somehow justifiable end. His disposition is almost humanitarian and you would imagine him as quite a gentleman outside of the context of the crimes he commits in Die Hard's arc. In the end though, Hans is a pure sociopath that even the audience is conned into sympathizing with. I would actually argue that Die Hard is the greatest pure action film ever made. Yippie-ki-yay *muddy funster*... and happy holidays.

Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

This original action classic has been hugely influential over the years - and it's no surprise, as it's one of the best action thrillers ever made. New meaning is brought to the word "action" as here it is exhilarating, furious and nothing less than exciting. The premise is simple: one location, one good guy and twelve bad guys. Cue lots of explosions, fist fights, blood, violence, and plenty of shooting too. The thrills come from the suspense of Willis using his wits as well as his brawn to fight the bad guys and save the hostages.

When watching this film what becomes immediately apparent is how fresh it is. This hasn't been filmed with some cheap cameras for a quick buck, it looks professional and couldn't be less polished. The photography is clear and brings out the best of the surroundings, while the music has obviously been carefully chosen to convey the right mood. And, strangely enough for an action film, the acting is actually very good. Unheard of, as remember this was back in the days where Schwarzenegger and Stallone were the top stars of the action genre. Bruce Willis excels as the wisecracking, sardonic cop, and you can't fail to like him. He's consistently witty and provides a powerful presence when needed - it comes as no surprise as he lived off this image for the next six or seven years.

The supporting cast aren't half bad, either. The reliable Bonnie Bedelia takes a break from her usual highbrow, "moral dilemma", television movie fare as Willis' tough wife, while Reginald Veljohnson is also great as a sympathetic cop - you just want to hug him. But most memorable of all is Alan Rickman for his excellent turn as the cool, calculating terrorist with a carefully-crafted German accent and a fine line in natty suits. Rickman is THE bad guy of modern cinema, watch any subsequent action film with terrorists and you'll see people trying to be him. He's that good. The rest of the cast of terrorists have all been picked for their imposing looks, and they're not bad either. Keep your eyes peeled for fearsome Bond baddie Robert Davi in a minor role as an FBI man.

As well as the tense running around in corridors and stand-offs between Willis and the various creeps, this film really delivers in the action stakes. The guys here really do look like they are trying their hardest to kill each other, and we get people flying down stairs, getting chains wrapped around their necks, getting shot all over the place. Every kill that Willis makes is original and exciting. There are also plenty of ace stunts, like when Willis jumps off an exploding roof with only a fire hose tied around his waist. The gore level is high, graphic in fact, with people being shot apart wherever you look, and it's definitely a film for all cinema fans to enjoy. Consistently entertaining and strong enough to withstand repeated viewings, this is the first and final word on the "one guy versus lots of bad guys" sub-genre of the action flick.