A Reel Opinion: The DIE HARD Debate

Is DIE HARD a Christmas movie? That is the question that has fueled endless debates in recent years. The 1988, John McTiernan-directed action-thriller, which celebrates its 30^th anniversary this month (read Reel Speak’s blog on the 25^th anniversary HERE), was a smash-hit that elevated leading-man Bruce Willis to big-screen stardom…and set the template and the new bar for the modern action film. Despite being a cops vs. robbers shoot-em-up with lots of gunplay and explosions, its Christmastime setting has die-hard fans of the film firmly giving it a label as a holiday film.

But those die-harders were dealt a blow this past weekend, when Willis himself took a machine gun to their argument. At the Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis, which was recorded for a future air-date, Willis told the audience that DIE HARD “…is not a Christmas movie! It’s a goddamned Bruce Willis movie!”

The large statement has enraged those who have been pegging the film as a Christmas movie, and certainly didn’t settle anything. The internet and social media channels were ignited like a fuse, with many pointing towards Willis’ often bizarre behavior over the years, and that the former biggest-action-star in the world was simply trolling. But Willis may be on to something. DIE HARD was at the time, and still is, a great film. It is full of excitement and laughs, and the character work makes it far from shallow. It changed the landscape of modern action films, and perhaps Willis was showing frustration that the new DIE HARD legacy isn’t its greatness on the screen, but this ridiculous question. If that be true, then good for Bruce…and it all points towards how fandom can taint the movies; just as we’ve seen with STAR WARS and the DC Comics superhero films.

Fandom may be messing up the legacy of DIE HARD, but this Blogger won’t use that to avoid the question, if it has to be asked. There are strong arguments on both sides. The film takes place during Christmastime, features Santa hats, an office holiday party, sleigh bells, and holiday music. And many point out that Willis’ character’s desire to be with his family is a holiday theme. But on the flip side, the film’s setting of Los Angeles takes away the standard holiday movie requirement of SNOW…and the shootings, killings, bloodspill, swearing, explosions, and nude-girl poster aren’t quite what Dickens ever had in mind. The main theme of the film isn’t a warm family gathering, it’s trying not to get shot. And perhaps most importantly, the film was envisioned as a summer blockbuster in the first place. That’s why it was released in July. And as far as Bruce Willis is concerned, we have to take seriously the words of someone who was actually on set making the film; he was there. We weren’t.

There are several films that this Blogger revisits every December that have nothing to do with Christmas, like THE LORD OF THE RINGS, GANGS OF NEW YORK, the HARRY POTTER series, and STAR WARS. All those films have had release dates in December, and that’s where they feel at home. As stated, DIE HARD arrived in July, but its setting makes it feel out of place for watching on a hot summer night. It’s not really a Christmas film; it’s an action flick that happens to be set during the holidays. It’s a mish-mash of two genres that makes it work in December and July.; similar to Tim Burton’s NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS which works at Halloween and Christmas. Anyone can watch DIE HARD whenever it feels right, but no one should be trying to ruin it for everyone else.