Directed by: John McTiernan

Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, and Bonnie Bedelia

In Die Hard, an ordinary office holiday party becomes a terror fest when international terrorists take over the Nakatomi Plaza office building in Los Angeles.  Led by German Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), the terrorists orchestrate an elaborate heist to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from Nakatomi Corp., a multinational firm.  Even though they planned well for this job, the terrorists didn’t account for one thing—the fact that employee Holly Gennaro (Bonnie Bedalia) has an ass-kicking husband roaming the building.  Office John McClane (Bruce Willis) of the New York Police Department is in the building spreading holiday cheer that packs a punch.

Die Hard is really the predecessor to the modern day action thriller.  It gave us the formula for a film in which one man seemingly takes on the rest of the world.  One New York City Cop taking on a dozen international terrorists with more manpower and more firepower seems a bit implausible.  Die Hard is the first and best film to make this both a believable and enjoyable plot.  This explosive, action-packed thriller gives any moviegoer everything they could possibly want out of a film and then some.  The film also gave us one of the greatest action stars of all time in Bruce Willis.  Die Hard is truly a rare gem among action flicks that has stood the test of time.  This definitely deserves a sober rating.