Die Hard's fresh take on action heroes, excellent directing and pacing, and explosive effects make it a near-perfect action film and one of the finest of the genre.
Die Hard revolutionized the action genre by rejecting the muscle-bound action tropes of its predecessors and introducing a relatable fast-talking hero masterfully portrayed by Bruce Willis. Willis' John McClane receives more sympathy from the audience because of his everyman quality. McClane seems like an ordinary guy caught up in an extraordinary situation and is doing whatever he can to save his wife and stop the bad guys. This more conventional character makes Die Hard much more engaging because most viewers can see themselves in the movie. Mix in John McTiernan's incredible directing, Alan Rickman's standard-setting villain, and sprinkle in some Christmas music and holiday cheer for extra flavor and you got yourself one of the greatest action movies in history and the best Christmas movie of all time (Don't fight me on it not being a Christmas movie, please. Let me have this.)