Die Hard (1988)

All Critics (53) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (3) | DVD (33)

In the first half of Director John McTiernan's movie, Willis wears an undershirt. In the second half he gets rid of it. And that's pretty much it for his performance.

December 5, 2008 Full Review | Comments (46)

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

Die Hard is as high tech, rock hard and souped up as an action film can be.

November 27, 2007 Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

A serviceable if rather overextended and overblown adventure thriller.

November 27, 2007 Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

A hi-tech thriller with a human heart.

January 26, 2006 Full Review

Time Out

Top Critic

The scenes move with such relentless energy and smashing special-effects extravagance that Die Hard turns out to be everything action-genre fans, and Bruce Willis's relieved investors, might have hoped for.

May 20, 2003 Full Review

Caryn James

New York Times

Top Critic

For what it is, this is the top model -- flash, bang, and witty one-liners all included.

January 1, 2000 Full Review

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Top Critic

DIE HARD is a classic film. Simply put, every single thing works.

February 11, 2013 Full Review

JimmyO

JoBlo's Movie Emporium

... Not only the best action movie ever made but one of the very best of any genre.

February 10, 2013 Full Review

Greg Maki

Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)

Undoubtedly, it's dated in some respects, but as a pure actioner Die Hard remains timeless.

January 31, 2013 Full Review

Stephen Carty

Flix Capacitor

John McTiernan's thriller-actioner is well executed, boasting a strong performance from Bruce Willis, which made him a big-screen star.

April 20, 2012 Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Original Bruce Willis violent actioner.

January 2, 2011 Full Review

Kelly Kessler

Common Sense Media

High-tech cartoonish action thriller.

March 3, 2009 Full Review | Comments (6)

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Great pace, great gun battles, great fun.

November 27, 2007 Full Review

Film4

...remains one of the most entertaining and flat-out thrilling examples of the action genre...

June 26, 2007 Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

This is a DVD set that will appeal to true Die Hard aficionados.

June 14, 2007 Full Review

Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

Great escapist action, but it's still nothing more than an action movie %u2013 cinema's version of a nice, tasty hamburger.

June 14, 2007 Full Review

Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

The pumped-up, high tech surprise hit of 1988; a triumph of slick direction and lowbrow thrills, marred but not spoiled by a sour aftertaste.

December 4, 2006 Full Review

TV Guide's Movie Guide

A seminal action film that created an entire subgenre. Super action, but the key to its success is how it effectively pits Willis' common-man hero against Rickman's haughty arch-villain.

March 4, 2006

Chuck O'Leary

FulvueDrive-in.com

Every so often a movie comes along whose concept sparks a flood of imitators. Die Hard is such a movie.

September 30, 2005 Full Review

Scott Nash

Three Movie Buffs

'A landmark film that breathed life and originality into an area of cinema where only formulas were proven reliable.'

July 18, 2004 Full Review

Derek Smith

Cinematic Reflections

• 1. Hans Gruber: Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho.
  – Submitted by Robin M (49 days ago)
• 1. John McClane: [huddled in an air vent, recalls his wife's invitation] Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs...
  – Submitted by Gabriel R (3 months ago)
• 1. Hans Gruber: [on the radio] You are most troublesome for a security guard.
  2. John McClane: [imitates buzzer] Sorry, Hans. Wrong guess. Would you like to go for double jeopardy where the scores can really change?
  3. Hans Gruber: Who are you, then?
  4. John McClane: Just a fly in the ointment, Hans. A monkey in the wretch. A pain in the ass.
  – Submitted by Cody H (4 months ago)
• 1. Hans Gruber: [impersonating a hostage] You don't work for Nakatomi, and if you're not one of them?
  2. John McClane: I'm a cop from New York.
  3. Hans Gruber: New York?
  4. John McClane: Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake. Who knew? [Hans looks at John's bare feet] Better than getting caught with your pants down. [laughs] I'm John McClane. You're uh...
  5. Hans Gruber: Clay. Bill Clay.
  6. John McClane: You know how to use a handgun, Bill?
  7. Hans Gruber: I spent a weekend at a combat ranch. You know that game with the guns that shoot red paint? Probably seems kind of stupid to you.
  8. John McClane: No. [hands him the gun] Time for the real thing, Bill. All you gotta do is pull the trigger.
  – Submitted by Cody H (4 months ago)
• 1. Marco: No more table! Where are you going to go now? Let me give you some advice: Next time you have the chance to kill someone, don't hesitate!
  2. John McClane: [kills him] Thanks for the advice.
  – Submitted by Diego U (5 months ago)
• 1. John McClane: Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister.
  – Submitted by Gareth H (5 months ago)