Die Hard (1988) – NYPD Officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) travels to LA to visit his estranged wife and children on Christmas Eve. He joins her for a Christmas Party at the tower headquarters of the company she works for, but when a group of terrorists holds his wife and others hostage, he realizes that only he can save them.
The controversy of whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie has been discussed for years. Yes, it does take place on Christmas Eve, but does that really qualify it as a Christmas movie? What does a movie need to have this title?
There is a basic set of criteria that a Christmas movie needs, things that all the classics have—timing and theme. Timing involves when and how much Christmas is involved in the movie. Multiple movies have Christmas scenes, but they are just that—specific scenes in the middle of a movie that could span multiple months and multiple holidays. In Die Hard, the entire movie happens on Christmas Eve and revolves around a Christmas party. In the opening credits, there is Christmas music in the car as McClane is driven to his wife’s company building, and “Let It Snow” plays during the last minute of the film and during the credits. McClane’s wife also talks about Christmas with her coworkers and talks with their daughter about Santa over the phone in the opening scenes. The holiday season is clearly shown from the beginning of the movie, and it seems to be an ordinary family film for the first twenty minutes.
The themes of the movie are also consistent with the themes in other Christmas classics. The lessons learned in films like Elf, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, and others are about the love and importance of family. Die Hard is no different. The movie simply begins with a father travelling to visit his family for the holidays. Throughout the movie, Bruce Willis’ character fights through obstacle after obstacle to finally be with his loved ones. Although they’re arguing at the beginning of the movie, McClane and his wife reconnect after the chaos and save their marriage when he gives an honest apology. The motives of the character are loving and selfless, which is what Christmas is about.
On the contrary, some people may argue that the violence in Die Hard cannot be seen as an embodiment of the Christmas spirit, and that therefore, it cannot be called a Christmas movie. However, Violent Night (2022) was a movie from last year that featured Santa Claus (David Harbour) violently taking down criminals to save a family from a hostage situation. It received many positive reviews online and is a certified Christmas movie, so the violence in Die Hard cannot be used as a claim against its status as a Christmas movie.
Although Bruce Willis himself does not think so, Die Hard is a confirmed Christmas movie. Its setting is Christmas Eve, and the plot revolves around a holiday party. It also advocates for the importance of family and being home for the holidays. Die Hard fully deserves the same recognition and rewatches that fellow Christmas movies receive each December.
