Synopsis: New York City police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) travels to Los Angeles in an effort to reconcile with his wife. His efforts are interrupted when a group of terrorists/robbers put a halt to her company Christmas party by taking everyone but McClane hostage; leaving him as the only person who can rescue them.
What I liked about this movie: I’m not a huge Bruce Willis fan but, even though I have seen this movie about a dozen times (including last night), it just doesn’t get old. This is because you have a good mix of action, drama and even a bit of comedy (mostly Willis’ one-liners) that keep the movie going even when you would expect it to slow down a bit.
I think the thing that really wins me over about this movie is the bad guy, Hans Gruber. Actor Alan Rickman really brings that character to life and gives him personality. He seems very civilized and highly intelligent but he does have a violent streak and doesn’t hesitate to pull the trigger to get his point across. Without this character (or a different actor playing him), I don’t think this movie would have been nearly as good.
What I didn’t like about this movie: Overall, I liked pretty much everything about this movie. But, I do think there were a few too many times when the bad guys made it a bit too easy for McClane to kill them or escape them. This includes having their guns pointed right at him and engaging him in conversation rather than simply pulling the trigger.
Also, I think this movie does paint the LAPD, FBI and police officers in general in a bit of a bad light; as though they are absolutely clueless about what to do in a hostage situation.
Final Opinion: If you haven’t seen this movie before, you should take the time to watch it. If you have seen it before, it’s also worth watching again.
Average Netflix Grade: 4 stars out of a possible 5.
My Grade: 4 stars.