Movie Poster

Yippee-Ki-Yay, Motherfucker.

# Review

Based on the novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, Bruce Willis plays a veteran NYC cop, John McClane, who hopes to reconcile with his estranged wife at a holiday party hosted by her employer, the Nakatomi Corporation. While at the party, a group of professional mercenaries led by a cold and ruthless Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) take over the building and kidnap the employees of Nakatomi, including McClane's wife. McClane then goes on a one-man mission to thwart the terrorists and save the hostages.

The story could not be simpler; it's a classic tale of good versus evil. The writing, however, really brings this story to life; the dialogues are corny but funny, and the characters, even the "villain" Gruber, are all very likeable. I especially liked the contrast between McClane, who is talkative and excitable, and Gruber, who is cool and calculating. The peripheral characters are also excellent, such as Hart Bochner's portrayal of the arrogant Ellis, who was featured in one of my favourite scenes in the movie (and yes, I'm slightly embarrassed I understood all of his M&A jargon). I also liked Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt. Al Powell, who added many comedic breaks and whose chemistry with McClane added much to the narrative.

The action, of course, is amazing; this was before the era of CGI and makes use of many real practical effects and action sequences. The movie holds up well even today. There were so many memorable moments, including the one with the rooftop and the one with broken glass; this movie does not have a moment of boredom.

# Conclusion

One of my favourite holiday movies.

# Overall rating: 8.5

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