For some reason, every year without fail, people debate whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie even though it ticks all of the requisite boxes that constitute a festive favorite. After all, the story is about a family wanting to be together during the holidays, and there just happens to be a pretty sizeable roadblock thrown in the way by Hans Gruber and his band of terrorists taking over Nakatomi Plaza.
Social media certainly thinks it’s a Christmas film, and so does director John McTiernan, and who are we to argue with the guy that made it? Movies like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Gremlins, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Batman Returns all have fans who watch them every year right around the same time, while the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Iron Man 3 was trending as recently as yesterday for the same reason, and there’s no rule that says action-packed blockbusters can’t occupy similar territory to Elf or It’s a Wonderful Life.
If anything, the argument has gotten more than a little tiresome, because we hear it every year and will no doubt continue to do so in perpetuity despite the evidence making it very clear that Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie. After all, if it wasn’t for the Nakatomi staff throwing their annual holiday party, then there would be no reason for John McClane to even be there.
Of course, it doesn’t matter what time of year you flip on Die Hard, as it’s always going to be one of the greatest action flicks ever made, if not the best ever, but somehow tradition has dictated that November and December have become the most suitable months to watch Bruce Willis dirty up his white vest and sure enough, the film is now trending on Twitter as tons of people sit down on their couch and revisit a true classic.
