--- title: "Die Hard: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/die-hard/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/die-hard" critics_score: 92 critics_reviews: 6 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Die Hard (1988): what the critics said Critics' score 92 from 6 reviews: 6 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics praise Die Hard for its tightly controlled action, dry humour and unusually personable hero. Bruce Willis’s resourceful, vulnerable John McClane and Alan Rickman’s poised, theatrical villain draw the most consistent approval, while John McTiernan’s direction earns credit for keeping the set pieces tense and legible. The reviews repeatedly connect the film’s lasting influence to that combination of forceful technique and performances that give the action a human centre. The reservations concern the writing rather than the staging, though their severity varies considerably. RogerEbert.com praises the technical work but finds the deputy police chief an unnecessary distraction that weakens the second half. The New York Times accepts the flimsy story as a vehicle for effective escapist entertainment. The Los Angeles Times takes a harder line, admiring the cinematic technique while finding the human drama silly and objectionable: a substantial dissent from the prevailing enthusiasm. ## The Telegraph — Martin Chilton Rating 5/5. 29 April 2016. The critic calls it a brilliant and suspenseful film that launched a franchise, praising its taut direction and the fit, vest-wearing John McClane. Alan Rickman's theatrical flourish as the villain is highlighted. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/04/18/die-hard-film-review-brilliant/) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★★. 7 December 2018. The critic describes it as a near-flawless narrative machine buoyed by Bruce Willis's charm and Alan Rickman's delicious antagonist, crediting the restless direction of John McTiernan. Its lasting influence on the action genre is noted. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/die-hard-1988-review-xtd03h2t8) ## Empire — Andrew Collins Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic calls it the pinnacle of 1980s action cinema and a worthy successor to The Towering Inferno, praising its redefinition of the genre through dynamic camerawork. He highlights Bruce Willis's career-defining everyman hero turn and Alan Rickman's standout villain performance as key strengths. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/die-hard-review/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2018. The critic finds it an enjoyable 80s action classic whose shootouts, explosions and catchphrases remain intact in a 30th-anniversary rerelease. Strong performances, especially Alan Rickman's scene-stealing turn as the urbane terrorist, are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/nov/29/die-hard-review-bruce-willis-alan-rickman-john-mctiernan) ## Radio Times — Andrew Collins Rating 8.2/10. This action thriller minted Bruce Willis's career, launched a franchise and still stands as a giant of the genre. McTiernan handles the set pieces with aplomb and the script oozes dry wit, but Willis is the star as the resourceful, world-weary John McClane. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-5i0koz/die-hard/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Thomas 15 July 1988. Die Hard is an archetypal big-deal Hollywood exploitation picture and a triumph of cinematic technique that is awesome in its destruction but disgusting and silly as human drama, certain to make Bruce Willis a star. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-15-ca-6951-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert 15 July 1988. The film is a technically impressive action thriller with strong stunts and performances, particularly Alan Rickman as the terrorist leader, but it is undermined by an unnecessary and idiotic deputy police chief character that weakens the second half. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/die-hard-1988) ## The New York Times — Caryn James 15 July 1988. Die Hard piles every known element of the action genre onto a flimsy story but works as exceedingly stupid escapist fun, with Bruce Willis blending action and comic dialogue effectively under John McTiernan's direction. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/15/movies/review-film-the-police-terrorists-and-a-captive-audience.html) ## Time Out — NF The film is a hi-tech thriller with a human heart that offers slam-bang entertainment on a par with Lethal Weapon or Aliens. McTiernan excels in staging the adrenalin-inducing action scenes with state-of-the-art violence. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/die-hard) ## Variety — Variety Staff 31 December 1987. Die Hard is a high-tech, rock-hard action suspenser pitting a lone-wolf cop against terrorists in a high-rise, with Bruce Willis amiable in the role and Alan Rickman having a giddy good time as the villain. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/die-hard-1200427606/) ## Collider — Chase Hutchinson Rating 10/10. 23 December 2022. Die Hard is a lean and scrappy action movie that never sets a foot wrong, with Bruce Willis delivering a magnificent performance. The film's practical sensibility makes it enduring, with explosions and fights grounded in realism and quieter moments adding depth; Alan Rickman delivers a delicious and dynamic performance as the terrifying yet charming villain. [Read the review](https://collider.com/die-hard-review-bruce-willis-alan-rickman/) ## Eye for Film — Gator MacReady 15 February 2002. The critic praises Die Hard as a groundbreaking, innovative action film that set new standards and inspired many imitators, highlighting Alan Rickman's sophisticated villain performance and the realistic, vulnerable portrayal of the hero John McClane. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/die-hard-film-review-by-gator-macready) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/die-hard.md