"Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic."
—Rotten Tomatoes
"That’s right, I’m saying it, loudly and proudly, since John McTiernan’s 1988 action classic isn’t just set at Christmastime—it embodies the very spirit of the holiday."
—Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages — but him.