“Yippie kayak other buckets!”

- Charles Boyle

Brooklyn Nine-Nine
S3 E10 - Yippie Kayak | 18:30

Die Hard is quite possibly the most iconic action film of all time, and definitely my favorite Christmas film now so far. It’s just that quotable. It’s kind of a miracle how amazing Die Hard still is while also compared to other action phenomenons, like The Raid, Kill Bill, or John Wick. These films thrive in insane combat choreography and unique aesthetics, and it’s clear that Die Hard doesn’t even try to compete in this realm of the genre. It doesn’t need to.

The action is simple and memorable, and that’s all you need for a perfect action flick. 

Die Hard makes the rugged NY cop barefootedly running around in a wife-beater - one that unnecessarily highlights Bruce Willis’ awkward splotch of chest hair by the way - one of the most iconic characters ever. 

It’s nuanced, and rich with fun. The writing and production design combine into a stellar piece of action cinema. The declaring lines alongside the memorably designed set pieces make Nakatomi Plaza and all of Die Hard itself so memorable for a reason. Talk about the construction of each combat sequence, as the grounded nature doesn’t look for an elaborately choreographed Matrix shootout, but a flavorful punch of both raw realism and enough epicness - the gun taped to the back gotcha says it all. No one leaves Die Hard without the overly fashionable and stylish kills eternally ingrained to their brain. 

And finally: Alan Rickman is the shit. Really, all the performances are great, since even Bruce Willis gets an emotional spotlight during the bathroom scene. However, Rickman blows everyone else out of the water. He was always a standout in the Harry Potter franchise as Snape, so this was simply a pleasant surprise. His accent, mannerisms, and the addition of how his character literally acts in the film make a more than worthy villain. Hans Gruber is definitely no Hans Landa, but he’s certainly up there. 

Throughout the film, my one main complaint was that the supporting protagonists outside of Powell were simply stupid. It was kind of frustrating. I understand that not everyone has to be competent in these narrative situations, though I always prefer the main villain to be causing all the conflict. Either way, not only is this just a nitpick, but Powell’s arc for sure makes up for it. 

Can’t wait to hopefully rewatch this during the Christmas season. This year’s been a shitshow. 

Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker. 8/10.