The original Die Hard is a fantastic film with ample dashes of wit and satire along with some fantastic actions scenes and an amazing performance by Alan Rickman. For me, Bruce Willis was one of the least interesting parts of the original Die Hard so that alone makes the rest not too appealing to me since they tended to discard the intelligence and humor of the first one.
^Each to their own, re Bruce in DH. However, I do think its important to acknowledge that his wisecracking, flawed, often scared and panicking cop came as a breath of fresh air in a decade of Arnies, Sylvesters etc. McClane isn't a special forces vet or the like, he's just a resourceful cop. I think Willis plays the part to perfection. His childhood stammer almost emerges in places, his eye-rolling and mugging is so much more watchable than Sly's snarl or Arnie's scowl. And just think - we almost got Richard Gere in the lead. Does anyone think the movie would be quite so entertaining or McClane would've been quite so compelling in that parallel universe? I don't!
Funny you should mention that, since the script was almost filmed as Commando 2 until Schwarzenegger passed on it. It had an interesting history before finally making it to the screen.
I definitely like that he was more down to earth than other action heroes (something the later movies lost complete sight of), but I've just never been that impressed with Bruce Willis' acting.
So I always thought but apparently Steven DeSouza, writer of both, says otherwise: http://www.bristolbadfilmclub.co.uk...n-e-desouza-writerdirector-of-street-fighter/ He discusses his proposed script for Commando 2, which would have climaxed in a besieged building admittedly, but he is adamant that it was totally unrelated:
I like each Die Hard sequel less than the previous movie (4 a lot less than 3) and have yet to watch the fifth movie. While Die Hard with a Vengeance was a lot of fun and seems to be most people's second favorites, it just felt like they came up with a bunch of action sequences and tried to piece together a plot that would connect them.
I actually think the hair trilogy is one of the best action movie trilogies out there to be honest But the bald trilogy has done nothing but disappoint (so far). I think Willis genuinely wants the sixth one to be a step up in quality (so maybe it's time for the hair transplant)
After careful consideration I think I'll have to give this one to the first one, both 2 and 3 were also good but if I had to choose it would be the first one.
The original Die Hard has aged very well. It was unique in its day because of how it differed from the action movies that preceded it, and it's even more unique today because of the action movies that followed it.
Die Hard is easily the best. The only film of the franchise I don't like is A Good Day to Die Hard, which was awful.
I voted the first film as my favourite, but I do like the 4th a lot too. Next would be DH2, followed by 3. 5th? kept looking at my watch while in the cinema watching it. No.
The original is an absolute cast iron classic movie. It's one of those rare films that has a timeless quality to it. You can tell it's an 80's movie but it doesn't look dated, much like Aliens or Terminator 2. It's that good. To me it is the definitive action movie, to the point that every subsequent one was labelled 'Die Hard on a bus', 'Die Hard on a plane' the list is endless. Everything in the movie just slots together so perfectly. Every character shines in it whether it's slimy 'dickhead dus't sniffing Ellis, Alan Rickman's superb turn as Hans Gruber, Reginald VelJohnson's cop or Paul Gleason's highly amusing turn as Dwayne T. Robinson. Willis just glues the movie together with a great but slightly vulnerable performance that just sells the actions scenes to perfection. 10/10. The second one is not as good (it could never be) but it's still a really, really great action flick with loads of great scenes, lines and deaths. Job done. 8/10 The third one I think ranks right behind the original. It's an absolute rollercoaster of chaos, violence, and humour and I adore it. So many great scenes from the Taxi through Central Park, the tube train, the jugs of water, great car chase the list goes on.Only the stupid 'surfing the truck' bit and reshot ending lets it down. The rest of it is pure gold. The exchanges between Willis and Jackson are all massively entertaining. 9/10 The fourth one I thought was shite. It's the Terminator 3 of the franchise so far. Poor villain, way too over the top dumb stunts and toned down language and violence (which are a key ingredient of the series). The shootout in the flat was decent, and most of the rest was just ridiculous. The jump jet scene just takes the piss. 4/10. Haven't seen the fifth but I've heard it's dogshit.