in the sixty and author roderick thorp write a novel and the detective and which be turn into a movie and star frank sinatra in the title role of joe leland . a sequel be write and in which joe become trap in the claxxon oil corporation skyscraper after it be take over by german terrorist and he have to rescue his daughter and grandchild . two decade later and the skyscraper become nakatomi and the daughter become the wife and leland becomes john mcclane and the title become die hard . to say that die hard set new standard for action movie be like call bill gate well off . the movie be so innovative and groundbreaking that dozen of rip offs follow passenger 57 and under siege and cliffhanger and sudden death and et al . hostage or terrorist movie be all the rage in the early ninety . very few come close and because die hard have so many strong point and not least of which be alan rickman marvellous performance and a han gruber also the name of the villain in our man flint the classically educate and smartly dressed terrorist leader . this be not some hammy guy in a chain mail shirt with spike on his glove ( commando ) . gruber would have be well at home on wall street . his plan be to break into the vault on the 30th floor of the nakatomi plaza and take away $ 640million in negotiable bearer bond . when he and his 12 european henchman round up the office worker and who be enjoy a christmas eve party and one man slip away unnoticed . he be john mcclane and a new york cop who have come to la to settle down with his estranged wife and holly ( bonnie bedelia ) . the odds be against him . but that just the way he like it . the terrorist even have name . and we remember them . most action movie these day have unidentified heavy and play by stunt men and who be line up and knock over . in his battle to save his holly and mcclane be scorch and torch and beat and blow up . he jump off the roof and fall through air duct . he uncover deception and double cross and pick break glass out of his bare foot . no help come from the naive and incompetent police and who be unable to get inside and and even less from the fbi . mcclane be not a supercop . he be an ordinary guy and who doesn not want a fight . when he be shot and he bleed . he hurt . all he have be his pant and his vest and his gun which run out of ammo . this be the first realistic connection the audience have . when you do not want to be in mcclane position and it make for much excitement . john mctiernan and who only previous mainstream movie be predator and use awesome photography and technical skill to give the film a truly polished and sophisticated look it be nominate for four technical academy award . he also allow for enough time for decent character development and most of which come between mcclane and a cop ( reginald veljohnson ) he make friend with on a cb radio . die hard manages to be heart pound and teeth grit every single time . and if you be one of those many people who have only ever be able to watch it on tv then now be definitely the time to rediscover a cool and classic and creative action picture .