Die Hard Die Hard Die Hard is a 1988 American action thriller film. It was directed by John McTiernan, and written by Steven E. de Souza and Jeb Stuart. It was produced by the Gordon Company and Silver Pictures, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film follows off-duty New York City Police Department officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) who is caught in a Los Angeles skyscraper during a heist led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). It is based on Roderick Thorp's 1979 novel "Nothing Lasts Forever". Made for $28 million, "Die Hard" grossed over $140 million theatrically worldwide, with the film
Die Hard (film series) great finesse... they don't add up to a taut, dread-ridden whole." James Berardinelli thought that the explosions and fights were "filmed with consummate skill, and were thrilling in their own right." Samuel L. Jackson also received praise for his role in the film. Desson Howe of "The Washington Post" thought that "the best thing about the movie was the relationship between McClane and Zeus," saying that Jackson was "almost as good as he was in "Pulp Fiction"." The fourth film, "Live Free or Die Hard", received highly positive reviews. Mick LaSalle of the "San Francisco Chronicle" claimed that the film