Die Hard (film series) reunite with separated wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) in Los Angeles at her company's Christmas party. Holly left to pursue her career with their two children, and uses her maiden name. At the fictional Nakatomi Plaza, East German terrorists break in and take the celebrants hostage. McClane escapes detection and hides throughout the building. He kills off the gang and learns their real plan, to steal $640 million in bearer bonds from the building's vault. In the finale, McClane shoots the terrorist leader, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), out the window to fall thirty stories. It was released on July 15, 1988
Live Free or Die Hard or most exciting "Die Hard", but it is a lot of fun" and that it is his favorite among the "Die Hard" sequels. Roeper also remarked, "Willis is in top form in his career-defining role." Michael Medved gave the film three and a half out of four stars, opining, "a smart script and spectacular special effects make this the best "Die Hard" of 'em all." Conversely, Lawrence Toppman of "The Charlotte Observer" stated: "I can safely say I've never seen anything as ridiculous as "Live Free or Die Hard"." Toppman also wrote that the film had a lack of memorable