Die Hard (film series) memorable." James Berardinelli wrote that the film "represents the class of modern action pictures and the standard by which they must be judged." Critic Desson Howe wrote that "Willis has found the perfect vehicle to careen wildly onto the crowded L.A. freeway of "Lethal Weapons" and "Beverly Hills Cops"." Willis was also called "perfect as the wisecracking John McClane" and "an excellent casting choice as a sardonic action hero." Alan Rickman's portrayal of villain Hans Gruber was described as "marvelous" and "a career-making performance." Gruber also ranked 46 on the villain side of AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains. In
Die Hard $5,568 per theater—finishing as the weekend's number three film. By the time "Die Hard" ended its theatrical run, it had earned $83 million in North America and a further $57.7 million from markets elsewhere, totaling $140.7 million. "Die Hard" was released on DVD on June 19, 2007, a Blu-ray Disc release followed on November 20, 2007. It was released on 4K UHD Blu-ray on May 15, 2018. On release, "Die Hard" drew ambivalent reviews from critics. British film critic Mark Kermode expressed admiration for the film, calling it an exciting setup of "Cowboys and Indians in "The Towering Inferno"." However,