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 turning Willis into an action star, and became a metonym for an action film in which a lone hero fights overwhelming odds. The film's success created the "Die Hard" franchise, which includes four sequels, a number of video games, and a comic book, and later in 2017 was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. "Die Hard" has been named one of the best action and Christmas-themed films ever made. The film also ranks on "Empire"s 2017 list of the 100 greatest movies of all time. On Christmas Eve, NYPD detective John McClane arrives in Los Angeles,