Is Die Hard a Romantic Holiday Movie?
While working on an article about romantic holiday flicks to watch this season (I'll have it posted later today with any luck), I found myself in the midst of a huge debate -- is Die Hard (#1 or 2, take your pick) a romantic holiday movie?
Personally, I've never watched any of the movies in the series, so I couldn't speak as to its content or suitability for my list. But I had seven (at the time) men suggest Die Hard for this list, so I added it. But when I spoke to others who might be able to give me better insight as to why it belonged on my list, a heated debate ensued. "It's an action movie, not romantic!" "There is no Christmas anything in Die Hard," and, "Whoever suggested this is out to lunch," were some of the responses I received.
Yet the men who suggested Die Hard were adamant it belonged, with most listing it as their first choice along with Serendipity, another movie that was somewhat contentious.
So I'd love to hear from you on this one, especially the men. Is Die Hard a romantic holiday movie? Like some of my readers and friends, do you make a point of watching it every year during the holidays?
Comments
Romantic? No.
Christmas movie (the first, at least)? Sure — it follows standard Christmas Movie Formulas.
I don’t think many would dispute the idea that the Home Alone movies are “Christmas movies,” but Die Hard follows the same formula. Biggest difference is probably that people actually get hurt in Die Hard whereas fatal blows in Home Alone are shrugged off.
What makes a movie a Christmas movie? Snow? Decorated trees? I don’t think so. The above article does, I think, a decent job explaining what sorts of themes characterize American holiday movies as distinct from other movies.
Die Hard is NOT a Christmas movie. Ok, McClane is going to his wife’s company Christmas party at Nakatomi Plaza, but that is the ONLY time that Christmas is ever mentioned. Plus, how many “Christmas” movies involve killing terrorists? I wouldn’t show that to kids for Christmas.
Those that would argue that Home Alone follows the same formulla as Die Hard are just plain wrong. Not only was Home Alone a movie for kids where Christmas was mentioned many many times, but the main character comes to realize just how much he appreciates his family (kinda like It’s a Wonderful Life). In Die Hard, McClane doesn’t have a deep opiphany about how much his family means to him….he’s just thinking of the next clever line to say after killing a terrorist.
I will credit Die Hard for reinventing the action movie, but a Christmas movie it is NOT.
Honestly, I think whether or not Die Hard is considered a romantic Christmas movie depends on what you think John McClane’s motivation is for doing what he is doing.
First off, nobody ever said it had to be a Christmas movie appropriate for children - it’s definitely not that. This film has its rating for a reason. The qualifier was “romantic,” not “family.”
Do you think McClane was doing what he did just because it was his job as a law enforcement officer? Or do you think that he was doing it to save the woman he loved from a bunch of sleazy thieves?
That is what determines whether you think it’s a romantic Christmas film or not. Quite frankly, it could go either way. He does seem to redeem their relationship at the end (since, at the beginning of the film, it is obviously rocky). However, John also obviously doesn’t learn his lesson (hence the same thing happening in the second, the third being even more rocky between them, and the fourth they are just outright divorced).
Whatever you decide John’s motivation is from the film, that’s what will decide whether this is a romantic Christmas film for you or not.
I think those who suggested Die Hard actually meant Die Hard 2. Still though, I personally would not call it a “Christmas” movie.
The movie is set at christmas, ergo a christmas movie… John McClane is putting himself through hell, blowing himself up, crawling through glass, and murdering murderers for the woman he loves, he is prepared to kill himself to save a woman who doesn’t feel the same, it is hopelessly romantic… next thing you’ll all be telling us that gremlins isn’t a christmas movie…
No, it isn’t a romantic movie, nor is it a Christmas movie; it is an action movie. It has romance in it, but not enough for it to be called a romance movie. The same about it not being a Christmas movie, just because it’s set around Christmas doesn’t make it one. Probably the only part in the movie that has to do with Christmas (besides little clips like John looking at a santa claus decoration) is the fact that he came to the building for the holidays to see his wife.
Sam does have a point, but they barely emphasis on John’s motives. It’s mostly action-packed. If his main motive and going through all that he did go through was to save his wife, does that actually make the movie romantic?
What makes the movie an action movie is not so much about why John did what he did, or what should have been implied, it’s the scenes. And there were much more action scenes than romantic scenes in the movie. Otherwise that’s like saying The Lord of the Rings was a romantic movie because Aragorn’s motive was to destroy the ring so he could marry Arwen (the elf).
But to each his or her own
If you consider it a romantic movie based off of John’s motives rather than the overall scenes in the movie, then so be it. It’s an action-packed romantic holiday movie. 