Is 'Die Hard' A Christmas Movie?

It's time to settle the debate once and for all: is Bruce Willis' Die Hard a christmas movie?

Bruce Willis in 'Die Hard' (CREDIT: 20th Century Studios/NBC News)

by Jack Linsdell

Every December, with festivities in full swing and decorations making their annual appearance, Google trends reveal that searches for the words "Die Hard" and "Christmas" spike massively. This is all linked to the great question of our time, one which has divided families, sparked fierce debate and formed the subject for countless polls since 1988. Every year, another generation joins the ever-growing debate, trying to put the whole thing to bed once and for all. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Yes or no? However, more importantly, is there an answer? Yes. There most certainly is.

Before we dive in, we first have to define what a Christmas movie actually is. Is a Christmas movie just a film that's released during the Christmas season? In which case, does that make (offhand) James Wan's Aquaman and JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker recent examples of one? Or, is a Christmas movie just a film set at Christmas? If so, that makes Todd Haynes' 2015 Cate Blanchett-led drama Carol and Peter Hunt's much-adored 1969 Bond flick On Her Majesty's Secret Service Christmas films. Or, can a movie only be considered a "Christmas movie" if the events of it are actually related to the festive season rather than it just providing a backdrop? In that case, Vince Vaughn's family comedy Four Christmases or the 1990's John Hughes-penned classic Home Alone are Christmas flicks. The truth is, your answer to "is Die Hard a Christmas movie?" is down to how you define a Christmas movie. And, that's not as straight forward as you think. 

Take last year's much-acclaimed fantasy blockbuster Jumanji: The Next Level. That Jake Kasdan-directed flick was released during the festive season, capitalising on families being home to become the most popular movie of December. Now, most people would say that just because it was released over the Christmas holidays doesn't make it a "Christmas movie". And, I would agree. Every year, we have a blockbuster flick, a mid-budget film, several adult counter-programmers and then a few Oscar contenders given limited release (before going wide in January) that make up the theatrical viewing slate for December. If we count them all as "Christmas movies" we take away the very point of having the label in the first place. There are too many movies released during the Christmas season, most of which are not related to the festive holiday in any way and could quite easily play at other points in the year, to count them as "Christmas movies". So, at least that counts out thousands of flicks like Aquaman at least. 

However, Jumanji: The Next Level is also partly set at Christmas too. Does that elevate it to "Christmas movie" status? Well...kind of I suppose. The Dwayne Johnson/Kevin Hart/Jack Black/Karen Gillan flick has it's first and third acts (the real world domestic drama parts of the video game blockbuster) set against a backdrop of Christmas with lights, Christmas trees and snow visibly seen in numerous scenes. It makes watching The Next Level that little bit more special and/or relatable to an audience who see it in theatres during December. The same can be said for On Her Majesty's Secret Service or Stephen Chobsky's 2017 drama Wonder, both of which have substantial portions of the movie set during Christmas, with festive-themed songs accompanying those specific scenes. There are some that would say this also doesn't make a film a "true" Christmas movie and, again, I would agree with them.

Technically, the likes of Christmas With The Kranks, Home Alone, A Christmas Carol, Arthur Christmas and Elf are true Christmas flicks. They are not just released and set during the festive season, but also have plots that revolve around Christmas in some shape or form. 

So, where does this leave Die Hard? Well, if we view it in the same context as outlined above, then the answer is...yes. That's right folks, Die Hard IS a "Christmas Movie". Okay, it wasn't released during the Christmas holidays (rather as a prime  "summer movie season" release in July 1988), but we've already discounted the release date as being an appropriate and fair marker for determining if a film is a "Christmas movie". Unlike The Next Level or On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the Bruce Willis/Alan Rickman flick is set ENTIRELY at Christmas, with the iconography of the festive season providing a prominent backdrop to most scenes. It also features three Christmas songs ("Let It Snow", "Winter Wonderland" and "Christmas in Hollis") as a core part of it's soundtrack. But, that alone doesn't make it a "true" Christmas movie. In my view, it earns that distinction because its plot is influenced and/or involves around the festive season. 

Willis' John McClane only returns to California in a bid to visit his children who are on Christmas break and win back the affection of his wife. Without the festive season, McClane has no story motivation to take the trip. Also, Rickman's villain Gruber then uses a Christmas party as a setting to take hostages (including McClane's wife) which becomes the "A" storyline - McClane has to rescue his wife to win her back. Professors have also made the case that McClane represents everything "good" about Christmas too. He's a classic Christmas underdog triumphing over selfish venality. 

So, is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Yes. Sure, it's original June release date indicated that the studio didn't "sell" it as a Christmas flick at the time, but a popular post-theatrical run every Christmas on network TV firmly corrected that. Die Hard does take place at Christmas and the whole festive season plays a prominent part in the visual look, feel and backdrop to the film, not to mention positive Christmas messaging and a festive-themed soundtrack. However, what makes it a "true" Christmas flick above The Next Level and Carol is that it's plot is motivated and impacted by the Christmas season which is what makes the likes of Home Alone and Fred Claus "Christmas movies" too. Sure, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a film that benefits being seen at Christmas, or certainly fits better in with the whole holiday season than a movie that isn't. But, that doesn't make it a true "Christmas movie". 

Die Hard is a "Christmas movie" because its setting during the holiday season is crucial to the film, and isn't just a backdrop to align a movie with a December release date. And, that is why it has become as defining a Christmas movie as Home Alone. So...that settles it then. 

Well...until next year!