Not only is it a thrill-a-minute ride, but it has one of the best film villains in recent memory, a hero everyone can relate to, dialogue that crackles with wit, and a lot of very impressive pyrotechnics.
88
USA TodayMike Clark
USA TodayMike Clark
The result is a foot-stomping rouser. Where else can you get a cop in his underwear boogalooing with skyscraper terrorists? [15 July 1988, Life, p.4D]
80
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Washington PostDesson Thomson
A firepowered, blood-drenched action picture that doesn't let up.
75
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Stack
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Stack
Slick, glossy, overblown, implausible. [15 July 1988, Daily Notebook, p.E1]
75
Chicago TribuneDave Kehr
Chicago TribuneDave Kehr
Has everything but a personality. [15 July 1988, Friday, p.A]
70
The New York Times
The New York Times
Has to be the most excessive film around. It piles every known element of the action genre onto the flimsy story. [15 July 1988]
60
TV Guide Magazine
TV Guide Magazine
A triumph of slick direction and lowbrow thrills, marred but not spoiled by a sour aftertaste.
60
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
As a grand flourish of cinematic technique, it is awesome; as a human drama, it is disgusting and silly, a mindless depiction of carnage on an epic scale. [15 July 1988, Calendar, p.6-1]
50
TimeRichard Schickel
TimeRichard Schickel
What Willis proves in Die Hard is that it is not one you can ease through, especially if your preparation runs more to body building than to character building. [July 25, 1988]
50
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
On a technical level, there's a lot to be said for Die Hard. It's when we get to some of the unnecessary adornments of the script that the movie shoots itself in the foot.