BDBF Debates—Is Die Hard an Action Movie or a Christmas Movie?

While the holidays may occasionally bring more existential questions (i.e., “What is the true meaning of Christmas?”), at Bulman Dunie, we prefer to tackle more important questions of our time. Read along as our attorneys debate the age-old question – is Die Hard a Christmas movie or an action movie?

Jeremy Rachlin

Verdict – Action Movie

To me, any movie that ends with a wounded, bullet-riddled villain plunging 34 stories from the roof of a skyscraper (spoiler alert) can’t possibly be a Christmas movie. I seriously question the judgment of anybody who would think otherwise. And for the record, the “fists with toes” trick works like a charm.

Liz Farley

Verdict – Action Movie

I agree with Jeremy. While Die Hard takes place at a Christmas party, Christmas is not the focus of the film and Die Hard has themes in it (violence, action, etc.) that are not in other Christmas movies. It could take place at a regular office party or a different holiday office party, and the same story could be told.

Phil Kuljurgis

Verdict – Christmas Movie

John McLane is essentially Santa Claus, crawling through the “chimney” (the HVAC system) of the Nakatomi Corporation to save the good and punish the naughty Hans Gruber, who himself is something of a Krampus character. It even has a similar ending to the Miracle on 34^th Street, because John McClane and his wife reconcile as the movie closes.

Dan Shaivitz

Verdict – Christmas Movie

I feel like Jeremy is gaslighting me simply by asking me to answer this question. There is no room for disagreement when you consider the simple and objective facts. Observe: 1) the movie takes place on Christmas Eve; 2) there is a (far too perfectly divided and executed) toast to Merry Christmas/Happy New Year; 3) the hero quotes Santa when boasting that he now has a machine gun, Ho Ho Ho; 4) there is an element of gift giving; and 5) the opening credits roll, in part, over the song Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC. My law partnership with Jeremy very well may crumble under the weight of our disagreement on this.

Meg Rosan

Verdict – Hung Jury

My law partnership with Dan will surely crumble under the weight of his learning that I do not think I have ever watched Die Hard, and if I have, I don’t remember it. I prefer to watch Bruce Willis in things like Moonlighting. As far as Christmas movies go, I have no interest in fast action. I’d rather curl up with a cup of tea and Miracle on 34^th Street, Elf, or my favorite Christmas movie, which is and always will be Sleepless in Seattle.