Is 'Die Hard' a Christmas movie? The annual debate rages on as internet remains divided
It's December 25, which means it's time for the internet to have its annual debate on whether 'Die Hard' is a Christmas movie or not, though some have already decided that the 1988 action thriller film is the best Christmas movie.
In a debate that takes place every year, some fans argue that 'Die Hard' should be classified as a Christmas movie since the events of the film occur on Christmas Eve and its setting includes a Christmas party.
Others, however, feel that since the movie follows a lone police officer (Bruce Willis's John McClane) trying to stop terrorists and is not actually about the season, it should not be called a Christmas movie.
In the past, screenwriter Steven E de Souza and star Bruce Willis, have both weighed in on the debate. While the former agrees that 'Die Hard' is a Christmas film through a tweet, the latter declared that it isn't at his Comedy Central Roast.
For the film's 30th anniversary, the movie's distributor even released a new trailer for 'Die Hard', recut for it to look like a Christmas film, with a new log line, writing, "Facing Christmas 3,000 miles from his estranged wife and two children, New York policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies to Los Angeles bearing presents and hoping to patch up his marriage. Stylish and cool Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) is in Los Angeles as well for the holiday season, but he’s not there to give out presents."
This year, the debate is raging on social media again. While one user wrote, "Die Hard is a movie that takes place on Christmas, but it is NOT a Christmas movie. Its plot has nothing to do with the holiday," another responded, "This is such a bad opinion. Die Hard is the best Christmas movie and that’s a fact."
Another viewer pointed out an odd coincidence, writing, "Not for nothing, but for those who still insist 'Die Hard' is not a Christmas movie, I would note that the composer of the melody for 'Silent Night' was Franz Gruber. Franz Gruber. Hans Gruber. My work here is done. (I’ll show myself out.)"
While there are those who share, "Die Hard is a Christmas movie and anyone who thinks otherwise is just wrong," others ridiculed them, writing, "' Die Hard is my favorite Christmas movie!' we get it, you're trying to be quirky. I've literally never hated you more."
In a poll by Hollywood Reporter this year, over 80% of users overwhelmingly voted to classify 'Die Hard' as a Christmas film. One thing is for certain: this debate won't die out anytime soon and the debate itself can be counted as another one of the average family's Christmas traditions.