Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Since time immemorial (1988) people have debated whether or not the popular Bruce Willis film deserves to be counted among the Christmas classics. We’re continuing that debate today to determine once and for all (doubtful) if Die Hard should be considered a Christmas movie. Let’s begin.
Eli: I don’t think Die Hard should be considered a Christmas movie. You’re here to say why it should be. Just like our justice system, the burden of proof lies on you. It’s a regular movie until proven a Christmas movie.
Jaren: That’s the beautiful thing about Die Hard, it’s one of the best Christmas movies because it occupies such a unique place among the other Yuletide classics. Let’s start with the obvious point: it’s Christmas Eve. You’ve holiday paraphernalia scattered throughout the film and John McClane is on his way to his wife’s company Christmas party. I don’t know of many films that are set on or during Christmas that aren’t Christmas movies.
E: Compelling, yet I think you’ve highlighted an important distinction. Though rare, there is a difference between “Christmas Movie” and “Movie that takes place during Christmas.” Iron Man 3 comes to mind. Would you call that a Christmas movie for this same reason?
J: I actually totally would. I was thinking about Iron Man 3 too, and I’m ready to throw that in with my holiday favorites as well, but that’s a discussion for another article.
E: Hmm. I think we need to look at the objective of the film and the context of Christmas within it. Could Die Hard be the same movie if they were getting ready to celebrate the Fourth of July or New Year’s? Absolutely.
J: That’s a fair point. But then we’d miss out on so much of the classic Christmas-centric dialogue that makes the film! Like “Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho.” and “If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year’s.”
E: I agree that those lines are excellent, but you’re talking about a few trees and I’m talking about a forest. Take Christmas out of Die Hard and it’s still Die Hard. Take Christmas out of any real Christmas movie and the movie can’t exist. That’s because Christmas doesn’t actually drive the plot in Die Hard.
J: My man McClaine was at Nakatomi Plaza for his wife’s CHRISTMAS party, I hate to break it to you, but you take Christmas out of Die Hard, and you’re left with a senseless act of terrorism that went unchallenged.
E: Did it have to be a Christmas party? No. It could’ve been any kind of work party. Real Christmas movies don’t hold up when you switch Christmas out.
J: Then is It’s a Wonderful Life a Christmas movie? Christmas only happens during the last third of the movie. Home Alone? His family could go on vacation any time.
E: Those movies are dripping with Christmas. It’s not just that Christmas drives the plot, it’s in their DNA. A Christmas movie should inherently help you feel the Christmas spirit. Anyone claiming that Die Hard does that is kidding themselves.
J: I see your point. But let’s go to the people—to the data! According to yearly Google trends, Die Hard sees a significant, huge spike in viewership during December. It may not have been a Christmas movie initially, but everyone sure seems to think so now.
E: So you’re arguing that people have since made it a Christmas movie? I see that and I like the sentiment behind it, but it calls back to that important distinction. There’s a crucial difference between “Christmas Movie” and “Movie people watch during Christmas.”
J: Give me an example of the difference.
E: I know people that watch The Lord of the Rings every December. It’s only become a tradition and more closely associated with Christmas because of the people who made it that way, not because of the content itself.
J: Alright, alright, but let’s look at how the film ends. John and Holly are kissing in the back of the limo and BAM, “Let It Snow” starts up and the credits roll. Almost as if they are sending us home with one final message, “Hope you enjoyed the ride, Merry Christmas!”
E: They’re being ironic. The final message is, “We just blew up a terrorist, now we’ll subvert your expectations with a quaint Christmas song!” It’s cheeky and fun, but doesn’t solidify any real Christmas sentiment. You could take away that song from the credits and not change the movie.
J: But it wouldn’t have had the same magic! I’m not sure any of it would. I wager Die Hard would be lost to the annals of forgotten film history without its festive charm.
E: Perhaps the only reason we haven’t lost it is because people like us keep having this conversation. Controversy has kept it alive, as a lasting middle finger to the actual meaning of Christmas.
J: 🤝
