The Die Hard franchise is a series of action movies that center around John McClane, a tough New York City cop who repeatedly finds himself in perilous situations where he must fight against criminals and terrorists to rescue innocent lives. The franchise has a total of 5 movies spanning more than two decades.
Production of the Die Hard series
Die Hard was directed by John McTiernan and produced by Lawrence Gordon and Joel Silver. The movie was based on the novel "Nothing Lasts Forever" by Roderick Thorp. The other films in the franchise were directed by various directors, including Renny Harlin, John McTiernan, Len Wiseman, and John Moore. The production teams behind each movie included a mix of returning and new crew members, with Joel Silver serving as a producer on all of the films. The franchise was distributed by 20th Century Fox (now owned by Disney) and has grossed over $1.4 billion worldwide.
Die Hard (1988)
This is the first movie in the franchise, where John McClane visits his estranged wife in Los Angeles during the holiday season. While attending a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza building, a group of terrorists led by Hans Gruber takes the occupants of the building hostage. McClane, who manages to escape, takes on the terrorists alone, with the aim of saving his wife and the other hostages.
Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)
In the second movie, McClane is waiting for his wife's flight at Washington Dulles International Airport, when terrorists take control of the airport's communication systems and threaten to crash incoming planes unless their demands are met. McClane once again finds himself in a position to stop the terrorists.
Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
In the third movie in the franchise, John McClane finds himself in another dangerous situation when a terrorist named Simon threatens to destroy various locations throughout New York City unless McClane completes a series of deadly challenges. To stop Simon and save the city, McClane teams up with a local store owner named Zeus Carver. The events of the movie unfold over the course of one day, and the film features numerous explosive action sequences as well as humorous interactions between McClane and Carver.
Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
In the fourth movie, McClane is tasked with bringing in a young hacker named Matt Farrell to the FBI for questioning. However, when cyber-terrorist Thomas Gabriel targets Farrell for his hacking skills, McClane must protect him and stop Gabriel's plan to shut down the entire country's infrastructure.
A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
In the fifth and final movie in the franchise, McClane travels to Moscow to help his estranged son, Jack, who has been arrested for an assassination attempt. While there, McClane discovers that Jack is actually a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear weapons heist.
Critical Reception
The Die Hard franchise has received mixed critical reception over the years. While the original film was highly praised, with many critics considering it a classic action movie, the subsequent films received varying degrees of acclaim. Die Hard 2 received positive reviews, but not as much as the first film. Die Hard with a Vengeance received mixed reviews, with some critics praising certain aspects of the movie while others felt that it lacked coherence. Live Free or Die Hard was generally well-received by critics, with many praising its action sequences and style. However, A Good Day to Die Hard was largely panned by critics, with many criticizing the clichéd plot and lackluster script. Despite the mixed reception, the Die Hard franchise has remained popular with audiences and has become a cultural phenomenon.
