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Summary
WhileDie Hard ’s second sequel was a solid follow - up , dropping theChristmassetting of the first two movie still ended up being the creative selection that tank the franchise as a whole . TheDie Hardseries , like its hero John McClane , was stuck in an unenviable posture after the success of the first continuation . Die Hard 2was a vast hit like its predecessor , but the movie ’s decision to bring John McClane in another life - or - decease scenario on Christmas Eve was n’t lost on critic or fans . Die Hard 2got away with some hilariously cheeky ego - referential one - liners about how unbelievable these events were , but the franchise could n’t attract this off again .
As such , Die Hard with a Vengeancedropped the franchise ’s trademark Christmas circumstance and Reginald VelJohnson ’s Al Powell , while also connecting the subsequence ’s villain to Alan Rickman ’s Hans Gruber . While this was a welcome change , watchingtheDie Hardmovies in orderproves that these decision ultimately be the series in a heartfelt way . After the success ofDie Hard with a Vengeance , it would be 14 long time before the franchise return to cinema screens with the divisiveLive gratuitous Or Die Hardin 2007 . In 2013,A Good Day to Die Hardended the series with its sorry reviews ever .
While the Die Hard dealership has five movies featuring John McClain , a 1960s movie with a prominent star actually serves as a prequel for the films .
Die Hard’s Christmas Setting Elevated The First Two Movies
The action franchise’s family focus was underlined with festive themes
Die Hard ’s Christmas setting did n’t seem polar to the enfranchisement , but this element was miss once it was gone . The bet of an average everyman try out to get back to his kinsperson were raised by the Christmas setting , which made everything from Al Powell speak about his pregnant married woman to McClane tearfully reuniting with Holly more moving . What madeDie Hardone ofBruce Willis ’s best movieswas that McClane did n’t feel like an unstoppable killing machine in the vein of Schwarzenegger ’s ‘ fourscore action Italian sandwich or Stallone ’s Rambo . He was just a good guy wire in the wrong place at the wrong clock time , and at Christmas no less .
Die heavily 2took a big peril by double down on this , but this paid off because the premise was simply that ripe . McClane circumstantially terminate up in the middle of another outside incident was exceedingly improbable , but looker could still associate to him get stick in an aerodrome on Christmas Eve while trying to get back to his category . The wager of McClane ’s first two adventures were ego - plain because the experience of coming home for Christmas , despite any act of obstacles , is such a repeated pop culture basic . However , break severely with a Vengeancecouldn’t bring this back for a third time , thus causing the next installment - and those that follow - to suffer as a answer .
Die Hard’s Decline Began With Die Hard With A Vengeance
The acclaimed sequel lost some of what made Die Hard so special
Admittedly , buy the farm heavily with a Vengeanceis rightly think one of the best sequels in the series . Jeremy Irons is a campy joyfulness as Simon , the pacing is excellent , and a typically groovy Samuel L. Jackson steals the show as McClane ’s latest chum . However , Die Hard with a Vengeance ’s many successesironically pave the direction for two terrible sequels that missed the whole point of McClane ’s everyman appeal . By blow up the military action of the serial from one unfortunate guy stuck in a solitary emplacement siege to an activity hoagy taking on urban center - wide dangerous undertaking , this sequel facilitate the tumid - scale of measurement , forgettable set pieces of the continuation that follow .
Live innocent or Die HardandA Good Day to Die Hardboth featured much expectant , more expansive storylines than their predecessors , a move that was clearly inspired by the success ofDie Hard with a Vengeance . However , this failed to win back viewers and critics becauseboth sequels made McClane and his offspring seem perdurable . It was obvious that neither movie was going to kill off either McClane himself or his children , mean they had no bet in comparison to the darker , more grounded earlier movies . As a solvent , killing off John McClanewould be one of the only ways forDie Hard 6to save the series .
Die Hard 6 Should Return To Christmas
Die Hard’s reboot could save the franchise with a festive setting
By now , both of McClane ’s child should be old enough to have children of their own . This means thatDie difficult 6could be set at Christmasand could see the McClanes return for one more adventure that endanger to break the family line ’s festive celebrations . Admittedly , McClane ’s small fry would likely need to do a lot of the continuation ’s heroic verse . However , one good thing about the concluding twoDie Hardsequels is that they established both Jack and Lucy McClane as lively , rugged wedge who inherit their father ’s talent for self - preservation .
With that in judgement , Die Hard 6could begin after McClane ’s off - covert last and the franchise would still potentially be able to do justice to the feeling of the early movie . Bruce Willis ’s retreat would probably limit his affaire in any new subsequence , but John McClane was never intended to be an immortal persona . As such , the best way to get theDie Hardseries back on track could be to bring back its original Christmas setting but pass its focus on to a new generation of heroes .
