Christmas is a time of year everyone looks forward to. The food, family and fun are continuous and infectious. Many families start watching Christmas movies to get into the spirit, which raises the question asked every year: is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie? The answer is no.
Many people would say “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie. It takes place on Christmas Eve and is set at a Christmas party. However, that does not guarantee the movie’s place as a Christmas film. “Die Hard” may take place during the Christmas season, but the murder, gore and expletives involved is what makes it anything but a Christmas film. The “f” word is spoken in “Die Hard” 57 times, and that’s not even counting the other curse words that are in the film numerous times.
The movie is rated “R” for more than just the cursing, however. The gore and violence involved in the movie is not appropriate for a younger audience. Christmas movies are traditionally watched as a family, kids and adults gathered around the screen, dressed comfortably and waiting in anticipation for the movie to start and to further get into the Christmas spirit. “Die Hard” shouldn’t be watched by kids under 17. Maturity aside, there are just some scenes that viewers under 17 shouldn’t be exposed to.
In the movie “Die Hard,” the characters do not participate in Christmas activities. They don’t decorate the tree, they don’t bake and they don’t do anything Christmas-related. The movie is a high-action movie that leaves no time for anything Christmas-related.
The timing of the events of “Die Hard” does nothing to the plot. The plot of this movie could have happened at any time and is not specific to Christmas. The movie could have been placed in the middle of the summer and would not have affected the main plot of the movie. However, if you took classic Christmas movies like “The Polar Express,” and removed the fact that it takes place during Christmas, it would be very confusing.
With all this being said, some would still consider “Die Hard” to be a Christmas movie. Junior Ashlyn Graham explains why she feels “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie. “Die Hard” actively utilizes a Christmas setting.” Freshman Ben Hedges said something similar, commenting on how “Die Hard” is definitely a Christmas movie and how it’s a “traditional” thing they do “basically every year.”
Christmas movie or not, “Die Hard” is an amazing movie. It’s an action-packed adventure, full of emotion and high stakes. Many people enjoy watching this movie all year round and for some, it has even become a favorite.
