Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? This dreary old question comes back more times than a baddie in an 80s action movie. It's time to answer it for good.
Who should we go to first? The general public. The great unwashed of the US of A.
A 2023 YouGov poll says Die Hard is not in fact a Christmas movie, judging by the opinion of 1584 US adults polled.
Just 34% of men and 19% of women consider Die Hard a Christmas flick. And no matter how you cut the stats, by voting preference, age or race, no group heads over, or even near, a 50% "yes" response.
This isn't the first time such a poll has been held either. In 2021, when the movie came to Disney Plus, 44% said it was a Christmas movie, 47% that it isn't. And, as in all these polls, plenty of people will say they either don't know, or don't care.
Back in 2017 there was an other poll. And, you guessed it, the results didn't come out in favour there either. It was 31% for, 50% against and 19% not voting either way.
Lies, damn lies and statistics, right? The thing is: it really depends on who you ask. If you ask us at ShortList, then hell yes it is a Christmas movie.
There is nothing more Christmas-like than seeing a deceased corpse wearing a Now I Have A Machine Gun Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas jumper. And any movie which uses Run-DMC's Christmas in Hollis to great effect is a festive movie in our books.
Interestingly, the director of Die Hard, John McTiernan agrees, explaining in a lengthy statement why the film is indeed a Christmas film. The whole reasoning, on The Hollywood Reporter, is a fascinating read but it's really this statement that says it all: “We hadn’t intended it to be a Christmas movie, but the joy that came from it is what turned it into a Christmas movie.”
Then there's the screenwriter of Die Hard, Steven E. de Souza, who answered fans with the following:
Yes, because the studio rejected the Purim draft #DieHardIsAChristmasMovie
— Steven E. de Souza (@StevenEdeSouza) December 24, 2017December 24, 2017
Perhaps the last word in the never-ending 'Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?' debate should go to its main star, Bruce Willis, though.
Without him the movie would not have been anywhere near as memorable as it was. With his acting talents and wry sense of humour Bruce Willis turned John McClane into an Everyman hero - a guy, full of flaws, who gets hurt a lot but still manages to come through at the end.
Die Hard is Willis' film and he damn well knows it as he answered the question during his Comedy Roast back in 2018, where he was adamant Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie (watch from 50 seconds in below).
"Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. It’s a god damn Bruce Willis movie,” he says.
There you have it. As much as it pains us, this is case closed - Die Hard is definitely not a Christmas movie.
- Die Hard stars in our best Disney Plus Christmas movies guide (sorry, not sorry Mr Willis).
- Here are some amazing Die Hard facts you need to know about.
Main Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
