15 Variations on the Die Hard Format That Make You Think, ‘Wow, I Want To Watch ‘Die Hard’’
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Die Hard is so, so good. The festive tale of one dude in over his head but refusing to give up, even when he loses his shoes — his shoes! — to do the right thing, save his wife and vanquish the impeccably groomed baddie is about as endlessly quotable, rewatchable and influential a movie as has ever been made.
Understandably enough, a huge amount of movies were subsequently made that aped its formula, to the extent that “Die Hard on a…” became shorthand both in the industry and the world at large for the whole solo-underdog-battling-baddies thing.
Plenty of movies inspired by Die Hard are really good, but even then, you often can’t help feeling as the credits roll that you might have had a better two hours watching the original Die Hard again…
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‘Home Alone’ Had the Next Best Thing to Alan Rickman

The ‘Has Fallen’ Trilogy Aimed for Iconic Swearing and Did… Something

Toy Soldiers’ Had Wesley Crusher as Mr. Takagi

‘Under Siege’ Is Missing John McClane’s Humanity

‘Sudden Death’ Understood the Shoelessness

‘Air Force One’ Learned About Integrity

White House Down

‘The Rock’ Chose Banter Over Jeopardy

‘Skyscraper’ Missed the Point

‘Final Score’ Knew Europeans Are Trash

‘Violent Night’ Overdid the Christmasiness

‘The River Wild’ Brought Kids into It
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‘Becky’ Forgot to Make Its Villain Charming

‘Hostage’ Forgot There’s More to ‘Die Hard’ Than Bruce Willis and a Building

Speed
