20 Greatest Summer Blockbusters Ever Made
14. Die Hard (1988)
RottenTomatoes Score: 92% (8.4/10)
Box Office: $140.7 million
Why It's Awesome: Die Hard practically invented (or at least perfected) the formula that has been endlessly imitated over the years: a wise-cracking lone wolf hero treks through , picking off his enemies in order to save the day and get the girl.
This John McTiernan-directed masterpiece has much more than mere basic thrills to offer, though: it's an expertly-plotted, hilariously witty and action-packed thriller filled with fine performances, especially Bruce Willis in his star-making turn as protagonist John McClane, and Alan Rickman as slick villain Hans Gruber.
Die Hard is a perfect example of how to balance tone in a blockbuster: it's full of brutal violence, but it's also frequently funny, and never lets one overpower the other. Plus, if all this wasn't enough, it's one of the best Christmas movies of all time.