In Defense of Die Hard as a Christmas Movie
An Argument Essay to finally actually end the argument
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In 1988, the film Die Hard was released, and had a profound impact on the action genre, as future Hollywood films took the concept and adapted it into multiple different scenarios. Despite the film’s success, and obvious impact on Hollywood filmmaking, the action classic is the center of a lot of debate amongst critics. This debate does not focus on the quality or validity of the film as one of the great action movies of all time, but rather on the idea if the film fits the criteria necessary to be labeled “a Christmas movie.” Unfortunately, like many issues that should be up for discourse in our modern society, there seems to be a majority of individuals that have cemented themselves to whichever side of this debate they feel, and the task of persuading has become anywhere from extremely difficult to downright impossible. While the argument for many has become a stalemate, it is important that the art is examined for what it is, and not just whether it “feels” like something or not. An analysis of the film Die Hard reveals that the staples of a Christmas movie are present, not just in the setting, but also in the plot and themes.
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