I Said What I Said, Die Hard is Not a Christmas Film
Despite its association with the holiday season, Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. While it takes place during Christmas, the mere setting of a film during the holidays doesn’t automatically categorize it as part of the Christmas genre. To qualify as a Christmas movie, the themes, messages, and intent should center around the holiday’s traditions, spirit, and values. Die Hard does not fit that mold. Therefore, Die Hard is what we know as Christmas adjacent.
At its core, Die Hard is an action movie. The plot revolves around John McClane, a New York cop, battling terrorists who have taken hostages in a Los Angeles skyscraper. The themes are heroism, resilience, and survival, not generosity, family, or the magic of Christmas. The movie could easily be set during another time of year without losing its narrative impact. The Christmas backdrop serves more as a convenient plot device than an essential element of the story.
Furthermore, Christmas movies typically emphasize moral lessons tied to the holiday—such as forgiveness, community, and goodwill. Films like It’s a Wonderful Life or Home Alone use the season to reflect these values, which resonate as part of Christmas traditions. Die Hard, however, focuses on McClane’s ingenuity and resourcefulness in violent, high-stakes confrontations.
While Die Hard includes holiday imagery like decorations and the occasional Christmas song, these details are superficial. They add ambiance but do not imbue the film with the spirit of Christmas. The movie’s appeal comes from its action, humor, and tension—not a warm, festive message.
Ultimately, Die Hard is an action masterpiece that happens to occur on Christmas Eve, but it lacks the heart, themes, and intent that define the Christmas movie genre. It’s an adrenaline-filled thrill ride, not a yuletide celebration.