 It's Christmas Eve in LA and New York City cop John McClane is heading home for the holidays To most that summary would seem like a Christmas movie yet 30 plus years later this debate is still being had Today, I'm here to settle this shit once and for all Because some writer or actor said the film is or isn't a Christmas movie But because I can clearly see the evidence on display If you are for some reason one of the Lost Souls watching that doesn't agree We'll sit back and let me and mr. McClane drop some knowledge on you Welcome to the party pal indeed Before I really run through diehard and tell you exactly why it's a Christmas film. We first have to decide What is a Christmas film? What is the definition in your eyes? Is it the holiday music? Is it the Christmas food? Is it the family values? Perhaps a winter setting Christmas phrases holiday references? the gifts What if I were to tell you diehard has every single one of those things and more? Let's begin the movie doesn't waste any time telling the audience. It's a Christmas film John McClane enters the airport with a gift for his wife. It's a bear with a red bow on it red bow Christmas it's already there. We're already getting started. His wife's name is Holly Let's look at that happy holidays deck the halls with balls of Holly fa la la la la la la fuck Yes, it's right there in front of you even in this early scene. You can hear the whimsical bells present in the music It's a brilliantly composed score by Michael Cayman He's gonna go ahead and incorporate several holiday songs into this music songs such as let it snow let it snow and Winter Wonderland owed to joy is also prominently featured and last time I checked Christmas is a pretty joyous occasion. We are mere minutes into this video And we've already had several key components to a holiday film and just straight-up callouts to Christmas itself Not to mention that the main plotline involves John McClane heading to LA for a Christmas party a Christmas party not much after the airport scene Holly Gennaro is conversing with her co-worker Ellis She throws out several Christmas staples such as Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer Frosty the snowman and a roaring fire She then calls the house to talk to the kids and the nanny the house is chock full of festive decorations and trinkets There's even some on the ledge right next to Holly as she's talking She even mentions Santa Claus and tells her daughter not to go snooping for presents. Look It's one thing if Christmas is maybe five or ten minutes of the intro here And then we go to another day or week or time, but no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no This whole film is structured around Christmas. You take away the Christmas. You take away the die-hard charm I will point out that when she's done talking to Paulina. She hangs up on her very abruptly. What would I do without you Paulina? There's no goodbye. There's no happy holiday. There's no I'll see you tonight. It's just straight up What would I do without you Paulina boom? Well, is that how you say goodbye to someone? Nothing to do with any of this just I just found it kind of rude very just a weird weird scene to end on Weird weird no to end on let's keep going seven minutes and 45 seconds in Argyle The limo driver puts on some tunes Spoiler it's another Christmas song and you might be confused because there's some hip-hop rap going on and that doesn't seem like the Holiday spirit well John McLean also agrees with you and points it out in which Argyle responds You're all right Argyle John enters Nakatomi Plaza It's a pretty drab entrance. The only thing really lighting it up is the massive Christmas tree in the corner You think they keep that thing up all year long or do you suppose it's for a special occasion? It's not Easter Not Thanksgiving As John McLean heads to the elevators we can hear him whistling jingle bells Wow, while I'm sure it's not uncommon for some to whistle jingle bells outside of the holiday It's also not normal and those people are probably mentally deranged 11 minutes into the movie and we are slammed with more Christmas references more Christmas trees people dressed up for the holiday and an overly friendly Californian plants a mistletoe kiss right on John McLean's cheek. We already talked about one Christmas present the bear, but there's more Show them the watch Yeah, it's a Rolex and if those aren't big enough presents for you. Well, we can talk about the main prize of this whole thing I'm talking about the six hundred and forty million dollars worth of negotiable Barabans hidden side of mr. Takagi's vault while there is no official Christmas feast in this film We do have a nice sit-down with mr. Hans Gruber and some of the office staff He has it made himself a nice plate of some of the appetizers in the corner We have a nice spread on the table and he's helped himself to it The hors d'oeuvres scene is immediately followed up by the most Christmas thing in the film McLean sends down a season's greetings in the form of a dead terrorist along with the festive message now I have a machine gun The gift exchange might not have gone according to plan for some But it was a gift exchange nevertheless 45 minutes into the picture we get treated to Sergeant Al Powell who's humming some Christmas music He exchanges merry Christmas pleasantries and he's on his way still singing let it snow let it snow When the cops show up we get a very nice rendition of twas the night before Christmas Which features four assholes coming in the rear and standard two-by-two cover formation One hour and 28 minutes into the movie Theo tells his boss Hans that they're gonna need a miracle to pull off this heist Gruber cheerfully points out that it's Christmas. It's the time for miracles and to be a good cheer Mmm It's a Christmas movie the final confrontation ends with John McLean gift wrapping his own gun He unwraps this present moments later and fires off two maids of milking at the villains The movie closes with a warp embrace of our couple a heartfelt hug from a new friend and once again Let it snow closing out the picture the only thing the movie doesn't feature is snow, right wrong We get the imagery of it falling from the sky in the form of negotiable Barabans floating down from the heavens speaking of heavens. Maybe that's the problem There's no mention of that little baby Jesus the dude that was on the cross sacrificed himself Isn't there though because I'm pretty sure Jesus Christ is uttered multiple times in this picture The movie didn't come out in December Adam. Well, you know what? It's Christmas in July The trailer says that plain as day and now we're getting into semantics really who cares when the movie was released That has nothing to do with anything not every Christmas movies released in December You don't watch Christmas vacation in the summer. It feels wrong. It feels dirty But diehard it found a way to marry both an awesome action spectacle and the wonderment of the holiday season you take away all the Christmas extras and you're still left with a solid action movie, but it's not elevated the Christmas is Paramount to this movie's success. You put it in a Thanksgiving setting or an Easter setting. It just doesn't work We have family squabbles in this film something. That's pretty staple in Christmas movies We have forged friendships and mended relationships If the definition of a Christmas film to you is that bullshit thrown out on Hallmark every year You know all those churned-out garbage films where it's typically a wife Candace Cameron comes to mind trying to cope with the fact that her husband's off at war and probably won't get back in time for Christmas then I guess this isn't the rant for you and diehard certainly isn't the movie for you You don't deserve it. Go watch that shit. Go watch that Hallmark crap. I am here for the creativity I'm here for Christmas in a fun exciting way. Yeah, we have our Christmas vacations. We have our elves But we also have our diehards our gremlins. You can have your frosty the snowman and your Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer I'll take the wrath I'll take a lethal weapon film diehard is a Christmas movie I meticulously broke down scene by scene why it is all of the elements are in play Nothing is amiss and if you still can't see it shame on you. You're lying to yourself This is me closing the book on a 30-plus year debate Yippee-ki-yay, Merry Christmas. It's done. It's over Let me know in the comments your thoughts on diehard if it's Christmas film why this debate still going on It's ridiculous and we'll all move on with our lives Like the video if you agree with me. I don't think there's dislikes anymore on YouTube I don't I didn't have anything to do with that. I didn't call up YouTube Jeremy YouTube and say hey, it's it's Adam from yeah, of course Adam does movies. I'm super popular Not even 60,000 subscribers. Please subscribe as well. Please subscribe and Happy holidays. We'll see you soon with more Christmas. Christmas shit. Take care Oh, oh, oh, hold on a second. You made it to the end This is where I tell you about my patreon and it's just in time for the holidays You can join me for as little as a dollar a month at patreon.com Adam does movies or if you're feeling extra generous right here on YouTube via the join button It shows some support. It says Adam. I love what you're doing. Here's my gift to you You've been giving me presents all year long It's time to return the favor and I would appreciate that I have I have kids to feed I have kids that are spoiled and need more garbage under the tree because that's what Christmas is all about, right? Or something. I don't know. Just just please please do what you can take care