Summary
- John McClane's memorable Die Hard quotes showcase his wise-cracking nature and set him apart from other action heroes.
- Despite his bad luck and constant danger, McClane remains a relatable and down-to-earth character.
- McClane's unique persona as a family man adds depth and complexity to his role as an action hero.
John McClane is a top contender for the greatest action hero in movie history and his most memorable Die Hard quotes from the franchise highlight some of the reasons why. When TV star Bruce Willis was cast as the hero in the bombastic action movie Die Hard in 1988, there was some doubt he suited the genre. Not only did Willis prove those doubters wrong, but John McClane helped to change the action genre with a new kind of hero that differed from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone's stoic one-man army roles. As McClane's many Die Hard quotes show, he also liked to talk more than the average action hero.
While there is likely one catchphrase from the Die Hard movies McClane is best known for, the series of movies provides some great dialogue from the New York cop. These memorable lines show the wise-cracking nature of McClane, the down-to-earth quality of the character, and his vicious side when taking on bad guys. With audiences still enjoying his adventures after all these years, the best John McClane quotes from the Die Hard movies live on as well.
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Die Hard 2
Along with being one of the greatest action movies of all time, Die Hard is one of the best Christmas movies as well. While it might have been a bit of a stretch in credulity to set the second Die Hard movie during the holidays as well, it is saved by the fact that it reinforces McClane's bad luck. Die Hard 2 finds McClane fighting to stop terrorists who have taken control of an airport and threaten to crash planes unless their demands are met.
Even though he is once again determined to save the day, it is hard not to feel sorry for McClane as he laments having to face one more Christmas that is filled with violence and danger. He even begins listing all of the cozy Christmas traditions he would rather be enjoying, like turkey and eggnog, but finds himself once again crawling around in an air vent and going after the bad guys.
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A Good Day To Die Hard
One of the best aspects of McClane as an action hero that sets him apart from his genre colleagues is that he is a family man. What makes it all the more endearing and interesting is that he often struggles in that role. He’s tried to be a good husband and a good father, and he’s failed miserably at both because he was too busy fighting bad guys in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A Good Day to Die Hard leans into this aspect of his persona as he goes to Russia to save his son. Seeing McClane as a tired and frustrated father attempting to wrangle his stubborn kids is a nice way of showing the character aging, even if the fifth movie is widely regarded as the worst of the franchise.
8 "Nine Million Terrorists in the World And I Gotta Kill One With Feet Smaller Than My Sister."
Die Hard
As if taking on a squad of bad guys by himself wasn't vulnerable enough, due to some bad timing, McClane spends the majority of Die Hard without any shoes. Quite wisely, when McClane kills the first terrorist, he attempts to fix his problem by taking the dead man's shoes only to find the towering man has surprisingly small feet. While some fans have complained that this is the only dead bad guy McClane tries this with, it is a quote that highlights one aspect of John McClane that is key to the entire franchise — he is a man with very bad luck.
7 "Tell Me About It."
Die Hard With A Vengeance
While fans typically agree that the franchise never topped the first Die Hard, Die Hard With a Vengeance is the best sequel and truly worthy successor to the original. One of the best elements of the third movie is Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson), a Harlem business owner who is pulled along on McClane's misadventure as he is forced to do the bidding of a mad bomber.
McClane and Zeus meet when McClane is forced to wear a sign with a racial slur in Zeus' neighborhood. Zeus approaches McClane and points out the obvious telling him he's about to have a very bad day. McClane's response is a hilarious reminder that bad days are part of his life and he can already see where this one is headed.
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Die Hard With A Vengeance
Every action movie hero needs a quippy one-liner to say when they kill the bad guy. The distinction in Die Hard with a Vengeance is that McClane has a history with the villain, Simon Gruber – he killed his brother Hans in the first movie. While the climax of the third movie is a bit of a letdown given the energy and fun of the rest of the movie, McClane's final line before taking Simon out is a perfect McClane taunt.
t is another unique aspect of McClane as a hero as he likes to taunt his enemies about the deaths of people they are close to. This includes McClane describing to Karl how he killed his brother in Die Hard. It is cold-blooded but shows the darker side of McClane which is exciting.
5 "Welcome To The Party, Pal!"
Die Hard
The underdog quality of McClane is another endearing aspect of the character, as he is often on his own when taking on these leagues of villains. However, instead of thinking he is the only one who can save the day, McClane desperately wants help and spends the first half of Die Hard trying to get the attention of the police, so they can handle the situation.
After one attempt after another is thwarted, McClane throws the corpse of one of the villains out the window and onto the police cruise of Al Powell. As Powell speeds for cover while the villains open fire on him, McClane yells this iconic taunt at him. It might seem mean-spirited, but it is a great way of showing McClane is tired of doing all the work himself.
4 "Do You Know What You Get For Being A Hero? Nothin'."
Live Free Or Die Hard
One interesting thing that kept coming up in the Die Hard sequels was the idea that, despite always saving the day, McClane's life is a bit of a mess. Despite reuniting with Holly in Die Hard and saving her once again in Die Hard 2, Die Hard With A Vengeance reveals that they are once again separated. Live Free or Die Hard continues this downward spiral, showing that McClane's kids have grown distant as well. This leads to a memorable moment when McClane expresses to Matt (Justin Long) that being the hero is not glamorous and that his life has suffered endlessly for being the man who has to save the day.