Over the years, Christmas has inspired a variety of movies—classics we all enjoy revisiting around this time of year. To that end, it’s also when the endless debates resurface about what constitutes a Christmas movie and what doesn’t. And while opinions continue to differ, the most prevalent quality of a Christmas movie is its ability to use the power of vulnerability to reveal theme.
Since virtually all Christmas movies center on themes of redemption, they inevitably require a character arc marked by vulnerability to make the protagonist’s transformation feel genuine. For me, this is one of the defining qualities that proves that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Let me show you four ways this classic action film uses the power of vulnerability to reveal theme.
Four Ways The Power Of Vulnerability Reveals Theme
Why Die Hard Is A Christmas Movie
There are numerous films set during the Christmas season or featuring various trappings of the holiday throughout. But these don’t necessarily make them Christmas movies. Let’s take Lethal Weapon, for instance. The opening credits are set to ‘Jingle Bell Rock’. There are several references to Christmas, and a few scenes in which the usual holiday trappings of trees, wreaths, and lights appear. But the story itself isn’t centered around Christmas. If you were to remove Christmas from the film and set it at another time of year, it would still essentially be the same film.
Die Hard is different. The entire plot unfolds on Christmas Eve. Christmas is why John McClane is in LA, trying to reconcile with his estranged wife. The lapse in security on Christmas Eve enables Hans Gruber and his accomplices to seize the Nakatomi building and carry out their heist. Christmas is present in the musical score. It’s in virtually every scene and every interaction. Even Hans and his underlings experience moments of awe, wonder, and great anticipation as they finally crack the vault. Christmas is so tightly woven into the identity of the film that if you were to take Christmas out, it would cease to be what it is.
But perhaps the most defining quality is the rawness of John McClane’s character. Because he’s a man who bleeds and shows raw emotion, we can’t help but root for him as he’s put through the wringer to save his wife. And it’s that vulnerability that speaks to redemptive themes that tie directly to Christmas.
Show The Contrast
Contrast your protagonist’s strengths with genuine and relatable vulnerabilities so your audience can connect with them. This will make them root for that character when they inevitably face insurmountable challenges.
When we first meet John McClane, he’s arrived in LA to see his wife, Holly. John carries himself with the bravado and toughness associated with being a New York cop. His dialogue is characterized by his ability to fire off wisecracks with ease. But all of these characteristics are contrasted with his unwillingness to be transparent with Argile, the limousine driver, who immediately grills him with a series of uncomfortable questions.
Despite John’s tough-guy exterior, we can see he’s a man who’s hurting. Deep down, he knows he was wrong to stay behind and not support his wife’s decision to pursue her career, but his pride won’t let him admit it, even when he finally sees Holly face to face after months of estrangement.
John’s need to project his masculinity quickly derails any intentions he may have had. Despite his inability to be open with her, we know he loves and misses his wife and kids, even as he fights not to show it. That’s the power of vulnerability. It puts a character who could easily be larger than life on the same level as us.
Show The Cracks
Showing the cracks in your protagonist’s rough exterior is how you make your audience care about them. Revealing a character’s insecurities and fears through pain and self-doubt is how you craft them to be genuinely and undeniably human.
The key moment when we see the cracks in John’s tough exterior is when everything goes to hell. As an unknown number of assailants crash the Nakatomi Christmas party and gunshots ring out, John confronts the reality that Holly’s life is in danger and that his response to the chaos may determine whether she lives or dies. He has no time to think. No time to prepare. Only seconds to act.
John’s decision to run and regroup isn’t the typical action-hero response, but it’s the appropriate course for a man now on a mission to save his wife. Although he manages to take out several assailants and survive their attacks, he’s never more vulnerable than when Ellis unexpectedly reveals his intent to negotiate with Hans Gruber, the man leading the siege of the Nakatomi building.
McClane’s wit and bravado suddenly go silent as Hans brutally kills Ellis and threatens to kill others, potentially putting his wife in an even more precarious situation. John’s cracks are on full display as the situation continues to push him to his limits.
Show The Despair
No matter how tough your protagonist is, their vulnerable side won’t fully come out until they hit a point of despair. Making them question whether they can endure until the end increases their audience’s investment in their struggle.
John’s moment of despair follows another frantic altercation in which Hans recovers his detonators. Severely wounded and exhausted, John retreats to a bathroom, where he begins picking glass from his bloody feet. In a heartfelt conversation with his new confidant, Sergeant Al Powell, he finally succumbs to his fears and doubts, questioning whether he has what it takes to survive the ordeal ahead.
Up until this moment, John’s toughness has kept him from admitting to Holly that he was wrong. But as he shares his final words with Powell, we see the raw pain and vulnerability in an apology he believes he will never be able to deliver to his wife in person. Even as McClane sinks into despair, Powell is there to build him back up. He reminds John that the outcome remains in his capable hands, using John’s moment of despair to foster resilience.
Show The Resillience
Contrast your character’s vulnerability with their determination to keep going despite pain and hardship. This grounds their struggle and makes your audience want to see them push through to see if they will emerge triumphant.
John discovers that Hans has wired the building’s roof to blow, prompting him to try to save the hostages. His resilience is tested as he’s immediately drawn into a confrontation with Karl, and it’s further complicated when the FBI mistakes him for one of the terrorists. Every set piece is designed to push him to the brink, but throughout it all, John remains focused on his goal of finding and saving Holly.
Despite the odds against him, John ventures into the vault to confront Hans and save his wife. He’s tired and bloody, but he’s still on his feet. In an awesome display of wit, he outsmarts his opponents, kills the bad guys, and saves his wife.
John and Holly’s reunion is powerful because both characters have shed their tough facades and embraced their vulnerabilities, making their reconciliation genuine and heartfelt. It’s a moment that pays off in spades.
Summing It Up
Whether you agree that Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not, it’s still a testament to how to use the power of vulnerability to reveal theme. John McClane’s journey from tough cop to devoted husband is one of redemption, not only for him but also for his wife and family. And if that doesn’t exude the Christmas spirit, I don’t know what does.
What are your thoughts? Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? What factors make or break the argument? I’d love to hear your thoughts. In the meantime, I’d like to thank you for following my blog, and I look forward to continuing to share these articles with you in the new year. Until then, have a Merry Christmas! Let your creative light keep shining! And above all, keep writing!
Until next time,
