1988 Action Movie Named Among the Best Ever - and It Redefined a Screen Legend
Bruce Willis has a lengthy list of movie credits to his role, but unlike some actors, where disagreement reigns, there is pretty much universal agreement about Willis' best movie. In fact, some sites list the film among the best action movies of all time starring any actor or actress.
Most sites name 1988's Die Hard, a Christmas staple starring Willis as a New York cop who stops terrorists inside a Los Angeles skyscraper, as his best ever. "The ultimate Bruce Willis movie. As John McClane, he redefined the action hero-tough, sarcastic, and human. Die Hard isn't just the best Bruce Willis movie-it's one of the best action movies of all time," Hollywood.com reports.According to Collider, Die Hard is now considered "a pioneering example of the modern action blockbuster."
There Is Pretty Much Universal Agreement That 'Die Hard' Is Bruce Willis' Best Movie
Other sites agree: Die Hard will go down as Willis' best and just a great movie overall. Here are some examples:
Rotten Tomatoes puts the movie at number 1 on its list of the top ranked Willis movies, with a 94% positive rating. "Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic," the site notes.
Collider listedDie Hard in the top spot as well. "This is the ultimate Bruce Willis movie. And just to be clear, this #1 ranking encompasses Die Hard 2 and Die Hard With a Vengeance, both of which are a blast in their own right. But yeah, the OG Die Hard is the best one. You're literally watching a movie star be born," that site wrote.
Gold Derby listsTwelve Monkeys as Willis' best movie, with Die Hard coming in second.
According to Collider, the role made famous by Willis was turned down by no-other-than Frank Sinatra, and a number of directors also passed on the movie. In fact, a string of screen legends passed on playing the titular role, including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Gere, Al Pacino, Harrison Ford, and Burt Reynolds, Collider reported. At the time, Willis was known as a television star whose experience was in a romantic comedy, so playing an action hero redefined his career. In fact, Willis was still tied to the television series Moonlighting at the time, but his co-star's pregnancy gave him the gap in filing he needed to make Die Hard, Collider noted.
Is 'Die Hard' the Best Action Movie of All Time?
There's more disagreement about whether Die Hard is the best action movie ever. Men's Health lists Die Hard as the 22nd best action movie ever.
However, Rolling Stone listsDie Hard as the second best action movie in history, outlining its impact on the genre as well as Willis' career. Only Max Mad: Fury Road scored higher on that list.
"It would also help Bruce Willis make the jump from TV wisecracker to tough-guy movie star, firmly establish John McTiernan as a first-rate action director and become such a successful concept that it gave birth to a million "Die Hard but on a [fill in the blank]" pitches," wrote Rolling Stone.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 10:18 AM.