Summary

• The best Die Hard quotes capture the thrilling aspects, humor, and iconic characters of the movie, making them memorable and often overlooked gems.
• John McClane's vulnerability and relatability set him apart from other action heroes, making his character more compelling and human.
• Alan Rickman's performance as Hans Gruber adds sophistication and depth to the film, creating a memorable and intriguing villain.

Though one of the greatest action movies of all time, the best Die Hard quotes also highlight its superb screenplay. The classic follows Bruce Willis' John McClane, a New York cop who attempts to reconnect with his estranged wife at a Los Angeles corporate Christmas party only for it to be taken over by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his band of thugs. The story sets up a thrilling action story, but viewers likely didn't expect such memorable Die Hard quotes.

The most memorable quotes in Die Hard exemplify the movie's thrilling aspects, its humor, and its iconic characters. From the heroic everyman McClane to the dastardly yet dashing Gruber to the many colorful side characters, they all pop with great lines. Some of the dialogue has gone down as classic action movie one-liners while others are reminders of how many great Die Hard quotes remain overlooked. Far more than just action sequences, the movie that kicked off Bruce Willis' greatest franchise should also be honored for its amazing dialogue.

25 "Fists With Your Toes?"

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

The first moments of Die Hard set John McClane up as a more relatable action hero than the 80s action heroes played by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. McClane is shown to be a nervous flyer which is noticed by the man sitting next to him on the plane. The man offers some advice to ease the tension after a flight by removing his shoes and socks and making fists with his toes. Unfortunately, that piece of advice sets McClane up to be even more vulnerable as he then faces the action of the rest of the movie in bare feet.

24 "Who Said We Were Terrorists?"

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman)

Alan Rickman adds so much to the movie with his performance as Hans Gruber, including his deceptive plan. When Gruber is introduced, he seems to be a stoic and gravely serious threat. However, behind closed doors, as he interrogates Mr. Takagi, he is shown to be more playful, albeit still dangerous. When Takagi learns that Gruber and his men are really after the money, he questions what kind of terrorists they are. Gruber laughs at the notion of them being terrorists and immediately, Gruber and his dastardly plan become a lot more interesting.

23 "I Want Blood."

Karl (Alexander Godunov)

While Hans Gruber is the more memorable and intelligent villain in the movie, Karl is a perfect action movie henchman as he presents a more physical threat to McClane. While Gruber only really cares about taking out McClane so his plan is not jeopardized, once McClane kills Karl’s brother, the giant killer is on a path of revenge. The moment when Hans has to subdue Karl as he yells for blood is scary and shows that this man no longer cares about the money and will bring down the entire building in order to kill McClane.

22 "If You Are What I Think You Are Then You'll Know When To Shut Up, When To Listen... And When To Pray."

Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson)

Though they only speak over walkie-talkies for the duration of the movie, Al Powell is a huge support to McClane during his one-man mission to save the day. While the rest of the police on the ground are skeptical about McClane or simply want him out of the way, Powell sees him as a hero. Even with all the doubt around McClane, Powell is willing to trust his gut and sees McClane as their best hope of resolving this situation the right way.

21 "Why The F*** Didn't You Stop 'Em, John? 'Cause Then You'd Be Dead, Too, A**hole."

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

Part of the reason why it is a good thing that there was never a Die Hard prequel was that McClane’s heroics at Nakatomi Plaza feel like the first time he has ever been in a situation like that. That is another way the movie helps to cement McClane as a different kind of action hero who is not always the toughest guy in the room and can get scared at times. After watching helplessly as Gruber executes Takagi, McClane has a moment where he doubts himself and his failure to act before reassuring himself that he doesn’t want to be dead as well.

20 "Twas The Night Before Christmas, And All Through The House, Not A Creature Was Stirring, Except... The Four A******* Coming In The Rear In Standard Two-By-Two Cover Formation."

Theo (Clarence Gilyard Jr.)

Though fans can debate if Die Hard should truly be considered a Christmas movie, there is no denying the holiday setting gives the movie a special flare of fun. It is fun to see the tropes of the Christmas holiday repurposed for an action movie story. When the police SWAT team attempts to storm the building, one of the villains, Theo, watches their movements on the security cameras and lets his teammates know what they're up to in the form of a cheesy Christmas story.

19 "Nice Suit. John Philips, London. I Have Two Myself."

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman)

Just as John McClane was a different kind of hero for the action genre at the time, so too was Hans Gruber a fun new kind of villain who was later copied endlessly. Alan Rickman brings a brilliant sense of sophistication to the role that is in perfect contrast to McClane. After making his intimidating entrance at the party, Gruber takes Mr. Takagi in the elevator where his intense demeanor suddenly changes, and he compliments the man's suit. It is the first hint that Gruber is no mindless thug but rather someone who knows just what he wants.

18 "Thanks For The Advice."

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

There are the obvious iconic action movie one-liners in Die Hard that remain unforgettable. But as evidence of the movie's quality, there are also some brilliant one-liners that often get overlooked by action movie fans. After McClane hesitates to shoot one of the villains, the bad guy overpowers him and is ready to take John out. As a way of taunting his target, the villain suggests he should never hesitate to pull the trigger. McClane then guns the man down then offers his gratitude for the helpful advice.

17 "I Read About Them In Time Magazine."

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman)

Even with all the exciting action, Die Hard knows to maintain a fun sense of humor as well, even with its villain characters. Though Hans and the others pretend to be hardened terrorists with a list of demands, they are really only interested in the money. Hans has little respect for the police outside, sending in his fake list of demands just to toy with them. When he mentions getting the members of a group called Asian Dawn released from prison, his henchman Karl questions is, and Hans admits he simply took the idea from a news article.

16 "Now I Know What A TV Dinner Feels Like."

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

One of the most iconic images in Die Hard is John McClane cramped inside an air vent and cracking jokes to himself about his claustrophobic situation. It was yet another way McClane helped to usher in a new form of action hero. Instead of being the kind of hero who is effortlessly cool as he saves the day, McClane continually found his situation getting worse and worse. Not worrying about making the hero look dignified at all times was a surprisingly effective strategy.

15 "Does It Sound Like I'm Ordering A Pizza?"

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

Something the Die Hard sequel forgot about John McClane is that he is vulnerable and he doesn't want to be the lone hero. He wants to have help however he can get it which leads to him calling 911 to inform them of the building's takeover. When McClane finally does reach the police department, he is warned away from using that line as it is reserved for emergencies, which leads to one of McClane's most sarcastic, expletive-laden responses in the film as he begins to reach his boiling point.

14 "Only John Can Drive Somebody That Crazy."

Holly Gennaro McClane (Bonnie Bedelia)

McLane is only in Los Angeles at the Nakatomi Plaza's Christmas party hoping to reconnect with his wife, Holly, who had moved to the city with their children for work which furthered the divide between husband and wife. After Gruber takes control of the party and Holly begins to see the stress develop in her captors, she realizes that it was McClane who was causing them problems, as she was all too used to those same feelings and knew that John was about to make their lives a living nightmare while also saving the day.

13 "From Up Here It Doesn't Look Like You're In Charge Of Jack S***."

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

When John McClane finally receives assistance from the police on the ground thanks to Sgt. Powell, the arrival of Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson leads him to attempt to take control of the situation. He begins to bark orders at McClane through the common radio. McClane quickly puts him in his place and lets him know that he is still on the ground and removed from the situation while the real guy in charge was on top of things and taking down the thieves from the inside.

12 "I Am An Exceptional Thief, Mrs. McClane. And Since I'm Moving Up To Kidnapping, You Should Be More Polite."

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman)

The back and forth between John McClane and Hans Gruber makes for some exciting confrontations between the two powerful men as they struggle for control of the tense situation. Though there were quite a few captivating conversations between Gruber and Holly Gennaro as well. When Holly called Gruber out for being "nothing but a common thief," Gruber's demeanor immediately changes, and he takes offense for the first time that evening, though he quickly sets the record straight to defend his honor as a world-class thief.

11 "Just A Fly In The Ointment, Hans. The Monkey In The Wrench. The Pain In The Ass."

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

Never has John McClane described himself as well as he did during his discussion with Hans over the radio, which he uses to not only learn about Gruber's plans at Nakatomi Plaza but to also get under the skin of his opponent. However, there are quite a few people who would agree with McLane's description from across the Die Hard movies, beginning with his superiors on the police force to his various allies across the films, not to mention the various bad guys he's tangled with over the years.

10 "He Won't Be Joining Us For The Rest Of His Life."

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman)

Bruce Willis' John McClane might be the face of the franchise, but it could be argued that the first film truly belongs to Alan Rickman's villainous Hans Gruber. Rickman helped create a new take on the classic villain as a smooth, charming yet ruthless foe who is just as compelling as the hero of the film. After executing Mr. Takagi, head office boss, Gruber explains in a deadpan matter-of-fact way how he tried to reason with the man. He says, "Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life."

9 "No Relation."

Little Johnson (Grand L. Bush)

Gruber and his goons are the true villains of the movie, but there are plenty of immoral side characters who cause McClane a lot of problems. As the hostage situation escalates, the FBI is called in and the cold and unheroic agents Johnson and Johnson arrive. The agents, one an older white man and the other a younger Black man, provide an unusual and unexpected comic relief. Right away, there is a sense of their oddness as the younger Johnson introduces them, "I'm Agent Johnson, this is Special Agent Johnson. No relation."

8 "Hans, Bubby, I'm Your White Knight."

Ellis (Hart Bochner)

Ellis is the typical slimy dirtbag from 80s action movies who is obviously doomed. Ellis is one of Holly's more obnoxious co-workers and is constantly trying to pick her up, despite the fact that she is married to John. After doing a bit of cocaine, Ellis gets the brilliant idea that he will negotiate with Hans for their release. The scene is darkly funny as Ellis continues to act obnoxiously, oblivious to the fact that Hans is going to shoot him at any moment.

7 "Come Out To The Coast, We'll Get Together, Have A Few Laughs..."

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

Part of what makes John McClane such a great hero is seeing how much he is struggling. He is not the usual tough guy seen in these movies who walks into a gun fun without flinching. He gets hurt, he gets beat up, and he is tired. The last thing he wants to be doing is having to save the day. One scene that best sells this trait of his is the iconic air vent scene. After finding himself crawling through a tiny vent system to escape the bad guys, McClane takes some time to complain to himself. It's a great human moment from the hero. Clint Eastwood turned down Die Hard and it's a good thing as it is hard to see him playing such an honestly vulnerable hero.

6 "And Alexander Wept, Seeing As He Had No More Worlds To Conquer."

John McClane (Bruce Willis)

Though he is a murderous thief, it's hard not to want to watch a whole movie about Hans Gruber. As soon as he arrives, he is a captivating presence, and the audience clings to every word he says. As he has his private meeting with Mr. Takagi, Gruber looks over the models of the various building projects for the company. He says "And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer." It is another example of Gruber as the more sophisticated villain than are usually seen in action movies.