Die Hard (1988)Movies

Hans isn’t wrong when he says that the culture is bankrupt. But he is wrong in the assumption that culture is bankrupt because of its adherence to this masculine, “cowboy” archetype. In reality, it’s the loss of this model that’s caused more bankruptcy, if anything. John McClane is a cowboy, but not as much as he’d like to be. The cowboy answers to no one, but McClane, like it or not, has others to think about besides himself. He’ll always be saddled with the lives of his family and others, no matter how individualistic he may seem. That’s why we like him, though. His charm comes not just from his rejection of authority, but from his belief in institutions. He’s not a fan of bureaucracy, but he’s still a husband, father, and cop. He’s still a man, sure of himself and...