What is Die Hard about?

As we head towards December and Christmas, some discussion inevitably turns to holiday movies and that ridiculous question:

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

I don’t really care, although I will watch it at Christmas. To me, the real question is:

What is Die Hard about?

• John McClane saving Nakatomi plaza from bank thieves?
• Big stunts and explosions?
• A fantastic villain played by Alan Rickman?

Nope.

It’s about a guy trying to reunite with his estranged wife.

It begins because of it, it ends when he finally does, and everything else is what happens when it goes terribly, terribly wrong.

Never forget that.