Die Hard 2 (1990): Air traffic nightmare

ByFabian Bullitt

1990 • Renny Harlin • 2.35:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓

Directed by Renny Harlin, Die Hard 2 once again sees John McClane caught up in a terrorist takeover. This time, the setting is a major airport in Washington, D.C. While a group of mercenaries seizes control of the air traffic systems in order to free a captured warlord, McClane must navigate the airport and its surrounding facilities in order to prevent disaster, as multiple planes circle with dwindling fuel.

While the film follows the formula established in the original Die Hard, it is set in a large, multi-zone environment rather than a single skyscraper. The airport setting introduces runways, control towers, terminals, and underground tunnels, providing the opportunity for a variety of action scenes that emphasise scale and spectacle. Snow-covered runways, explosions, and vehicle chases replace the more confined interior combat of the original film.

More overtly action-driven than its predecessor, Die Hard 2 is a typical example of sequel escalation, expanding its scope while retaining the core elements of the original. It went bigger, but maintained the serious, high-tension tone and light humour that made the original a classic.

Technical Specs:

  • The Story: On Christmas Eve, police officer John McClane finds himself battling terrorists who have taken control of Washington Dulles International Airport’s systems, holding thousands of lives, including his wife’s, hostage aboard a circling plane. Read my review of Die Hard 2.
  • Actors: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, William Sadler, Dennis Franz, John Amos, Franco Nero, Art Evans, Fred Dalton Thompson.
  • Director: Renny Harlin
  • Year: 1990
  • Cinematographer: Oliver Wood
  • Origin: American Cinema
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
  • Genre: Action
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-02
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-03
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-04
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-05
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-06
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-07
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-08
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-09
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-10
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-11
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-12
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-13
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-14
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-15
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-16
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-17
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-18
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-19
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-20
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-21
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-22
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-23
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-24
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-25
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-26
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-27
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-28
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-29
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-30
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-31
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-32
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-33
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-34
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-35
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-36
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-37
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-38
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-39
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-40
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-41
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-42
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-43
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-44
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-45
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-46
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-47
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-48
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-49
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-50
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-51
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-52
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-53
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-54
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-55
Die-Hard-2-1990-stills-56

More Galleries