Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 14+
John McClane spreads vigilante Christmas cheer.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this film features constant violence. Both the good guys and the bad guys put innocent people in harms way. They use strong language and physical violence to get their points across. In addition, as with all of the Die Hard films, the protagonist McClane seeks justice through his own means that are contrary to rules of law.
- Families can talk about issues regarding the media, the legal system, and national security. How does the film comment on the media, through its presentation of Thornburg and Coleman? How does each character represent the responsibilities of members of the media? The movie presents a complicated relationship between the military and the police. Both John and the head commando Colonel Stewart make choices that deviate from their actual job descriptions. What is the difference between the two? What makes one right and one wrong?
The good stuff
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Positive messages: The film includes extremely violent individuals, both on the sides of good and evil. It presents a very complex image of government, police, and civilians (traitors, incompetents, and vigilantes). All engage in excessive violence, but the film does not really interrogate the type of violence used by the film's hero. His role as savior for the innocent rationalizes his killings in the world of the film.
What to watch for
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Violence: Murder of the innocent, lots of gunplay, freak accidents involving machinery, explosions, human stampedes, graphic executions of members of the police force, knife fight and graphic stabbing, throat slitting, dismembering, plane explosion, premeditated airplane crash (and death of all of its passengers
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Sex: Brief (non-sexualized) male nudity.
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Language: Repeated use of the f-word, frequent swearing out of anger and frustration.
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Consumerism: Twinkies.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue