Die Hard might be appointment Christmas viewing for many, but here’s a list of other great action movies to watch over the holidays. While the mindnumbingly tedious debate about whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie resurfaces every year, what is true is that for a lot of people, rewatching the Bruce Willis classic has been a tradition.
It’s a perfect action movie, from the screenplay to the casting and the setpieces themselves. Revisiting Die Hard over Christmas is like seeing an old friend, though some people prefer the more wholesome vibes of It’s a Wonderful Life or the first two Home Alones.
Still, there’s nothing wrong with skipping the first outing in the Die Hard movie franchise once in a while, and there are plenty of other actioners that take place during the season. Christmas itself doesn’t even have to play a major role either; a Christmas tree in the background or a jolly jingle is qualification enough.
Lethal Weapon (1987)
Die Hard and Lethal Weapon share much in common, especially producer Joel Silver. What’s impressive about the first entry in the Lethal Weapon series is how much darker it is. Instead of the borderline sitcomy humor of later sequels, the original can be intensely violent and even disturbing at times.
This sees Mel Gibson’s rogue, suicidal cop paired with Danny Glover’s veteran detective. The duo bicker relentlessly as they navigate various shootouts and murder mysteries during Christmas, but by the finale, they’re best friends. Richard Donner infuses his buddy cop thriller with a lot of heart, while the setpieces are also top shelf.
Silent Night (2023)
This downright experimental offering brought John Woo, the world’s greatest action director, back to American moviemaking after a long absence. Silent Night features no spoken dialogue whatsoever, as Joel Kinnaman’s vengeful father seeks revenge on the gang that killed his son.
In truth, there’s a lot wrong with Silent Night, and it struggles to keep its central gimmick interesting. That said, Woo is still a master when it comes to staging action, Kinnaman hands in a genuinely impressive silent performance and Christmas plays a huge role in the plot.
Reindeer Games (2000)
The definition of a guilty pleasure, Reindeer Games sees Ben Affleck’s convict drawn into a casino heist by Charlize Theron’s femme fatale. This was the final theatrical effort for director John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin), and while it plays like a suspenser for most of the runtime, it’s got some memorable action beats too.
Reindeer Games was given the much blander title of Deception for its UK release.
The Christmas heist setpiece is easily the highlight, as a gang wearing Santa outfits sees their plan going very, very wrong. It’s far from either the director or the cast’s best work (in fact, Theron once labeled it as her worst film), but Reindeer Games is solid, mindless Christmas-time entertainment.
Carry On (2024)
Carry On takes inspiration from Die Hard 2: Die Harder with its airport setting, as Taron Egerton’s TSA agent is blackmailed by Jason Bateman’s terrorist into helping him pull off an evil scheme. And when it comes to building tension and stress, there’s no better setting than Christmas at an airport.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra (The Commuter) is a master when it comes to these efficient little B-movies, which is why Carry On was such a hit for Netflix in 2024. Egerton induces a lot of sympathy for his harassed hero, while Collet-Serra keeps tightening the screws until the finale turns into non-stop action.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
With Lethal Weapon, screenwriter Shane Black established himself as the King of Christmas action movies. The third Iron Man saw Black take over the director’s chair, which follows Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) as he takes on a mysterious terrorist while dealing with his PTSD from the events of The Avengers.
Shane Black previously directed Robert Downey Jr in 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Black largely keeps Tony out of his famous armor and focuses on telling a more human story. This was a smart choice, as Iron Man 3 is one of Marvel’s better standalone entries. It’s loaded with Black’s trademark one-liners and flair for action, but above all, it’s one of Downey Jr’s best solo outings as Stark.
Violent Night (2022)
Given the wealth of Die Hard rip-offs in existence, it was only a matter of time until somebody made Santa Claus the lead of one of them. Violent Night sees David Harbour’s Santa wandering into the middle of a siege situation when mercenaries take over an isolated mansion.
This 2022 action comedy plays like a bloodier take on both Die Hard and Home Alone, with the film having a hilariously disturbing homage to the latter. Violent Night is a little long overall, but the film’s perfect use of the holidays and its fast-paced action make it an ideal choice for Christmas Eve viewing.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Another Shane Black-scripted blockbuster, where Geena Davis’ amnesiac housewife learns she was once a top assassin. With the aid of Samuel L. Jackson’s private eye, she stays one step ahead of foes from her past. Possibly the most underrated entry on this list, The Long Kiss Goodnight is bliss from beginning to end.
It has the kind of explosive excess that could only come from the 1990s, but with some of Black’s saltiest quips and dialogue. Davis is so good in her dual role that it’s a genuine shame she didn’t do more action, while Sam Jackson has labeled The Long Kiss Goodnight as one of his personal favorites.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
James Bond movies are another tradition over the holiday period, and they don’t come more festive than On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. George Lazenby takes over from Sean Connery in his sole outing as 007, who travels to the snowy Swiss Alps to take on Blofeld (Telly Savalas), while falling in love with Diana Rigg’s Tracy.
This sixth Bond adventure was viewed as a letdown upon release, but has been reappraised as one of the franchise’s best. It’s easy to see why; the movie’s got a great (and tragic) story, the setpieces are incredible, and it has Christmas vibes all over it. Even Lazenby holds his own in the lead role.
Batman Returns (1992)
Batman Returns is one of the weirdest and most personal comic blockbusters ever made. That’s because Warner Bros essentially handed director Tim Burton total creative control, which he used to weave a tale of lonely misfits (Batman, Catwoman and The Penguin) clashing during Christmastime in snowy Gotham City.
This 1992 sequel is visually stunning and features some career-best work from co-stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito. The score and soundtrack also rock, and while the action is a touch meh, Batman Returns is a sequel that fully captures how melancholy and bittersweet the holidays can be for some.
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
If you only watch one action film this Christmas starring Bruce Willis, make it The Last Boy Scout. Shane Black also provided the screenplay for this noirish detective thriller, where Willis’ scummy private eye teams with Damon Wayans’ washed-up football star to solve a murder.
The Last Boy Scout was, by all accounts, an absolute nightmare to make, with director Tony Scott clashing with producer Joel Silver. Inspite of its behind-the-scenes issues, the film is a beautiful-looking actioner (which takes place at Christmas) with a superb script; it features some of Scott’s best work as an action director too.
