The greatest Christmas movie ever made becomes the greatest Christmas storybook – A Die Hard Christmas Review
There are two types of people: those who know Die Hard is the greatest Christmas movie and those who are wrong. Although it is acceptable to think A Christmas Story and Elf are the greatest Christmas movie, maybe even Home Alone Home Alone 2. Regardless, Die Hard is in the top 5. Which is why A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic, published by Insight Editions, is probably the greatest Christmas storybook ever, second to maybe A Christmas Carol.
A Die Hard Christmas is a masterful work of poetry. Writer, Doogie Horner, not only captures the films main story and essence, he writes the whole thing in anapestic tetrameter. Considering the film is 132 minutes long and condensed into 27 pages, it exemplifies Horner’s deep understanding of the film and mastery of poetry and storytelling. Not only does he retell the story in rhyme, he incorporates exact lines from the movie into the scheme without changing a word. Horner amazingly captures the movie, while also creating something truly unique in its own right.
Like the film, A Die Hard Christmas not only tells the greatest Christmas Story, it shows it. JJ Harrison illustrates the storybook, brilliantly capturing moments of the movie in an illustrated medium. The art style is what you’d typically expect to see in a children’s book. However, some of the movie’s graphic elements make it into the storybook. Fans of the movie will undoubtedly enjoy and giggle at the gorgeously rendered violence in a child-oriented art style, but I would probably recommend not showing it to children.
The one kind of downside to the book is that it is definitely not a children’s book. The story directly regales some of the violence and the illustrations show it. Though the rhyme scheme is playful and the illustrations are child-oriented, this is not a kids book. So please do not think this is a gift suitable for children. It is very much meant for maturer audiences.
Aside from it’s kind of bait and switch appearance, A Die Hard Christmas is a fantastic reimagining of the greatest Christmas story ever made. It is a masterfully written poem that captures and retells the epic of John McClane. As well as a beautifully illustrated capturing of key moments of the story. If you love Die Hard, parody poetry, are into adult coloring books or would like to own a written version of the greatest Christmas story ever made, A Die Hard Christmas is perfect for you. I give A Die Hard Christmas a 5/5.
A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic is available on Amazon.
A Die Hard Christmas
TLDR
Aside from it’s kind of bait and switch appearance, A Die Hard Christmas is a fantastic reimagining of the greatest Christmas story ever made. It is a masterfully written poem that captures and retells the epic of John McClane. As well as a beautifully illustrated capturing of key moments of the story. If you love Die Hard, parody poetry, are into adult coloring books or would like to own a written version of the greatest Christmas story ever made, A Die Hard Christmas is perfect for you. I give A Die Hard Christmas a 5/5.