What's your favorite John McTiernan movie?

[Heineken Skywalker]

The release of the sub-par ALIEN VS. PREDATOR has made me think about the original PREDATOR and how much better it was than the current offering.
McTiernan has directed movies in three big franchises. The first PREDATOR, the first Jack Ryan movie, HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, and two of the DIE HARD movies, the original and DH: WITH A VENGEANCE.
He also directed LAST ACTION HERO, one of Schwarzenegger's more notorious movies.
And he has remade two of Norman Jewison's films: THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR and ROLLERBALL. I still haven't seen the RB remake, but all indications are that I'm not missing much.

While I've enjoyed most of these, my favorite is easily the original DIE HARD. This is one of the movies that I compare all other action movies too. I just feel that when it comes to that kind of movie, they got everything right in the original DIE HARD. A cool high-tech concept, a good script, a great villain in Alan Rickman, a damsel in distress (Bonnie Bedelia) who isn't annoying, some great action set pieces, and an "every-man" hero (Bruce Willis) who seems real and not just some muscle-bound superhero, which we got a lot of in the 80's. He survives because he uses his brains as well as his weapon. And by the end of the movie, having had the shit beat out of him, he actually looks like he's been through hell.
McTiernan's direction is pretty much perfect in this movie. You get good character intros, a nice set-up, some witty dialogue, and most importantly for an "action" movie, it never drags. The pace is tight and builds suspense, something a lot of modern action movies (and directors) don't seem to know how to do. Nowadays they seem to try to overwhelm you with explosions and bodies, but there's no heart to many of the stories. DIE HARD should be required viewing for any director contemplating making an action movie.
This movie, deservedly so, made Willis a movie star, for better or worse, depending on how you feel about him.
Seeing some of his performances in later films, PULP FICTION, SIXTH SENSE, UNBREAKABLE, etc., I feel that's mostly been a good thing.

Yippee-ki-yay, motherfuckers! ;D

[Bartwald]

Die Hard is one of my action favourites, too. I also like Predator and The 13th Warrior quite a lot. Last Action Hero disappointed me but it was somehow, er, brave, I think. Basic, on the other hand, was a full disappointment.

What wins though? The Thomas Crown Affair, obviously. Being a Bond fan I had to see it, and then liked it more than GoldenEye or Tomorrow Never Dies. Nice twisty plot, fine performance from Pierce and the greatest surprise of all: one of my favourite actresses shows that she can act even with no shirt on!

[Unbend5440]

John McTiernan started out on the right track. Die Hard is his best and along with Predator, Hunt for Red October, Medicine Man, and Die Hard with a Vengeance I think he established himself as one of my favorite directors of the late 80s early 90s. The came Thomas Crown Affair, which I thought had a good opening and ending but a lousy middle section. I think it was so so, not nearly what the original Thomas Crown was. I would say I was sort of disappointed with it. Then like a month later I saw The 13th Warrior. That was a mess. I hated it, especially being a fan of McTiernan and Michael Crichton. Rollerball is maybe the single worst movie I've ever seen. There was nothing good about it. It was like a cartoon parody of the original. I had lost all faith in McTiernan by Rollerball, but in my opinion Basic completely redeemed him. Basic seems like one of those movies that has a 50/50 split. Half of the people who see it think it's terrible and the other half think it's brilliant. I thought it was a lot of fun. So McTiernan is now back in my good graces. It should stay that way as long as he avoids adapting Michael Crichton books or remaking Norman Jewison movies.

[Bartwald]

Unbend5440 said:

I had lost all faith in McTiernan by Rollerball, but in my opinion Basic completely redeemed him. Basic seems like one of those movies that has a 50/50 split. Half of the people who see it think it's terrible and the other half think it's brilliant.

You're right, Unbend; and I belong to this other half, unfortunately. I was hoping for a cool, twisty movie with Basic (didn't believe any of the reviewers, of course) and was deeply disappointed then.

[LivingDeadGirl]

Def. Die Hard....Predator would be second.

[Pulpmariachi]

Die Hard first. Then The Hunt for Red October (I still see only Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan).

But I think he worked his best with Jan De Bont. Maybe they played well off one another, because after De Bont went off to better things (Tomb Raider 2, for instance) McTiernan kind of fell apart.