I consider it an established fact that the original Die Hard is indeed a Christmas movie. We are not going to debate that here, that matter is settled. I would like to talk about another action/comedy from the same era, Lethal Weapon 1.
Now, say what you will about the sequels. I happen to like them, even the one with Chris Rock in it. They certainly have a level of cheeseballness that doesn’t appeal to some people, I get it. The original Lethal Weapon, however, is a pretty solid movie, that deals with some genuinely serious issues. Grief, loss, guilt, depression, suicidal thoughts. It also has plenty of laughs, and some pretty good, if completely unrealistic, action.
So, is it a Christmas movie? I submit that yes, it is. The entirety of the movie takes place in the Christmas season, and explicitly so. One of the earliest scenes in the movie takes place in a Christmas tree lot, and the final scene takes place on Christmas night. Christmas is featured throughout this tail of chasing down murderous ex-military heroin dealers.
If you haven’t seen Lethal Weapon 1, or haven’t seen it in a long time, put it in your cue, right after Die Hard. Tis the season, after-all.
What say Oppo?