New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies to Los Angeles to attend the swanky party of his separated wife Holly's (Bonnie Bedelia) company on an upper floor of their high-rise corporate building.  However, the company didn't intend to have party crashers, particularly gun-toting German terrorists who want to rob the big boss blind while holding the employees hostage.  The terrorists are led by international mastermind Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) who makes one major blunder in not taking into account that there would be one guest who manages to get away unseen, McClane, who does his duty as a good cop by doing everything possible to foil their plans.  Using his street smarts and physical prowess, McClane throws a monkey wrench in Gruber's works, but these terrorists are ruthless, cunning, and deadly.  Not to mention, they also have McClane's wife.