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Ever sinceDie Hardhit theaters and wasinstantly agnize as a everlasting action movie , filmmakers have been rip it off . Die Hardsees an everyman protagonist fending off terrorist who have taken over a skyscraper . tack out the skyscraper for any other confine setting — or , if you ’re Dwayne Johnson , just go with a skyscraper — and you ’ve got a hearty premise for an action movie .
So many action movies can be described as “ Die Hardin a … ” or “ conk Hardon a … ” that it ’s pretty much become its own writing style . The heroes of these moviesadhere so close to the John McClane archetypethat one could call them McClones .
Jack Traven (Speed)
What made the originalDie Hardwork so beautifully was the moral force between John McClane and Hans Gruber . The movie did n’t just have the quintessential natural process movie friend ; it also hadthe quintessential action moving-picture show baddie , and Bruce Willis and Alan Rickmanshared fascinating alchemy in the persona .
This was retake inSpeed , described as “ fail Hardon a double-decker , ” in whichKeanu Reeves ’ McClane pedestal - in Jack Travendevelops a grudge against Dennis Hopper ’s bomb - well-chosen antagonist , Howard Payne .
Mike Banning (Olympus Has Fallen)
“ perish Hardin the White House ” movies are apparently like buses . After activity movie fans waited for years for a “ Die Hardin the White House ” movie to come along , two were publish in 2013 . Antoine Fuqua’sOlympus Has Fallencost half as much to produce as Roland Emmerich’sWhite House Down , but it was ten times as exciting .
Gerard Butler stars as Mike Banning , a Secret Service agent who protects the U.S. President from invading effect in the White House , and his attached functioning is a vast part of what ca-ca the motion-picture show work so well .
John Cutter (Passenger 57)
ab initio , Passenger 57was write for Clint Eastwood and it revolved around Iranian terrorists . Fearing retaliation from actual terrorists , the studio apartment retooled the script as a vehicle for Wesley Snipes .
The role of John Cutter , an x - cop who now works in airline security , made Snipes one of the most placeable natural action film wiz in the world .
Will Sawyer (Skyscraper)
Rawson Marshall Thurber’sSkyscraperhas been described as “ Die HardmeetsThe Towering Inferno . ” That ’s presumably how Thurber sold the project to Universal , and it was later used to deride the moving picture in its many damaging reappraisal .
Dwayne Johnson superstar as Will Sawyer , an ex - Marine who pass judgment the certificate of skyscraper . When he ’s work on the tallest construction in the humans , the building is rent over by terroristsandit sets on fire .
Darren McCord (Sudden Death)
Darren McCord is the McClane clon played by Jean - Claude Van Damme inSudden Death , a movie that can be depict as “ Die Hardin a field hockey bowl , ” orbasicallyThreat Level Midnight .
McCord is the fire marshall at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena who goes up against a banding of terrorists who take the Vice President hostage during the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals .
President James Marshall (Air Force One)
InAir Force One , the President ’s plane is commandeer by terrorist . His security department particular fails to manage the scourge , so he accept matters into his own helping hand . James Marshall isone of Harrison Ford ’s most badass characters , which is say a lot , because he also played Han Solo , Indiana Jones , and Rick Deckard .
The whole full stop of John McClane is that he ’s an everyman , so it ’s tough to compare him to a U.S. President , but McClane and Marshall have a lot in common ( and it ’s not just their initial ) .
Paul Blart (Paul Blart: Mall Cop)
Kevin James ’ title character inPaul Blart : Mall Copis a parody of John McClane types . The premise of an action funniness about a terrorist besieging in a shopping center where a down - on - his - luck mall copper has to become John McClane is a doozy .
regrettably , the same can not be said of the picture that was made out of it . Seth Rogen made a sales pitch - opprobrious funniness with a similar premise , Observe and Report , but that motion picture channelsTaxi Drivermore thanDie intemperately .
Casey Ryback (Under Siege)
These days , Steven Seagal is most noted for a whole host of unsavory allegations and behavior . But back in the ‘ 90s , he was a beloved star . One of his most popular film wasUnder military blockade , also known as “ Die Hardon a boat . ”
soldier of fortune take over a U.S. Navy battlewagon and their best Leslie Townes Hope is the cook , who happens to be a former Navy SEAL . This is Casey Ryback , Seagal ’s lead role . Whereas there was a relatability in McClane ’s lack of preparedness for dealing with the terrorists in Nakatomi Plaza , Casey is absurdly well - outfit to take on the terrorist aboard his ship .
Gabe Walker (Cliffhanger)
“ snuff it Hardon a mountain ” might not sound like aDie Hardrip - off at all , butCliffhangeris very much a ape of John McTiernan ’s classic . Sylvester Stallone plays a mountain climbing iron named Gabe Walker who gets swept up in a terrorist plot to commandeer a U.S. Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains .
Gabe falls into the " incorrect guy in the wrong place at the wrong time " class where John McClane can be find oneself , whileStallone brings an everyman quality to the role .
John Cale (White House Down)
Out of 2013 ’s two “ Die Hardin the White House ” movies , White House Downis the one that stick most tight to theDie Hardformula . Its McClane stand - in is even phone John and he wears a grubby livid vest for the majority of the pic .
Channing Tatum plays John Cale , a Capitol Police police officer who aspires to work for the Secret Service . In the movie ’s painfully predictable account arc , he protect the President from domestic terrorist and earns a spot on the Secret Service .
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