Guns, violence, gore: hardly the usual elements of a classic Christmas film. The debate around whether or not Die Hard (and Die Hard 2) constitutes a proper holiday movie is almost as contentious as the inevitable annual love/hate debate over sprouts or Christmas pudding.

Every year, as the holiday season rolls around, families gather to watch cherished Christmas movies – It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone, and Love Actually. Yet, one film that consistently divides opinion is Die Hard.

First, the positives. Die Hard is a movie about a New York cop defeating a gang of thieves masquerading as terrorists on Christmas Eve. That’s the plot. Which isn’t very jolly, but we’ll let that slide.