John McClane se bori proti teroristični skupini pod vodstvom Nemca Hansa Gruberja.V prvem filmu se McClane zoperstavi močno organizirani teroristični skupini pod vodstvom Nemca Hansa Gruberja, ki si je z natančnostjo švicarske ure izmislil plan za krajo več milijonov dolarjev. Teroristi zasedejo stavbo korporacije, kjer je zaposlena Johnova žena. Gruber bi svoj načrt do potankosti izpeljal, če se v stavbo ne bi prikradel McClane.
NYPD cop John McClane goes on a Christmas vacation to visit his wife Holly in Los Angeles where she works for the Nakatomi Corporation. While they are at the Nakatomi headquarters for a Christmas party, a group of bank robbers led by Hans Gruber take control of the building and hold everyone hostage, with the exception of John, while they plan to perform a lucrative heist. Unable to escape and with no immediate police response, John is forced to take matters into his own hands.