Round II: The Villain
Given the incredible precedent Alan Rickman set in the original film, the villain will always be one of the most important parts of any Die Hard film. If McClane does not have an interesting, intimidating adversary to fight, there is little point in investing in the action.
All three sequels fare relatively well in this regard, though the best of the bunch is immediately obvious. Jeremy Irons is rather stupendous in Die Hard With a Vengeance, relishing the opportunity to play an over-the-top bad-guy with wonderfully campy gusto. He is simply tons of fun to watch, and while I do not find him nearly as intimidating as Rickman, he is certainly on equal footing in most other regards. Like Rickman, he projects intelligence well, and proves himself suitably ruthless over the course of the film. Irons does not make for an all-time great villain, but when it comes to the Die Hard sequels, he is clearly the best.
Timothy Olyphant comes from a similar mold in Live Free or Die Hard, playing a character defined by his wit rather than physical strength. He is quite good in the part, and seems like a fitting antagonist for a film about cyber-terrorism, but by nature of the character, he is not as flashy or entertaining as Irons.
William Sadler is a distant third as Col. Stuart in Die Hard 2, though there is a certain charm to the completely overblown nature of his performance. He is also, notably, the only real physical threat among the Die Hard villains, which is at least worth a mention. Still, he does not compare to Irons or Olyphant, and the former wins this category with ease.
The Winner: Die Hard With a Vengeance
Current Score: 0-1-1
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