Die Hard 2 (1990)
Kernel Score: 79% · 6,289 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Action, Thriller
Released: 1990-07-03
Runtime: 124 minutes
Is Die Hard 2 worth watching?
Worth watching. John McClane is stuck at a snowed-in airport as terrorists take control. It's a louder, sillier copy of the first film, but it has plenty of good set pieces and Bruce Willis is in form.
Watch it if you
- liked the first Die Hard
- want a Christmas-week action film
- enjoy one-man-against-everyone action
Skip it if you
- haven't seen the first film
- want the original's tight, clever plotting
Best for: Action night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Die Hard 2
- Stream: Hulu, YouTube TV
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
One year after his heroics in Los Angeles, John McClane is an off-duty cop who is the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. On a snowy Christmas Eve, as he waits for his wife's plane to land at Washington Dulles International Airport, terrorists take over the air traffic control system in a plot to free a South American army general and drug smuggler being flown into the US to face drug charges. It's now up to McClane to take on the terrorists, while coping with an inept airport police chief, an uncooperative anti-terrorist squad, and the life of his wife and everyone else trapped in planes circling overhead.
Die Hard 2 parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Die Hard 2 is an R-rated action thriller involving terrorists, shootouts, and an airport under siege.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Includes shootouts, explosions, and a terrorist takeover of an airport.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Die Hard 2
If you liked Die Hard 2, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Die Hard (1988) — 87%: The original, tighter and sharper
- Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) — 83%: Third Die Hard, with a clever cat-and-mouse plot
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) — 95%: Brilliant sequel with big, relentless action
- Aliens (1986) — 94%: Sequel that matches the original for tension and action
- Nobody (2021) — 89%: Ordinary-man action with dark humour
- The Dark Knight (2008) — 96%: Superbly made action thriller with a great villain
Director
Renny Harlin
Cast
- Bruce Willis as John McClane
- Bonnie Bedelia as Holly McClane
- William Sadler as Stuart
- John Amos as Major Grant
- Franco Nero as General Ramon Esperanza
- William Atherton as Richard Thornberg
- Dennis Franz as Capt. Carmine Lorenzo
- Art Evans as Leslie Barnes
- Fred Thompson as Trudeau
- Tom Bower as Marvin
Die Hard 2 FAQ
Is Die Hard 2 worth watching?
Worth watching. John McClane is stuck at a snowed-in airport as terrorists take control. It's a louder, sillier copy of the first film, but it has plenty of good set pieces and Bruce Willis is in form.
Where can I watch Die Hard 2?
In the US you can stream Die Hard 2 on Hulu and YouTube TV and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Die Hard 2 OK for kids?
Die Hard 2 is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Die Hard 2 is an R-rated action thriller involving terrorists, shootouts, and an airport under siege.
What movies are like Die Hard 2?
If you liked Die Hard 2, try Die Hard, Die Hard: With a Vengeance, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Aliens.