I hope not. I like action sequences, but there are a lot of action movies out there without enough investment in story, character development, etc, and that takes a lot out of a movie IMO
I went to
Die Hard in a theater earlier this week -- starting the holiday season off right.
Die Hard doesn't work because it has better action sequences or special effects than other movies of its era. It's more or less par for the course on those fronts. It's good, but there's nothing truly memorable that stands out like, say, the car chase in
The French Connection or semi flip in
The Dark Knight.
It works because of the characters.
You want John McClane to survive and reconcile with Holly and go home for Christmas with the kids. They're both good people, strong, and resourceful. You want them to make it through this.
You're oddly fascinated with the suave charm and sophistication of Hans Gruber.
You bond with Al and John as they bond with each other. Them embracing is an emotional moment.
You hate the stupid LAPD guy and the ******* FBI guys and the brutality of Gruber's goons. And oh my goodness the comeuppance the TV new guy gets at the end felt good when it happened.
Take those characters away and it's an entirely forgettable film.