New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) travels to Los Angeles to find his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedilia). While attending Holly's office Christmas party at the high-rise office tower Nakatomi Plaza, a group of terrorists led by criminal mastermind Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) take over the building. The terrorists use the party-goers as hostages to hold the L. A. Police Department at bay as they execute their plan to steal millions of dollars worth of bearer bonds from a massive vault deep within the building. Having managed to escape the initial takeover, John McClane must elude capture while thwarting the terrorists plans and saving his wife and the other hostages.