Movies that give us an adrenaline rush are sometimes all we need to get our energy levels up. Whether it’s a chase scene or a perfectly choreographed final fight between the hero and the villain, these high-octane flicks have been fan-favorites for a reason. However, as far as Francis Ford Coppola is concerned, these movies aren’t all that.
Talking about the rise of mindless action in Hollywood, Francis Ford Coppola used an all-time classic to give an example supporting his beliefs: Die Hard. While he may not be a fan, there are countless others who are, and for all the right reasons!
Francis Ford Coppola gets candid on fast-paced action
There is no denying that Francis Ford Coppola is one of the greatest to walk the streets of Tinseltown. With movies like The Godfather and five Academy Awards to his name, the man sure knows what he is doing. However, there are times when he messes up, as well. Exhibit A: Megalopolis, but more on that later.
Coming to Coppola’s opinion on action flicks, fans may not agree with him singling out the one franchise that will always be a stand-out in the genre: Die Hard. The first time we came across John McClane’s adventures was in 1988, and since then, the films have been a favorite. Just ask Jake Peralta.
However, while talking about the making of his most recent film, Megalopolis, Coppola took a shot at Hollywood churning out one action film after the other, and used Die Hard to make his point.
As per his belief, those movies aren’t “alive.” Talking to David Breskin in 1991, while Megalopolis was still in the works, he stated,
Now it’s people saying: Let’s make movies that have incredible chase scenes, that have violence, let’s make Die Hard. That’s not coming out of young men and women involved in something alive. That’s not alive.
Sure, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and sure, mindless action may be on the rise lately, but we draw the line at Die Hard slander. After all, the film is a classic for a reason.
Die Hard was, is, and will remain the gold standard of action cinema. A film that redefined the genre with wit, grit, and a barefoot Bruce Willis crawling through vents. And while Coppola may see action films as devoid of life, they have sparked a lifelong passion for cinema in millions. There’s something undeniably “alive” about watching the hero go through lengths to save the day, and Die Hard does it the best.
Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis
Making a movie isn’t easy. A lot of time, money, and effort go into bringing your vision to life, but Coppola’s Megalopolis broke all records when it came to its release.
The filmmaker first came up with the idea in the late 1970s and had been quietly working on the film behind the scenes all this time. Given that the film was in the making for four decades, it went through a lot of obstacles along the way, including the September 11 attacks.
He stated in a 2007 interview,
It made it really pretty tough… a movie about the aspiration of utopia with New York as a main character and then all of a sudden you couldn’t write about New York without just dealing with what happened and the implications of what happened. The world was attacked and I didn’t know how to try to do with that. I tried.
Finally, principal photography commenced in 2022 and wrapped in 2023. As per Variety, Coppola put in $120 million of his own money to finance his dream project. While he has built an empire for himself, $120 million is still no joke. However, Coppola wasn’t bothered by the financial impact of Megalopolis. He stated, “I couldn’t care less about the financial impact whatsoever. It means nothing to me.”
Well, it is a good thing he was prepared then, because the film ended up a commercial failure with just 12 million at the box office (via The Numbers). Even the reviews were pretty mixed, with a 45% score on Rotten Tomatoes and the critical consensus calling it an “overstuffed opus that’s equal parts stimulating and slapdash.” Yikes.
Rent/buy Megalopolis on Prime Video now (USA).
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