Hans Gruber (Die Hard) by Alan Rickman
Other action flicks could only dream of a superb antagonist like Hans Gruber in Die Hard. There is no doubt that Hans is the sharpest person among the cast. His plans are well organized. He is quick-witted in almost every area of knowledge. And most crucially, the handsome thief could think right on the spot. Each time John (the protagonist) attempts to take over, Hans easily outwits him. The Bill Clay arc is the most outstanding example. Within a single second into the fateful encounter with John, Hans had slipped into his role as a helpless victim.
Hans, in contrast to other villainous characters, never loses his calm. He keeps his sanity and always plans every step. Throughout the whole story, there is no second in which Hans ceases to improvise his strategies or seek a smooth escape. For John, the protagonist, there are no narrative devices in the script that helps him traverse through obstacles with ease. Hans's devious mind and actions propelled John forward and forced him to work harder.
The performance by Alan Rickman is a big part of what makes Hans so amazing. Alan was not an out-of-the-box casting choice. The directors' decision to invite him is that he was still a new face in the field then and extremely cheap. Fortunately, his participation pushed the staff to modify the character. Hans was depicted as a nasty, violent military figure in the original screenplay. Yet, thanks to Alan's influence on the script, Hans Gruber has turned into the gorgeous, charming man in a suit that we all know today.
