Live Free or Die Hard (2007) brings John McClane into the digital age, where fists and firepower collide with code and cyberterror. As a full-scale digital assault cripples the country, McClane goes analog in a high-stakes race to save the nation—and his daughter.
Think you can keep up with the chaos, hacks, and classic McClane one-liners? Take on our 10-question trivia challenge and prove you can die hard with the best of them—even in the 21st century.
Live Free or Die Hard (2007) Trivia Questions & Answers
- Who reprises the role of John McClane in Live Free or Die Hard?
Correct Answer: Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis returns as the iconic NYPD detective John McClane in the fourth installment of the Die Hard franchise. Still sarcastic, stubborn, and unkillable, McClane once again finds himself in the wrong place at the right time—this time in the face of cyberterrorism.
- What is the main threat in the film?
Correct Answer: A cyber-terrorist attack
The plot centers around a cyber-attack on America’s infrastructure—targeting transportation, financial systems, utilities, and communication. The film brings Die Hard into the digital age, with McClane going up against hackers trying to bring the country to its knees.
- Who is the young hacker that McClane teams up with?
Correct Answer: Matt Farrell
Matt Farrell, played by Justin Long, is a gifted but reluctant hacker who becomes McClane’s sidekick after he’s targeted by the terrorists. Their odd-couple dynamic provides comic relief and emotional depth as McClane teaches Farrell how to be brave under fire.
- Which agency initially assigns McClane to pick up the hacker?
Correct Answer: FBI
The FBI Cyber Division tasks McClane with bringing in Matt Farrell for questioning as part of a broader investigation. However, things quickly spiral out of control as assassins try to eliminate Farrell before he can talk.
- What is the name of the cyber-terrorist villain?
Correct Answer: Thomas Gabriel
Thomas Gabriel is a former government cybersecurity expert turned rogue. Motivated by revenge after being dismissed by the government for his warnings about national vulnerabilities, Gabriel launches a “fire sale” to prove his point—with deadly consequences.
- What major U.S. city is prominently featured during the film’s climax?
Correct Answer: Washington, D.C.
Much of the action shifts to the nation’s capital as Gabriel’s plan unfolds. The setting emphasizes the stakes of the attack and McClane’s mission to stop the collapse of government control over essential infrastructure.
- What does the term “fire sale” refer to in the context of the movie?
Correct Answer: A complete shutdown of national infrastructure
In hacker slang, a “fire sale” refers to a coordinated cyber-attack targeting transportation, financial, utility, and communication systems all at once—essentially bringing a country to its knees. Gabriel’s fire sale is designed to cause panic and allow him to siphon billions unnoticed.
- Who plays the role of Thomas Gabriel?
Correct Answer: Timothy Olyphant
Timothy Olyphant brings a cool, calculated menace to the role of Thomas Gabriel. Unlike previous Die Hard villains, Gabriel is more subdued and cerebral, representing the threat of digital terrorism in the 21st century.
- How does McClane finally stop Gabriel?
Correct Answer: He shoots himself to shoot Gabriel through his own shoulder
In classic McClane fashion, the finale features a gritty, last-resort move: he presses his own gun against his shoulder and shoots through himself to take out Gabriel. It’s a brutal and creative maneuver that showcases McClane’s willingness to sacrifice everything to win.
- What relationship does Lucy have to McClane?
Correct Answer: She is his daughter
Lucy McClane, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is John’s estranged daughter who is taken hostage by Gabriel. Her kidnapping adds a personal stake to the mission and rekindles the father-daughter bond by the film’s end.
