There is no shortage of memorable movie quotes. Some can elicit joy, some can express sadness, and some can even be inspiring. But what about the ones where, when delivered in the right moments with the right tone, can make a character appear to be a complete badass? Many of these quotes can help create some truly cool and unforgettable cinematic moments, often elevating the film as a whole.
Objectively speaking, there’s no set criteria for a line to be considered badass; it could be said loudly or quietly, in a moment of pure action or one of peace, coming from an action-adventure vehicle or a gangster drama. However, it does have to instill some kind of reaction to make the viewer go, “Wow, that was cool!” These are the most badass quotes in cinema, timeless lines that have entered the pop culture lexicon and turned their movies into bonafide classics.
20
“I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubblegum.”
Nada (Roddy Piper) – ‘They Live’ (1988)
A true cult classic of 80s cinema, They Live mixes social commentary on consumerism in America with an intoxicating, genre-meshing story of humanity being invaded and controlled. The John Carpenter horror/sci-fi/action/comedy follows Nada (Roddy Piper), a drifter who treks to L.A. where he receives a pair of sunglasses that show him the true nature of the world, thus revealing American society is being controlled by skull-faced aliens who disguise themselves among social elites while using the media to manipulate humanity.
The film offers plenty of great moments as Nada goes on a rampage to blast the intruders out of existence. One particularly memorable scene sees him barge into a crowded bank, shotgun in hand, where he is greeted by the stunned faces of a swarm of aliens. His introductory quip to his adversaries is the epitome of corny excellence, a comically badass one-liner that illustrates the film’s fun-loving undertone magnificently. —Ryan Heffernan
They Live
- Release Date
-
November 4, 1988
- Runtime
-
94 minutes
19
“A lot of you don’t seem to understand, I’m not locked in here with you, you’re locked in here with me.”
Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) – ‘Watchmen’ (2009)
Based on Alan Moore’s dark and contemplative graphic novel, Watchmen transpires in an alternate version of the 1980s where a squad of American superheros has influenced historical events while exacerbating the tensions of the Cold War. With the team disbanded, the hard-edged Rorschach (Jackie Earl Haley) takes it upon himself to serve the murder of one of his past colleagues while evading the police.
The story takes a gripping turn when Rorschach is arrested and thrown in jail where he is surrounded by many criminals he clashed with on the street. When queuing for food, one of the inmates tries to shank him, only to be brutalized and scalded with boiling oil. As the rest of the prisoners watch on in stunned silence, Rorschach coldly delivers a menacing and savage warning to any other inmate who is considering testing him, one that reaffirms the true balance of power. —Ryan Heffernan
Watchmen
- Release Date
-
March 4, 2009
- Runtime
-
163 Minutes
18
“When you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk.”
Tuco (Eli Wallach) – ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966)
There are few genres of film that revel in the full breadth of badass cinema quite like the old school spaghetti Western movies of the ’60s and ’70s. They flaunt a wry and wicked humor beneath compelling stories of ambition, corruption, and grit, and are often imbued with exceptional soundtracks, perfectly blunt performances, and plenty of cool, concise dialogue. The defining masterpiece of the subgenre is The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, which follows two amoral and reluctant allies searching for a stash of Confederate gold that has been buried in a grave.
The film is jam-packed with iconic quotes, with one of the best coming when Tuco (Eli Wallach) is snuck up on by a vengeful adversary while having a bath. As his assailant waffles on about his journey to find Tuco, though, the sly gunslinger fires his own shots from a gun concealed in the bathtub. After delivering the killing blow, Tuco spits his succinct bit of advice, highlighting that all the monologuing in the world isn’t worth the impact of a good, quick shot. —Ryan Heffernan
17
“Bond. James Bond.”
James Bond (Sir Sean Connery) – ‘Dr. No’ (1962)
Given its presence in every single James Bond film, 007’s famous introductory line has perhaps had its impact diluted somewhat over the years, but it should never be forgotten how cool it was when first used in Dr. No. After the film opens with an attack on MI6 operatives in Jamaica, it cuts to a game of baccarat being played in a private club in London where Bond (Sir Sean Connery) indulges in some verbal sparring with an opponent in the form of Sylvia Trench (Eunice Gayson).
The camera remains focused on Trench as the two exchange pleasantries, right up until the point at which she asks Bond for his name. Cut to Connery in his tuxedo and lighting a cigarette with the smooth Bond theme kicking in, he delivers what is possibly the single most iconic quote in cinematic history. It’s not the line alone that makes the scene badass, but it is perfectly emblematic of the suave, silky, no-fuss style that makes it so slick. —Ryan Heffernan
Dr. No
- Release Date
-
October 7, 1962
- Runtime
-
110 minutes
16
“You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do you, punk?”
Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) – ‘Dirty Harry’ (1971)
It’s just the end of a longer monologue, but Harry Callahan’s (Clint Eastwood) callous question is one of the most iconic moments of 70s cinema. It is uttered towards the start of the crime classic Dirty Harry as the titular unorthodox detective thwarts a bank robbery during his lunch break. Having shot dead one of the robbers and the getaway driver, he holds the last of the crooks at gunpoint and, noticing that the criminal is eyeing off his own gun, concedes that he doesn’t know if he fired five shots or six.
Delivered with an effortless, confident coolness, the entire monologue is the epitome of hard-edged, old-school grit. Eastwood delivers it with a taunting mercilessness, one that invites is adversary to take a shot if he thinks he is daring. Not only is it one of the most badass quotes in cinematic history, but it is also a perfect way to establish Callahan’s character, with the query asserting that his ruthlessness, his skewered morality, and his appetite for action. —Ryan Heffernan
Dirty Harry
- Release Date
-
December 23, 1971
- Runtime
-
102 minutes
15
“Say ‘hello’ to my little friend!”
Tony Montana (Al Pacino) – ‘Scarface’ (1983)
There’s no question about it: Scarface is one of the most popular and influential gangster films of all time. A loose remake of the 1932 film of the same name, it tells the story of the rise and fall of Tony Montana (Al Pacino), a Cuban immigrant who becomes the most powerful drug lord in Miami. Not only is the film best remembered for Brian De Palma’s direction and Pacino’s great performance, but also the violent ending where he delivers his famous line “Say hello to my little friend!”
When Montana realizes that his mansion is being descended upon by men with weapons, he takes his own machine gun—a.k.a. his “little friend”—and prepares for a one-man rampage. From there, it’s pure blood and carnage, remaining invincible until his own death. The line “Say hello to my little friend” has become one of the more parodied lines in pop culture, emulated as something of a battle cry. It works not just for its memorability, but also for the fact that Montana delivered, even until the very end.
Scarface
- Release Date
-
December 9, 1983
- Runtime
-
170 minutes
14
“Dead or alive, you’re coming with me.”
RoboCop (Peter Weller) – ‘RoboCop’ (1987)
RoboCop is often regarded to be one of the best sci-fi films of the ‘80s. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the film takes place in a near-futuristic Detroit where police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is killed and resurrected as a cyborg to continue enforcing the law. While the concept of RoboCop is quite badass, Murphy is left with little to no humanity thanks to the criminals who killed him and the evil Omni Consumer Products who used him for profit.
The film is both a strong action vehicle while also serving as a critique of greed, capitalism and violence. In one memorable scene, RoboCop comes across one of the criminals committing a robbery, but not before delivering a truly badass line: “Dead or alive, you’re coming with me.” In the scene, Murphy faces one of the criminals who are responsible for his murder, slowly bringing some of his humanity back. Although a line like that should not be said by any real police officer, human or robot, in the context of the world established in RoboCop, it still works.
RoboCop
- Release Date
-
July 17, 1987
- Runtime
-
102 Minutes
13
“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) – ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
Arguably the greatest film of all time, The Godfather remains an influential piece of pop culture. The saga of the Corleone crime family, led by Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), is masterfully told and changed the way gangster movies were made. While people love to quote the dialogue, the most famous line, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse,” essentially captures the true nature of how the Corleone family lives and operates.
The quote is repeated three times throughout The Godfather: once by Don Corleone himself when assuring a deal will be made for his godson, once by Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) when he describes to his girlfriend Kay (Diane Keaton) how his family works, and once when Michael himself is the boss. Making an offer that cannot be refused basically means that, no matter who’s in charge, the Corleone family will always get what they want. That alone is what makes it so badass.
12
“Come with me if you want to live.”
T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) – ‘Terminator 2: Judgment’ (1991)
The first Terminator film introduced the villainous T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a cyborg sent from the future to the year 1984 to murder Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), preventing the eventual birth of her resistance-leading son, John. But a human named Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is also sent back to protect her, with the first thing he says to her being “Come with me if you want to live.” That same line is used again in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, but by Schwarzenegger’s T-800.
Usually, when sequels recycle lines of dialogue from the original, they are met with groans and eye-rolls. But with a change from a character once seen as a villain, it can actually be just as effective, if not more. Making the T-800 a hero instead of a villain was a major but welcomed change in Terminator 2 and the way he delivers this particular line to Sarah Connor is also a defining moment in the film. It reminds Sarah of when she was first saved, and she realizes she has no choice but to trust the T-800. It makes for an altogether badass moment that exceeds the original.
11
“Time to nut up or shut up.”
Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) – ‘Zombieland’ (2009)
How about a badass quote that’s also funny? Zombieland is a gem of a horror comedy with its hilarious cast of characters and brutally funny zombie kills. The plot is simple enough, centered around a group of zombie apocalypse survivors trying to make their way to a theme park on the West Coast. The easily frightened Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has a set of rules for surviving but eventually learns to adapt after spending some time with Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a true badass.
Tallahassee has something of an unofficial motto: “Time to nut up or shut up.” While easy enough to understand, it’s backed up by the fact that Tallahassee always delivers; he’s cool, intimidating, and a master of zombie-killing. It does help Columbus in the end when facing his fears and saving Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) from zombies. In a way, this line is not only badass but also a teachable moment.
Zombieland
- Release Date
-
October 2, 2009
- Runtime
-
88 minutes
