The 20 most badass movie quotes from action movies

Every guy wants to be a badass, but only a select few can. And it seems to be even harder to be a (believable) badass on film. Fortunately, Guyism has scoured the internet for video of the 20 most badass quotes from action films. You may not agree with all of them, but we think most of you will agree that most of these lines are the balls of some of your favorite action films.

And just so you know, some of the videos are NSFW…so maybe turn your speaker monitors down at work and bask in the badass.

Honorable Mentions:

20 Scarface - Tony Montana

“Say hello to my lil’ friend!”

19 Con Air - Cyrus Grissom

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I have the only gun on board. Welcome to Con Air.”

18 Escape from L.A. - Snake Plissken

“The name’s Plissken.”

17 Snatch - Bullet Tooth Tony

“Now…f**k off”

16 Like I even have to say it…

15 Die Hard - John McClane

“Yippe kay yay motherf#*^er”

First rule: Never invite German terrorists to your Christmas party. It should go without saying. That said, have you ever heard a guy go into a tense situation and utter this classic line? Chances are that you have or have done so yourself. It’s a quote that mixes being badass and being patriotic into one nonsensical swear. It says I will not go softly into that good night without blowing some stuff up and taking you with me. It made Bruce Willis into an action star and a movie badass for years to come.

14 Passenger 57 - John Cutter

“Always bet on black.”

You think there is a roulette dealer in the world who hasn’t heard this line on a daily basis? Do you think that every time Wesley Snipes wins in roulette, he pays taxes on those winnings. Chances are that the answer to both of those questions is “not likely.” Still, this film came out when Wesley Snipes was still one of the baddest, blackest movie stars on the planet. And it still holds water as one of the coolest lines uttered to a terrorist on film.

13 The Rock - John Mason

“Your ‘best’! Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and f*** the prom queen.”

This quote encapsulates the real difference in winners and losers. Winners get the girl and losers release a chemical agent that will cause them to join the long list of people that “spit their guts out” in one of the most famous prison yards on the planet. Or possibly get shot to death by military terrorists. Or even get blown-up by a fleet of fighter jets. Oh, and if you fail, you’re also responsible for everyone in San Fransisco having their faces melt off. Your best? Sean Connery doesn’t want your best. Be a do-er, guy, or we’re all dead.

12 Dirty Harry - Harry Callahan

“Do I feel lucky…”

He was a cop that carried a .44 Magnum. It’s the most powerful handgun in the world. The man just destroyed an entire city block to stop a bank robbery. Clint Eastwood was already a straight badass and this line just sealed the deal. It should be put on his tombstone.

11 Predator - Blain

“I ain’t got time to bleed”

Hard to believe that a guy that once wore a feathered boa for a living could utter one of the hardest lines in action movie history. Even harder to believe that some 20 years later he’d be sitting in a governors mansion. Great line, the execution is so-so. Could have been better, but still could be a pretty awesome war cry for soldiers in battle. Obviously, spoiler alert, he gets his time to bleed later in the movie. But not a bad death for a self-proclaimed sexual Tyrannosaurus.

10 Pulp Fiction - Winston Wolfe

“So pretty please, with sugar on top, clean the f***ing car.”

Let’s get down to brass tacks gentleman (this may not be a pure action movie). He wasn’t there to make friends or conversation– he was there to get you out of a jam. A debonair coffee drinker and apparently a very fast driver– Winston Wolf encapsulated the man everyone wanted to know in a jam. He thinks fast talks fast and will take you out to breakfast after disposing of your dead body. Easily the coolest character in any Tarantino film; the Wolf made it clear he wasn’t there to ask politely, he was there to save your ass.

9 The Chronicles of Riddick - Riddick

“I’ll kill you with my teacup.”

It’s kinda hard to see Vin Diesel as a badass after he did that movie where he was a nanny, but at the time, Vin was an action star and this goes down as one most unique death scenes of all-time. Yeah, sure, I’m supposed to believe the blind Mr. Clean is gonna kill me with his teacup. And he did; striking fear into interplanetary bounty hunters and British grandmas, everywhere. If you saw a man killed with tin cup, you’d certainly fear what he could do with a gun.

8 Enter the Dragon - Lee

“Never take your eyes off of your opponent…even when you bow.”

It’s awesome because it’s the greatest martial artist of all-time literally smacking some sense into a kid. His delivery is pretty sick as well– a mix of sarcasm and wisdom and “I could kill you with your own tongue before you had a chance to swallow” cynicism. Don’t think, feeeeeeeeel. If you’re too busy concentrating on something, you’ll miss the whole picture. And if you bow, I’ll send your nasal cavity into so far into your brain that you’ll need to consult a neurologist to figure if you have a nose bleed or a brain aneurysm. Bruce Lee, FTW.

7 The Dark Knight - The Joker

“Ta Da…it’s, it’s gone.”

It’s done so quickly and so mercilessly that the psychopathic nature of the Joker just punches the viewer in the throat. It sets the scene, the character, and the tone of the movie in one quick line– and it’s almost uttered as a throwaway line. It’s just as jarring even when you know it’s coming. Ta-da, you’re a badass Heath Ledger, and this line will creep out future generations with both its ferocity and merciless charm.

6 Gladiator - Maximus Decimus Meridius

“Are you not entertained?”

Really? I fought huge crazy dudes, tigers, my family got killed, you put me in this coliseum and you’re pissed cause I kicked every ass that you pitted me against? This film had a ton of badass lines in it that could have gone here, but none echo like a man who has done all that everyone has asked and then throws his sword into the viewing box of the guy who was ruined his life’s work and was responsible for his death sentence. It’s like a middle finger to all those who enjoyed the hell out of your work, but never felt the need to appreciate it. It doesn’t get any more badass than that.

5 Army of Darkness - Ash

“This is my BOOMSTICK!”

Both badass and hysterical, this line is just perfectly delivered by the always amazing Bruce Campbell. It’s as close to the perfect mix of action and comedy that a person can come across in film thanks to director Sam Raimi (yup, the guy who did the Spiderman franchise). Although men sometimes have a tendency to over-use this line from time to time, if you are ever caught off-guard by a friend who delivers this line at the right time, well, it absolutely kills (slight pun intended). Good. Bad. I’m the guy with the gun.

4 Fight Club - Tyler Durden

“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”

The entire movie’s plot and philosophy in one succinct line of dialogue. Most will agree that Tyler Durden probably ranks very high on the badass-est movie characters of all-time list. He looks like you wanna look, f**ks like you wanna f**k, he is free in all the ways you aren’t. He wears sunglasses indoors (would be douchey in most other cases), make his own napalm and wants to help the world get out of credit card debt. While you may not agree with the lifestyle, you have to somewhat agree with the sentiment of the line. The people with nothing to lose have everything to gain. A tragic but nonetheless badass philosophy for a society of bar codes and plastic pushers.

3 Rambo: First Blood Part II - John Rambo

“I’m coming to get YOU!”

Nothing like a bit of whacked-out Vietnam Green Beret that’s armed to the teeth with machine guns and rocket launchers to make you sleep with one eye open for a few restless nights. I mean, only a little while earlier he outsmarted a police force and the National Guard by using guerrilla warfare deep in the woods of Washington and then had a massive nervous breakdown…and somehow, you let him out of prison, put him in the woods of Vietnam (armed like a crazy person), backstab him and for some reason think that was gonna be an idea that worked out for the best? He’s a badass! Of course he’s gonna get you! He could kill you with your shoelaces! These are the last words you want to hear out of this guy!

2 Pulp Fiction - Jules Winfield

“Say what again!”

Try and think of another actor that could deliver this line with the terrifying passion that Sam Jackson did. What? Oh, I’m sorry, did I break your concentration. It’s difficult to do. Sam Jackson destroyed this scene and all because the ballistic ferocity of this line. Sam Jackson has always and will always be a first ballot hall-of-fame badass and at the induction ceremony they’ll only need to play the previous clip. Done. Sam, you’re in; I’d shake your hand but I’m kinda scared of you. You can have my Big Kahuna burger, just don’t hurt me.

1 Tombstone – Doc Holliday

“I’m your Huckleberry.”

No other actor could deliver this line with such stoic creepiness better than the eccentric Val Kilmer. Why is this on the list? Go up to the next person you see and say the line– most people will immediately know what your talking about. Say the word “Tombstone” and people will say pizza or “I’m your Huckleberry.” Say “Val Kilmer” and people will say “Huckleberry” or the worst Batman. It’s the line that made the movie. Doesn’t get more badass than that.

I know that some of you will disagree with the above quotes, so leave your favorites that we may have missed in the comments section. We want to know what you guys think is badass. Remember, these are for action movies. We’ll have other film genres a little down the line…

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