10 Best Action Movie One-Liners

The action movie genre has turned the one-liner into an art form. Just when the hero takes out the bad guy for good, it is now a requirement that they say something that is simultaneously cool, clever, and a little cheesy. All manners of action movies have managed to feature some truly amazing and memorable quips since the dawn of cinema.

Whether it’s words exchanged between two outlaws about to get into a duel or the last chance to say something to the man who the protagonist has been seeking vengeance on, almost every action movie has an opportunity to get the audience excited before the big showdown.

10 “This Is Sparta” (300)

One of the biggest true action movies in recent years, Zack Snyder’s 300 is amazingly choreographed and shot, with brilliantly moody cinematography. 300 has plenty of amazing lines of dialogues such as the infamous “tonight we dine in hell,” scene but it’s the famous line muttered by Leonidas at the beginning of the movie – “This is Spara!” – that is the most famous and easily the best.

Refusing to back down to the demands of the Persian messenger, King Leonidas makes quite the statement about Spartas foreign policy, by kicking the man into a bottomless pit after shouting the famous line. Fueled by rage and testosterone the scene will have viewers ready to run through a brick wall.

9 “You Gotta Ask Yourself One Question. Do I Feel Lucky? Well Do Ya Punk?” (Dirty Harry)

One of the most frequently quoted lines in cinema history is also one that many people miss the mark on in terms of delivery. Despite the intensity of the line”You gotta ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?,” it’s the calm and collected tone that Clint Eastwood’s character delivers it in that makes it so chilling.

Regardless of its place in pop culture, the line simply speaks for itself. Powerful and chilling it shows just how intense Clint Eastwood’s on-screen presence was throughout the Dirty Harry franchise.

8 “Say Hello To My Little Friend” (Scarface)

Some people view Scarface as a turning point in Al Pacino’s career, but not necessarily for the better. Seemingly moving away from more nuanced roles, Scarface marks the first time we see Al Pacino let loose as the eccentric and loud characters that he came to be known for in subsequent years.

The movie itself is still a fantastic action flick (so much so that there’s even a Scarface remake on the way), and it delivers a line so iconic that even people that have never seen the movie know. There are few things more badass than Al Pacino’s iconic line “Say hello to my little friend” being screamed before he unleashes a rain of hellfire on his attackers. That mountain of cocaine likely had something to do with Tony Montanas’ intensity.

7 “Hasta La Vista, Baby” (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

Arnold Schwarzenegger might have more iconic movie lines than any actor in history, especially when it comes to action movies. With iconic lines like “If it bleeds we can kill it,” from Predator and of course “I’ll be back,” from the Terminator franchise, the actor is a walking one-liner.

However, it is his iconic line in Terminator 2: Judgment Day – “Hasta la vista, baby” – that deserves the most credit. A line that will have viewers cheering as the realization sets in that he hasn’t thrown in the towel just yet is the perfect way to cap off an iconic fight in an iconic movie.

6 “I Will Have My Vengeance, In This Life Or The Next.” (Gladiator)

While most action movies stray into the area of campy or cheesy, Gladiator took a more mature and gritty approach to the action genre. Filled with epic set pieces and brilliant costume design, Maximus’ intensity is felt through every scene of the movie.

“I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next” is easily the most epic line of dialogue in the movie, making Maximus’ speech to the emperor of Rome just about perfect with a final line that leaves no room for interpretation. Showing his sheer determination and courage, it’s not easy to simply cower in fear when the line is delivered.

5 “I Am Iron Man” (Avengers: Endgame)

The final line delivered by Tony Stark could not have been more perfect. Making the ultimate sacrifice after an incredibly impressive 11 movie arc, Tony Stark finally said goodbye to the cinematic universe that he helped start, uttering the words “I am Iron Man.”

Leading up to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, there was plenty of speculation about which major characters would survive. Marvel did a great job of keeping the secret under wraps and despite the heroism of the final scene, most viewers knew that even Tony Stark couldn’t survive using the Infinity Gauntlet. Iron Man’s final line is beautiful, heart-breaking, and inspiring at the same time.

4 “Get Off My Plane” (Air Force One)

A movie with virtually non-stop action on a plane sounds like just the kind of thing action-movie fans would love, and throw in Harrison Ford as the President and protagonist and you have one of the most iconic action movies of all time.

After getting in a daring tussle on the edge of the open cargo hatch of a plane in mid-flight, Harrison manages to pull the villain’s parachute before delivering an incredibly cold line – “Get off my plane” – and releasing him to his death. Despite the epic climax, there is still plenty of action to be had after the villain is defeated but it’s the iconic line that stands out as the peak of the movie.

3 “Welcome To Earth” (Independence Day)

Independence Day is an action movie with its fair share of iconic moments (mainly Bill Pullman’s speech as president before the final battle), but there is one line that stands among the rest.

Filled with anger, frustration and sheer exhaustion, Will Smith berating an alien lifeform that he just beat in a chaotic dog fight is just the kind of satisfaction audiences were hoping for after he finally slew the extraterrestrial. The line is short, sweet, and perfectly in character for the hot-headed and fed-up pilot.

2 “Dodge This” (The Matrix)

Aside from being immensely popular upon its release, The Matrix has aged surprisingly well into the digital age. The choreography and pacing are still a thing to behold and the film’s influence on the action genre is massive.

Although every action sequence in the movie is memorable, it is the iconic rooftop battle that has the most memorable line in the movie. After dodging a flurry of bullets during an intense shootout, “dodge this” was the perfect line to finish off the scene, and perhaps the most satisfying kill in the franchise.

1 “Yippee Ki Yay, Motherf*****” (Die Hard)

This is the quintessential action movie that every fan of the genre should see – and likely has already seen more than once. As such, Bruce Willis’ brilliant performance in the original Die Hard influenced movies for the next several decades and is still beloved by fans over 30 years later.

The film has plenty of memorable and great lines delivered by Willis (as well as the late Alan Rickman), but only one line will have audiences cheering. From the moment viewers hear the strange and almost laughable line “Yippie ki yay motherf*****,”audiences know that John McClane has one last trick up his sleeve.

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