Greatest Action Line

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"Yippee-Ki-Yay" -- spoken by Bruce Willis in the original Die Hard -- is not the greatest one-liner in action movie history, as Eric Lichtenfeld suggests in this Slate "Summer Movies" piece. In this context the word "greatest" would have to mean "most satisfying in a zingy, bull's-eye sense." Without question, the line that takes the cake in this respect is "Hasta la vista, baby" -- spoken by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 27, 2007 at 5:14 PM

comment #1

erniesouchak says ...

"Go ahead, make my day."

Posted by erniesouchak at June 27, 2007 5:34 PM

comment #2

bmcintire says ...

I don't know, Jeff. The fact that the "hasta la vista" line was so zeitgeist-y (haven been lifted from a Jody Watley lyric) makes it ultimately dated (kinda like "Where's the Beef?"). "Yippee-ki-yay. . ." is also a direct response (to Alan Rickman calling him a cowboy) and not just another iteration of "I'm going to kill you now." I'd give it to DIE HARD.

Posted by bmcintire at June 27, 2007 5:39 PM

comment #3

bmcintire says ...

Er, having, not haven.

Posted by bmcintire at June 27, 2007 5:41 PM

comment #4

James Leer says ...

Not that any of the suggested are bad ideas, but does anything pack the visceral punch of "Get away from her, you BITCH" in "Aliens"?

Posted by James Leer at June 27, 2007 5:44 PM

comment #5

rocco says ...

"PUT...THAT COFFEE...DOWN. Coffee is for closers only."

Ok, not an action movie but whatever...

I almost prefer Hans' take on McLain's kiss-off...

Posted by rocco at June 27, 2007 6:12 PM

comment #6

TheScott2K says ...

The greatest action movie one-liner of all time is from Robocop: "Bitches, leave."

It works in so many situations.

Posted by TheScott2K at June 27, 2007 6:17 PM

comment #7

Arran says ...

TheScott, I agree. I love that line for some strange reason.

I was always fond of Arnie's "You're luggage" in Eraser.

Posted by Arran at June 27, 2007 6:40 PM

comment #8

Moneypenny says ...

You know why everyone beats up on Wells? He takes other people's blog quotes and trounces on them.

Tip for Wells: Just stick to your own thoughts on things. Who cares what other bloggers are saying...

Posted by Moneypenny at June 27, 2007 6:48 PM

comment #9

cinefan says ...

I've always loved Indy's line to Marion from Raiders: "It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."

Posted by cinefan at June 27, 2007 7:06 PM

comment #10

JB Moore says ...

Scott2K you are fucking right-on about "Bitches leave". Clarence Boddicker doesn't get nearly the respect and love he deserves. Love that line, love that goddamn movie.

Posted by JB Moore at June 27, 2007 7:08 PM

comment #11

p.Vice says ...

Actually, as a one-liner "Yippie-Ki-Yay Motherfucker" works far better as the payoff in Die Hard 2 than as more of a throwaway in the first movie.

TheScott2K -- I'd buy that for a dollar!

Posted by p.Vice at June 27, 2007 7:25 PM

comment #12

Eddie says ...

Lots of good stuff to be found in the Evil Dead trilogy.

I've always had a soft spot for

"You found me beautiful once."
"Honey, you got reeeeaal ugly!"

Also in The Long Kiss Goodnight

"Die screaming, motherfucker."

I think the best throwaway lines have to have the word 'motherfucker' in there. To the best of my memory, Aronld's never used one.

Posted by Eddie at June 27, 2007 7:34 PM

comment #13

Eddie says ...

Oh, and while this doesn't have MF in it

"Don't you wanna hear my last words?"
"I just did." *Blast*

from Heist is pretty great.

Posted by Eddie at June 27, 2007 7:36 PM

comment #14

Hallick says ...

"Without question, the line that takes the cake in this respect is 'Hasta la vista, baby'"

It takes a urinal cake and eats it too. The line was fine in the movie, but once it got picked up by the masses it became about as cool as a Bart Simpson quote. Every great line that gets picked up by pop culture immediately goes to the bottom of the list by dint of ubiquity alone.

Mr. Leer, I had the same reaction to that line in "Aliens" (that's my kind of female empowerment); and I love dialogue like that a lot more than an instantly annoying catchphrase ready to get plastered on a T-shirt.

Posted by Hallick at June 27, 2007 7:38 PM

comment #15

frankbooth says ...

The problem with Arnold's zingers was that not only couldn't he deliver them, he could barely pronounce them. They were funny, but not in the intended manner -- except for "fuck you asshole," in which the inflectionless delivery WAS the gag.

Does anyone know where all of this started? Was it with Bond? And what recent movies first bucked the trend? Bourne Identity?

Posted by frankbooth at June 27, 2007 7:48 PM

comment #16

DarthCorleone says ...

"Yippee-ki-yay" trounces "hasta la vista" for a few reasons, a couple already mentioned above:

1) "Yippee-ki-yay" is a clever riff by the character on the "cowboy" line. It's used for a zinger in the first iteration, and bringing it up in the second context with the very believable laughter by villains and heroes works great.

2) In contrast, "Hasta la vista" is just repetition. John Connor teaches, and the Terminator repeats.

3) "Hasta la vista" doesn't even signal the end of the T-1000. It rebuilds itself almost immediately. If you're going to talk about the biggest one-liner payoff, it should ideally corrspond to the defeat of the villain.

For the record, I'm a bigger fan of Terminator 2 than Die Hard.

Anyway, I concur with the "Get away from her, you bitch!" line as the best in action movie lore. So satisfying.

Posted by DarthCorleone at June 27, 2007 8:27 PM

comment #17

Undercover Brother says ...

I think Eastwood invented this shit. At leasst in the contemporary action guy mold as we know it. "Go ahead, make my day." "Do you feel lucky punk?" "Man's gotta know his limitations." Clint was the Godfather at this shit. Oh yeah, in addition to "Bitches leave", don't forget, "Can you fly Bobby?" And if we're discussing Arnold, who can forget "You are one ugly mutha fucka."

Pop quiz!(an easy one) - "It's all in the reflexes."

Posted by Undercover Brother at June 27, 2007 8:29 PM

comment #18

Moneypenny says ...

"Hail to the king, baby" - Army of Darkness (amongst one thousand others from that film)

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick some ass... and I'll all out of bubblegum" - They Live

Kurt Russell to a computer as he pours booze on it-- "Cheap bitch" - The Thing

Another from The Thing: Just before Kurt Russell kills it, it roars. He responds with:
"Yeah? Well fuck you too!"

Posted by Moneypenny at June 27, 2007 8:38 PM

comment #19

DarthCorleone says ...

Undercover Brother>> That would be Jack Burton. I was actually thinking about devoting an entire post to him, because he would definitely be a giant in this discussion. :- )

Posted by DarthCorleone at June 27, 2007 8:43 PM

comment #20

Moneypenny says ...

I think we should just say that all Carpenter/Russell movies rule.

Jack Burton = A god amongst men (and a total wet dream! any guys out there like him?)

Posted by Moneypenny at June 27, 2007 8:47 PM

comment #21

le corbeau says ...

"Does anyone know where all of this started? Was it with Bond?"

Yes, basically. Part of what was so startling and cool about Bond in those early days was his nonchalantly callous attitude, of which those quips, right after a fight scene or the death of the gal he'd been screwing, were a big and initially quite fresh part.

Posted by le corbeau at June 27, 2007 9:04 PM

comment #22

Josh Massey says ...

"Yippie-ki-yay" is the best. Die Hard is the best. Summer '88 was the best.

(Seriously. Die Hard, Midnight Run, Coming to America, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Big, The Naked Gun, A Fish Called Wanda, Bull Durham, Married to the Mob - that summer kicked ass.)

Posted by Josh Massey at June 27, 2007 9:12 PM

comment #23

Josh Massey says ...

Whoops, Naked Gun came out in December. It was the second one that was a summer release.

Posted by Josh Massey at June 27, 2007 9:14 PM

comment #24

Mark says ...

p.Vice; Arnold has used MFer. Predator: "You're one ugly motherfucker."

btw- Connery is underrepresented on this thread. "I am the last dragon, motherfucker!"

Posted by Mark at June 27, 2007 9:18 PM

comment #25

figgsy says ...

"See you at the party Richter" - with arnie hanging onto Michael Ironsides arms...

"I wanted you to be Hauser..but nooo you had to be Quaid"

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick some ass... and I'll all out of bubblegum" - They Live

...Same line said in Dazed and Confused but paraphrased, "I've come here to drink beer and kick some ass... and I'm nearly all out of beer" - Nicky Katt

Posted by figgsy at June 27, 2007 10:06 PM

comment #26

Eddie says ...

Aaah, you're right. I forgot about the Predator line.

How about "Those who dare oppose us will stand knee deep in the blood of their children" from Freaked.

Okay, that's a comedy (vastly underrated in my opinion), but it's still a cool thing to say.

Posted by Eddie at June 27, 2007 10:12 PM

comment #27

figgsy says ...

"This big bad green berets gonna kick your ass...I eat green berets for breakfast and right now I'm very hungry" - Commando

"Looks like some damn fool has been accused of being the best...Dillon!...Dutch...etc" - Predator

Posted by figgsy at June 27, 2007 10:53 PM

comment #28

Walter Sobchak says ...

"Heineken!?! Fuck that shit! Pabst Blue Ribbon!"

Posted by Walter Sobchak at June 27, 2007 11:04 PM

comment #29

christian says ...

I think the best throwaway lines have to have the word 'motherfucker' in there". To the best of my memory, Aronld's never used one."

except for PREDATOR: you are one ugly motherfucker.

and kids, bond. james, bond. started all of this.

go watch your GOLDFINGER:

"shocking. positively shocking."

Posted by christian at June 27, 2007 11:08 PM

comment #30

figgsy says ...

"Food riot in progress...proceed with plan alpha...I said the crowd is unarmed, I will not fire at an unarmed crowd, their are innocent women and children down der"

"Killian, heres your subzero, now plain zero"

Posted by figgsy at June 27, 2007 11:23 PM

comment #31

frankbooth says ...

That sounds vaguely familiar, Walter. Is it Super Mario Brothers?

While we're at it, how about some of the worst?

I vote for "you need to lighten up" from Batman Begins, because it felt shoehorned in from an '80s action flick. "Would you like to see my mask?" was great, though.

Posted by frankbooth at June 28, 2007 12:11 AM

comment #32

The Winchester says ...

Best action one liner?

Alien: I come in peace

Dolph Lundgren: And you go in pieces, asshole

Try to deny the brilliance, and you just can't.

Posted by The Winchester at June 28, 2007 12:16 AM

comment #33

moorish says ...

"Yippe-kay-yay motherfucker" absolutely pisses all over "hasta la vista, baby". It totally annihilates it!

Posted by moorish at June 28, 2007 1:55 AM

comment #34

Dan Revill says ...

I am more of a fan of T2 than I am of DH, but "Yippee-kay-yay..." is one of the best one liners in any action film.

I've always had a soft spot for Arnold's babblings in the completely inane Batman & Robin: "Kill the heroes! Kill! Kill!" (well something like that). That one always made me laugh. Then again, the whole movie did. And not in a good way.

My votes for great action hero lines comes from Army of Darkness: "Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun."
&
"I've got news for you pal, you ain't leading but two things: Jack and shit. And Jack just left town. "

Posted by Dan Revill at June 28, 2007 2:45 AM

comment #35

Krazy Eyes says ...

"Looks like we're shy one horse."
"You brought two too many."

It's not exactly an action film but this has always been my favorite film exchange.

Posted by Krazy Eyes at June 28, 2007 5:31 AM

comment #36

AbeGoldfarb says ...

A personal favorite, this came from one of the Bond books but unsurprisingly never made it into the films. If it had, it would top lists like this in a heartbeat.

(villain drowns in a massive pile of bat guano)

Girl: He always was full of shit.

Bond: Now shit is full of him.

Absolute. God. Damn. Genius.

Posted by AbeGoldfarb at June 28, 2007 6:37 AM

comment #37

pbjmahwah says ...

I've always been partial to: "This town needs an enema!!"

Posted by pbjmahwah at June 28, 2007 6:54 AM

comment #38

Fudge Ripple says ...

Nitti: Your friend died screaming like a stuck Irish pig. You think about that when I beat the rap.
(push)
Ness: Did he sound anything like THAT?

Posted by Fudge Ripple at June 28, 2007 8:13 AM

comment #39

BurmaShave says ...

Just like a wop. Bring a knife to a gunfight.

Posted by BurmaShave at June 28, 2007 8:21 AM

comment #40

christian says ...

probably the first real action quip came with FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE after rosa kleb attacks Bond with her deadly poison shoe blade:

"She had her kicks."

Posted by christian at June 28, 2007 8:37 AM

comment #41

BurmaShave says ...

Is there a different list for bad guy one-liners? Because the best of those is definetly Malkovich in Con-Air:

"Make a move and the bunny gets it."

Posted by BurmaShave at June 28, 2007 8:45 AM

comment #42

Rich S. says ...

Can't believe no one's mentioned Arnie's "first" one liner- "I'll be back." Simple phrase; instantly recognizable.

Jack Burton/Snake Plissken/MacReady and Ash get their own wings of the Hall of Fame. There are literally too many to list. Okay, I'll do two quick ones: "Son of a Bitch Must Pay," and "Come get some" followed by "Swallow This."

Posted by Rich S. at June 28, 2007 9:06 AM

comment #43

Rich S. says ...

Actually, "Swallow This" comes earlier in the movie, whereas "Come Get Some" comes at the end. They're both in response to the same threat: "I'll Swallow Your Soul!"

Posted by Rich S. at June 28, 2007 9:10 AM

comment #44