Blog 4 Dat Style: The Best Action Movie One Liner Tournament Part 4
Missed Part 1 , Part 2 or Part 3 of the bracket? Click the links to revisit the tournament setup and round 1 action! Now on to Round 2!
Just a refresher… This is a tournament to determine what is the most bad ass one liner in action movie history…ever. Our tournament had three contributors: myself (The Wrench), the D and Ben. We researched and came up with the best one liners, determined what constituted a one liner, determined if a movie was an action movie (or not in some instances), seeded the tournament into 4 brackets and voted on the results. The 4 brackets are themed: The WTF did he just say, Wildcard, Kill and Comedy. What will be the best action movie one liner?
Round 1 action gave us a few upsets. A few notes on this… This bracket does not represent necessarily the greatest, most beautiful lines in cinematic history. Instead, it delivers a powerful punchline to a movie that stands out to the voters of this tournament. Are we saying that Snakes on a Plane could hold the Godfather‘s jock strap? Hell no, but it did make people want to see a movie with an over-the-top Samuel L. Jackson fighting CGI snakes on a mother fuckin’ plane. And that’s the beauty of it! His delivery on those words were poetic enough to bring people to the theaters. Enough ranting. Back to the tournament.
Round of 16
Kill Bracket!
1. “Hasta la vista, baby.” Terminator 2 – Versus – 5. “You’re the disease, and I’m the cure.” Cobra
Stallone versus Schwarzenegger… in their prime, not in The Expendables version. Two of the baddest guys on the planet facing off. One is human pumped up with HGH, the other is a machine with living tissue over a metal endoskeleton. If Stallone would have known his fate in this bracket, he would have killed off Schwarzenegger in The Expendables.
Taking this one in with little resistance 3-0… Winner: “Hasta la vista, baby.”
2. “You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” Batman – Versus – 6. “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass… and I’m all out of bubblegum.” They Live
The first time you hear this line in Batman, a young Jack Napier delivers the line to a young Bruce Wayne. The second time this line is presented in the movie, The Joker tells an older Bruce Wayne “You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” which throws him for a loop. It’s the line Jack Napier gives all of his victims before shooting them down. Obviously Bruce was able to put this together knew that some vengeance could be brought for the killing of his parents by taking down the Joker. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper is back and taking on the Joker… But wait! Who is that lurking in the shadows?! It’s the Bat!
Taking down the wild man with a batarang 3-0… Winner: “You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?”
The WTF Bracket!
1. “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.” Die Hard – Versus – 4. “Get to the choppa!” Predator
One guy fights terrorists, the other fights aliens who like to hunt humans (and other creatures of outer space in other renditions) for sport in a matchup of two very fun lines. Each has its place in popular culture. “Yippee-ki-yay,” has been presented in 5 movies over the course of 25 years. The other is yelled out just about anytime I see a helicopter. Only if Arnold had 4 more movies and 4 more chances to say this.
Taking down Arnold 3-0… Winner: “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.”
2. “This is Sparta!” 300 – Versus – 6. “With great power comes great responsibility.” Spider-Man
A proclamation versus a way to live your life. One is yelled, the other spoken softly. Both phrases have lasting impact, but only one is moving on.
In a close one, winning 2-1… Winner: “This is Sparta!” 300
The Comedy Bracket!
4. “I’ll be back.” The Terminator -Versus – 8. “Enough is ENOUGH! I have had it with these motherfuckin’ snakes on this motherfuckin’ plane!” Snakes on a Plane
With the upset of the tournament so far, “Enough is ENOUGH!” takes on the classic line of “I’ll be back,” which is used in multiple Terminator movies and movies in general. Samuel L. Jackson is facing a more traditional action movie one liner packing more of a punch and foreshadowing the fact that the Terminator was going to come back and kick some ass. 
Samuel L.’s line sounds more of a hissy fit any way, also causing the D to throw one at this conclusion of the matchup.
Taking it 2-1… Winner: “I’ll be back.” The Terminator
3. “Go ahead, make my day.” Sudden Impact – Versus – 7. “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” Goldfinger
Dirty Harry doesn’t get enough credit for the series of movies the character was in. He was a no-nonsense guy who kicked ass and took the law into his own hands when it was time. Goldfinger had laser beams and a master plan evolving Fort Knox. It looks like Auric’s plan has been ruined, pushing forward Mr. Harry.
Moving on 2-1… Winner: “Go ahead, make my day.”
Wild Card Bracket!
1. “Say Hello to my Little Friend!” Scarface – Versus – 4. “Sweep the leg.” The Karate Kid
The powerhouse that is Scarface takes on a kid, but that kid knows karate! Come on man, how can you beat the montage scene in The Karate Kid set to the song “You’re the Best”?
Oh wait, Scarface has a gun and a grenade launcher.
Blowing away the competition 3-0… Winner: “Say Hello to my Little Friend!”
2. “Adrian!” Rocky Versus – 3. “You talkin’ to me?” Taxi Driver
Oh shit, Mick cut too deep.
Barely sneaking by an eyelash 2-1… Winner: “You talkin’ to me?” Taxi Driver
Tune in soon for Elite 8 action of the Best Action Movie Line ever!
The Wrench
Samuel L. Jackson made me tear up when he delivered that line. Its the motivational line I use to get me through tough days.
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