One of themost crucial parts of a film is the script. If the dialog is hollow or unbelievable, the movie will fall flat, no matter the talent of the stars or the sheen of the special effects. The best dialog is electric and memorable, giving audiences lines to quote long after the credits have rolled.
Redditors recently got together onr/movies, the largest film subreddit, to discuss which movies have the most badass dialog of all. They’re referring to ice-cold quips and iconic catchphrases that are awesome (and often a little scary).
10’The Equalizer' (2014)
The EqualizerstarsDenzel Washingtonas Robert McCall, a retired intelligence operative living a quiet life. When he witnesses a sex worker named Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz) being mistreated by Russian mobsters, McCall decides to take matters into his own hands. However, his vigilantism draws the attention of a mob boss (Marton Csokas), setting the stage for an intense showdown. The third film will be released soon so now’s a good time to check out the first one if you haven’t already.
RELATED:The 10 Most Suspenseful Movies of All Time, According to Reddit
User 6lunchmeat9’s favorite exchange was “the dinner scene after Denzel Washington kills a henchman and then confronts the antagonist. The antagonist says, ‘What do you see when you look at me?’ Then Denzel goes on a monologue and says the same line right back to him. It was borderline scary,” they said.
9’They Live' (1988)
This lighthearted sci-fi movie is one ofJohn Carpenter’s most enjoyable gems. Professional wrestlerRoddy Piperplays a drifter who discovers a pair of sunglasses that reveal hidden messages controlling the human population. He soon realizes that the world is secretly ruled by aliens who manipulate society to serve their interests.
RELATED:10 Actors Whose Final Film Was a Fitting End to Their Career, According to Reddit
The dialog is killer throughout. Multiple Redditors praised it, particularly the iconic (and much parodied) scene where Piper says, “I have come to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubble gum.” “First one that comes to mind every time,” saidRedditor myleftone.
8’Watchmen' (2009)
Based onAlan Moore’s graphic novel,Zack Snyder’sWatchmentakes place in an alternate reality where superheroes have become part of society since the 1940s (an allegory for nuclear weapons). Amid rising tensions during the Cold War, a retired vigilante known as the Comedian is brutally murdered. Fellow retired hero Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) believes that a plot to kill masked adventurers is underway. He reunites with other former heroes, including Nite Owl (Patrick Wilson) and Silk Spectre (Malin Åkerman), to uncover the conspiracy.
RELATED:The 10 Best Elizabeth Taylor Movies, Ranked
Several users praised the film’s dialog.Redditor Trac3r_Bullsh3tsingled out the moment where Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) says, “I’m not a comic book villain. Do you seriously think I would explain my masterstroke to you if there were even the slightest possibility you could affect the outcome? I triggered it 35 minutes ago.”
7’Aliens' (1986)
The secondAlienfilm doubles down on the guns, action, and iconic quotes. There are so many memorable lines, like “Game over, man! Game over!”, “What The Hell Are We Supposed To Use, Man? Harsh Language?”, and “We’re On An Express Elevator To Hell, Goin' Down!”
The best of all is the legendary scene where Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) tells the xenomorph, “Get away from her, you bitch!” Talk about a crowd-pleaser.User callmemacreadypointed out a strong runner-up bit of dialog: “When Hudson (Bill Paxton) asks Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) if she’s ever been mistaken for a man while she’s doing pull-ups. ‘No, have you?’ she replies.” “Absolute classic,” saidRedditor Lud31.
6’Die Hard' (1988)
This revolutionary action flick follows John McClane (Bruce Willis) as a group of terrorists led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) seize the Nakatomi Plaza and take hostages, including McClane’s wife (Bonnie Bedelia).
Both Willis and Rickman have a ton of great lines, like “And Alexander Wept, Seeing As He Had No More Worlds To Conquer” and “Does It Sound Like I’m Ordering A Pizza?“User FeistyMuttMom’s favorite was McClane’s immortal catchphrase. “Yippee-ki-yay, motherf—er!”
5’True Romance' (1993)
Written byQuentin Tarantinoand directed byTony Scott, this crime film revolves around Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) and Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette), a couple who meet at a movie theater and quickly fall in love. After a violent encounter with Alabama’s pimp (Gary Oldman), they accidentally end up with a suitcase full of cocaine, leading to a series of encounters with mobsters, crooked cops, and hitmen.
The dialogue is colorful and frequently hilarious, as one would expect from a Tarantino script.Redditor AB5642’s favorite part wasChristopher Walkensaying, “I am the antichrist.” “That whole scene — betweenDennis Hopperand Christopher Walken — is so wonderfully well-written. Tarantino had the chops back in the day,” agreeduser BlitheringEediot.
4’Yojimbo' (1961)
Yojimbois one ofAkira Kurosawa’s most famous samurai films, starringToshiro Mifuneas Sanjuro, a wandering ronin who arrives in a small town divided by two rival gangs. Recognizing an opportunity to profit from the feud, Sanjuro decides to play both sides against each other, offering his services as a hired sword.
The script is jam-packed with enjoyable lines, like, “I guess there is no cure for stupidity, except for death,” “A truce is merely the seed for an even bigger battle,” and “I think better while I drink.“User Jacques_Donewas particularly fond of the scene where Sanjuro says menacingly, “It’ll hurt.”
3’There Will Be Blood' (2007)
Daniel Day-Lewisdelivers one ofhis very best performanceshere as Daniel Plainview, a ruthless oil prospector in the early 20th century. When Plainview strikes oil in a rural California town, he becomes embroiled in a battle of wits and greed with Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a charismatic preacher who seeks to exploit the oil for his church.
Plainview growls several scary lines, including, “I’m gonna bury you underground, Eli,” and “I told you I would eat you up!” Oneuser’s pick for the most memorable line was Plainview’s iconic phrase: “I drink your milkshake!”
2’Dirty Harry' (1971)
Dirty HarrystarsClint Eastwoodas police inspector Harry Callahan, who pursues the Scorpio Killer, a sadistic sniper terrorizing the city. Despite facing bureaucratic restrictions and public outcry, Callahan is determined to bring the ruthless killer to justice.
“Clint Eastwood is such an OG when it came to these. My immediate thought isDirty Harry,” saiduser King_Luffy1. There are endless quotable exchanges, like, “When a naked man is chasing a woman through a dark alley with a butcher knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn’t out collecting for the Red Cross” and, of course, “‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?”
1’Desperado' (1995)
Desperadois the follow-up toRobert Rodriguez’s stunning low-budget debutEl Mariachi.Antonia Banderasplays the titular guitar-playing gunslinger on a violent quest to track down the drug lord Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida). Armed with his guitar case filled with an array of lethal weapons, El Mariachi unleashes a whirlwind of bullets and vengeance, determined to bring justice to those who wronged him.
User HardSteelRainpraised “Steve Buscemitelling bartenderCheech[Marin] about El Mariachi in the opening ofDesperado. The whole scene is fantastic but this always stood out: ‘He was dark, too […] It was as if he was always walking in a shadow. I mean every step he took towards the light, just when you thought his face was about to be revealed, it wasn’t. It was as if the lights dimmed, just for him,'” they said.
