Top 20 Best Movie Shootout Scenes
Bang! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 most exquisitely photographed bullet ballets from the silver screen. Spoiler Alert!
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00:00 [Music]
00:03 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 most exquisitely
00:08 photographed bullet ballets from the silver screen.
00:10 We won't be doing Mexican standoffs since those were covered in a separate list.
00:14 Spoiler alert!
00:15 [Music]
00:20 Number 20.
00:21 Blaze of Glory - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
00:24 There's something wonderfully fatalistic about the finale of 1969's Butch Cassidy
00:28 and the Sundance Kid.
00:30 "I never shot anybody before.
00:37 One hell of a time to tell me."
00:39 There's a romanticism attached to the film's final freeze frame of Butch and Sundance,
00:43 going out in what's presumably a blaze of glory.
00:45 "Well that settles it.
00:46 This place gets no more of my business."
00:48 The audience knows full well that this affable pair is doomed.
00:51 Butch and Sundance are clearly outnumbered and outgunned, and we don't need to see the
00:54 outlaws cut down by a hail of bullets to know that.
00:57 Ultimately, this is exactly what will happen in the end.
00:59 The idea that somehow Butch and Sundance just might make it out alive is forever ingrained
01:04 in that hopeful side of our brains, even if this iconic closing shootout tells us otherwise.
01:08 "For a moment there I thought we were in trouble."
01:21 Number 19.
01:22 Butch and Booby Traps - Nobody
01:30 It doesn't feel unfair to surmise that the plot of 2021's Nobody feels indebted to the
01:34 success of the John Wick franchise.
01:36 This isn't a slight, of course, as Bob Odenkirk makes the character of retired assassin Hutch
01:40 Mansell feel authentic, with an intriguing backstory.
01:49 He also possesses an impressive set of skills to go along with said backstory, as evidenced
01:53 by this climactic shootout that takes place within a booby-trapped building.
02:02 Believability and realism take a backseat to fun, as Odenkirk and co-stars Christopher
02:06 Lloyd and RZA take out scores of enemies with a grace that approaches superheroism.
02:16 Number 18.
02:17 Storm the Gates - Wanted
02:18 Speaking of superheroes, the 2008 film Wanted was based upon a comic book miniseries of
02:23 the same name.
02:24 "I say kill 'em all, and let fate sort out the mess."
02:28 The flick also goes for broke with regards to providing a theatrical and gleeful approach
02:32 to the photography of its shootouts.
02:37 Specifically, the scene where Wesley Gibson goes buck wild with bullets is hyper-stylized
02:44 in appearance but impressively composed with effective slow-motion sequences.
02:47 The CGI effects definitely date Wanted, but this warehouse scene defies the film's 2008
02:52 release date and endures today as a kinetically filmed shootout that is still fun to watch
02:56 today.
03:03 Number 17.
03:04 The Victory Motel - L.A. Confidential
03:07 A good movie shootout doesn't have to be cacophonous carnage all the time.
03:10 Occasionally, some of the most effective sequences balance the quiet with the loud.
03:14 "All I ever wanted was to measure up to my father.
03:18 Now's your chance.
03:19 You died in the line of duty, didn't you?"
03:23 This sequence from 1997's L.A. Confidential is a great example of this sentiment, a scene
03:28 that's powerful in execution but also subtly restrained.
03:31 The characters of Exley and White aren't presented as all-conquering and fearless heroes, just
03:35 cops who are forced to face down some dangerous odds.
03:43 The Victory Motel shootout feels more realistic as a result, giving the audience moments of
03:47 nail-biting downtime to go along with the bursts of bullet-riddled energy that punctuates
03:51 the action scenes.
03:57 Number 16.
03:58 Through the Ceiling - The Boondock Saints
03:59 1999's The Boondock Saints desperately wants to be your favorite stylish action film, with
04:04 a number of scenes that practically beg to be watched and rewatched.
04:08 The firefight ambush comes to mind, as does the scene where the McManus brothers are shot
04:13 by a helicopter as the brothers drop through an air vent in the ceiling to assassinate
04:16 their targets.
04:23 It's all slow motion and late '90s trip-hop as the McManuses tumble down in an awkward
04:27 position, yet still manage to coolly take out everyone in the room.
04:30 They even make time for a little prayer.
04:31 It's not out to be the most realistic execution out there, instead trying and succeeding and
04:36 entertaining its audience.
04:37 "Shepherds, we shall be for thee, my lord, for thee.
04:38 Power hath descended forth from thy hand.
04:39 Thy feet may swiftly carry out thy command."
04:44 Number 15.
04:45 Léon vs. NYPD - Léon the Professional
04:48 It's difficult for us to decide who's more captivating, albeit for different reasons.
04:53 During this action-packed finale to Léon the Professional, Gary Oldman is pure wildness,
05:02 with his performance as DEA head Norman Stanfield.
05:05 Meanwhile, Jean Reno's Léon is cool and calculated as he goes up against an invading
05:10 force of NYPD.
05:15 This is another fatalistic situation where the ESU team clearly outnumbers Léon, and
05:19 we're fairly sure that the assassin isn't going to make it out of this one.
05:22 However, the final gift from Matilda that Léon gives to Stanfield sends this scene
05:26 off with a literal bang that feels bittersweet, yet satisfying.
05:30 Number 14.
05:31 Bar Shootout - Desperado
05:33 If you were to look up the word "cool" in the dictionary, then it's highly likely
05:36 that you just might find a description of this scene from Robert Rodriguez's Desperado.
05:44 This isn't a try-hard sort of cool, either, but the effortless sort that you find from
05:47 people who just know how to make things look good.
05:53 This bar shootout owes a lot to classic spaghetti westerns like Django and Sabata, right down
05:58 to Antonio Banderas' El Mariachi, hiding guns in a mysterious case.
06:02 As a result, the bloodshed here is visceral but stylish, a nice balance between the uncanny
06:06 and the exciting.
06:07 The bar shootout is a deadly dance of death, with El Mariachi coming out victorious.
06:16 Number 13.
06:17 Nightclub Assassin - Collateral
06:19 The characters of innocent cab driver Max and determined hitman Vincent are already
06:23 deep into it when this nightclub sequence happens during the 2004 film Collateral.
06:30 Actor Michael Mann's known ability to stylishly and captivatingly direct film thrillers is
06:34 set on full display as Vincent makes his way through the crowded nightclub, executing his
06:38 victims with pinpoint accuracy.
06:42 It's a dichotomy of the hitman's cool calculation and the setting's loud and crazed atmosphere.
06:54 This is the sort of scene where it all comes together, script, actors, and director, in
06:57 order to create memorable movie magic.
07:00 Number 12.
07:01 Over-the-top action - Hot Fuzz
07:07 The entirety of Hot Fuzz plays with established action movie tropes, subverting audiences'
07:11 expectations of them via some meta-commentary about how protagonists in these genres are
07:16 supposed to behave.
07:17 As a result, the film's final shootout serves as a gloriously over-the-top homage to the
07:21 buddy cop films that are enjoyed so much by Nick Frost's character Danny.
07:25 Frost and his co-star Simon Pegg get to engage in all the behavior seen in films like Point
07:29 Break, only for real and against some deadly adversaries.
07:32 Edgar Wright's handling of the self-referential is executed perfectly, and this shootout manages
07:37 to be both exciting and entertaining.
07:52 Number 11.
07:53 Chaotic Shootout - Taxi Driver
07:55 There's absolutely nothing glamorous, glossy, or pleasant about this climactic shootout
07:59 sequence from 1976's Taxi Driver.
08:02 "Suck on this."
08:05 Director Martin Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader knowingly craft a troubled and unstable
08:09 protagonist in the form of Travis Bickle, and this shootout serves as a breaking point
08:13 for Bickle's unhealthy fixation on young Iris.
08:15 Robert De Niro's Bickle has trained his body to react, but not his mind, and the execution
08:20 of his deadly plans is chaotic and bloody.
08:22 By the end, Bickle has taken the lives of three men, borne some grievous wounds, and
08:26 sits on the couch in a near-comatose state.
08:28 It's sudden, shocking, and realistic, the sort of scene that sticks with the viewer
08:32 forever.
08:33 Number 10.
08:34 Taking Out the Bad Guys - Die Hard
08:36 For many movie fans, Die Hard is a perfect action movie.
08:38 "Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mr. Cowboy?"
08:43 "Yippee-ki-yay!"
08:46 It's difficult to disagree with this sentiment, too, especially when you take into account
08:49 the care and thought put into executing the set pieces.
08:52 John McClane's battle against his antagonists at Nakatomi Plaza is one that ebbs and flows
08:56 between thoughtful planning and breakneck execution.
09:04 As a result, the quiet bits of McClane sneaking around are punctuated by scenes like his shootouts
09:08 with brothers Tony and Carl.
09:10 Another shootout where McClane is cornered by Hans Gruber's men leads to the wince-inducing
09:14 scene where the detective is forced to pick shards of broken glass from his foot.
09:18 "Shoot the glass!"
09:21 Number 9.
09:22 Union Station Shootout - The Untouchables
09:25 It takes a master the level of a Brian De Palma in order to construct a scene as complex
09:29 as the Union Station shootout sequence from 1987's The Untouchables.
09:32 "Is there some problem?
09:33 I can help you, if you need."
09:35 De Palma's reputation for long shots and tension-building takes is put on full display
09:39 as Special Agent Elliot Ness and George Stone arrive at Union Station.
09:47 The resulting shootout between the pair and Al Capone's men is a thing of nail-biting
09:51 beauty, as both sides trade shots while a runaway baby carriage hangs in the back.
09:55 The end results feel visually indebted to the Odessa step sequence from 1925's Battleship
10:01 Potemkin, but the 1980's update gives The Untouchables a legacy all its own.
10:11 Number 8.
10:12 Bloody Porch - The Wild Bunch
10:13 "We can stay up here and kick hell out of 'em, that's what we can do."
10:17 There's a marked difference between an average Western shootout and the bloodiness that embodies
10:21 the finale of Sam Peckinpah's 1969 masterpiece The Wild Bunch.
10:25 The themes of transition and change are echoed in the din of gunfire as Pike Bishop's once
10:29 formidable gang goes down fighting for one of their own.
10:35 These are men whose world is passing them by, yet they cling to this violent lifestyle
10:39 in the most visceral fashion possible.
10:41 Peckinpah and editor Lou Lombardo shoot the violence up close and personal.
10:45 It's unflinching and free of any romantic notions about the Old West, including terrible
10:49 collateral damage.
10:53 Number 7.
10:54 Candyland - Django Unchained
10:56 There can often be a fine line between art and exploitation, but Quentin Tarantino has
11:00 always been the kind of filmmaker who wants to have his creative cake and eat it too.
11:07 As a result, the Candyland sequence from 2012's Django Unchained is both impeccably story-bordered
11:12 and shot, while at the same time being an absolute case of bloody overkill.
11:15 The sound design alone amplifies the action, as each bullet nauseatingly makes its way
11:19 with an approach that feels almost prurient.
11:23 There's a certain level of glee at play as Django Freeman mows down gunman after gunman
11:27 at the Candyland compound, such as the poor fellow caught in the crossfire.
11:35 It's sublimely ridiculous.
11:37 Number 6.
11:38 Trust Me - Terminator 2 Judgment Day
11:40 The kicker behind this scene from 1991's Terminator 2 Judgment Day has given more weight
11:45 for those who are fans of director James Cameron's original film.
11:51 Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800 annihilates an entire police station in that entry, whereas
11:55 that same T-800 unit is now a hero in the sequel.
12:05 Schwarzenegger's android has been tasked with John Connor not to kill anyone, so he doesn't.
12:09 But that doesn't mean that he can't absolutely mow down police cars, background scenery,
12:13 or the kneecaps of an entry guard.
12:14 In the words of the T-800 itself,
12:16 "He'll live."
12:18 Number 5.
12:19 Red Circle Shootout - John Wick
12:21 Who knew that this 2014 film from director Chad Stahelski would grow into the fan-favorite
12:25 franchise it's become in the modern day?
12:27 "Are you here on business, sir?"
12:30 "Afraid so, Francis.
12:31 Why don't you take the men on?"
12:34 Stahelski's career in the field of movie stunt work was likely one of the reasons why
12:38 the choreography here is so stellar, as evidenced by this scene from The Red Circle Nightclub.
12:42 There's a nice balance of close-contact fighting and gunplay during this sequence,
12:46 but the action really ramps up once the bullets start flying.
12:55 The throbbing dance music and crowded quarters only add to the unpredictability, and Wick
13:00 takes on a number of adversaries.
13:02 Wick comes out on top, but he doesn't leave the Red Circle unscathed, and is forced to
13:05 seek refuge at the Continental.
13:11 Number 4.
13:12 Compound Attack - Scarface
13:16 The finale of this climactic scene from Scarface may be embedded in pop culture history today,
13:21 but let's also not forget all the other moments from the Compound Attack that helped
13:24 make this sequence so incredible.
13:26 "Say hello to my little friend!"
13:28 There's a bravado to Tony Montana's posturing in the face of overwhelming odds, a confidence
13:32 that makes the audience think that maybe, just maybe, he might make it out of this assassination
13:36 attempt alive.
13:39 Montana takes out scores of Sosa's men with machine gun fire and a grenade launcher, but
13:48 he sustains some critical hits.
13:49 Finally, he's taken out from behind, ending his brief but meteoric rise to the top of
13:53 an illegal empire.
13:55 Number 3.
13:56 Lobby Shootout - The Matrix
13:57 There's a nice balance between the old and the new within this scene from The Matrix.
14:06 Classically orchestrated gunplay and martial arts meld with stylish slow motion and a lot
14:10 of dated late 90s fashion to create a thrilling shootout.
14:21 Neo and Trinity defy the laws of physics as various guards attempt to take them down,
14:25 while the soundtrack thumps along to the innovative cinematography.
14:28 The slow-mo works particularly well here, enthralling audiences who are hooked on this
14:32 world the Wachowskis built with The Matrix.
14:35 It's also incredible to rewatch today, an exciting scene with thrills to spare.
14:46 Number 2.
14:47 Tea House Shootout - Hard Boiled
14:48 It's difficult to pick out exactly which shootout from John Woo's 1992 masterpiece Hard Boiled
14:53 to include on our list.
15:01 The climax of the hospital is absolutely amazing, but we just gotta go with the opening act,
15:05 and the action at the tea house.
15:06 There are so many moving parts that are taken into account once the scene gets going, as
15:10 Chow Yun-Fat and Bowie Lam attempt to break up a gun smuggling deal.
15:16 There's a ton of complicated choreography, fire, explosions, the works.
15:23 Additionally, the tea house scene gets the wheels of the film's plot properly in motion,
15:27 and both Lam and Yun-Fat do a lot of great acting with their eyes and body language throughout
15:31 the tense shootout.
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15:51 Number 1.
15:52 In The Streets - Heat
15:54 The actors who took part in this genre-defining shootout from Michael Mann's Heat did so
15:57 with a lot of hard work under their belts.
16:10 The proof is in the pudding, too, since the end results of this shootout were so effective
16:14 that reportedly the United States Marines have cited it in their training.
16:26 The tense back-and-forth between Lieutenant Vincent Hanna's LAPD and Neal McCauley's
16:30 bank robbers is deadly for both sides, yet the actors involved possess some seriously
16:34 steadfast resolve.
16:36 These are determined men under some intense pressure, yet the end results remain steely
16:39 and cool even as total chaos erupts in the streets.
16:46 What are some other realistic movie shootouts?
16:48 Let us know your picks in the comments below!
17:01 [music]
17:08 (dramatic music)
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