# Best "Macho Movie"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 21, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501 "2003-02-21T06:01:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/21 "2003-02-21T19:50:49Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\* > I’d also vote for They Live, which is macho in an embittered working-class blue-collar kinda way_\* You mean someone else liked this movie too? I liked this movie, though I haven’t seen it in awhile. Maybe I should go and rent it again just for the hell of it. I’m gonna have to say Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the best macho movies there is. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/22 "2003-02-21T19:53:50Z")
Rio Bravo/El Dorado Silverado Conan the Barbarian ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/23 "2003-02-21T20:07:45Z")
Although it doesn’t have those specific elements, **The Dirty Dozen** is probably the most macho movie ever. Fitting with your criterion… [Big Trouble In Little China](http://us.imdb.com/Title?Big+Trouble+in+Little+China+(1986)) qualifies on all counts: - The villain has no redeeming qualities. - **Immortal Demon Lord** - Things will be blown up. - **A brothel, amongst other things** - Guns will be fired and meaningless characters will be killed. - **The big showdown between the rival gangs during the funeral march.** - The main character won’t say much but he will say some catchy things. - **Jack Burton: When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, looks you crooked in the eye and asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol’ Jack Burton always says at a time like that: “Have ya paid your dues, Jack?” “Yessir, the check is in the mail.”** He _does_ tend to talk a bit more than The Man With No Name, though. - A woman or child will be kidnapped. - **The green-eyed Chinese girl is kidnapped by the Lords of Death** - There will be hand-to-hand combat to prove who is really the toughest. - **The showdown with the Immortal Demon Lord** - Someone will have a very cool vehicle. - **The Semi is pretty cool.** But not quite as cool as the Road Warrior cars, I guess. Another collaboration between Kurt Russell and John Carpenter - **The Thing** , once again doesn’t have your criterion (no women at all), but is pretty damn macho, too. Also, anything with Steve McQueen (i.e. \*\* Hell Is For Heroes\*\*) in it should rate for that reason alone. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/24 "2003-02-21T20:23:51Z")
How about Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (the best of the series IMO). It seems to satisfy most of the criteria and is highly entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/25 "2003-02-21T20:37:36Z")
Another vote for **Commando**. Come on people, this has got to be the ultimate macho movie, no question! There’s guns, killing, fighting, more guns, more killing, an evil bad guy, more killing, more violence… OK, it’s cheesy, but it’s a classic. It’s so over the top that it’s really enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e480ec/32.png) [@Peter\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/26 "2003-02-21T20:47:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vandal \* > \*\*That would be **Commando**. > > “I eat Green Berets for breakfast!” > > “Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last?” > “That’s right, Matrix. You did!” > “I lied.” > > Come on, who couldn’t love a movie like Commando? It even comes complete with a kidnapped Alyssa Milano! \*\* Damn vandal you beat me to it. I mean the end where he puts the steam pipe through the villain. “He needed to let off some steam”. Priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/27 "2003-02-21T20:52:11Z")
**Big Trouble in Little China** : “This really pisses me off to no end!” ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/28 "2003-02-21T20:53:37Z")
I most enthusiastically second **Predator**. Also, **Robocop** is worth an honorable mention 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/29 "2003-02-21T21:01:01Z")
**Under Siege** simply for the fact that: (a) They managed to get a shot of a naked woman into a movie set aboard a _battleship_. (b) Death by jigsaw. What more do you want? As for the checklist: - The villain has no redeeming qualities Yup - Things will be blown up F-16s, submarines, these are a few of the ex-plo-ding things. - Guns will be fired and meaningless characters will be killed. Oh yeah. - The main character won’t say much but he will say some catchy things. Many clever sayings about soup and pies. - A woman or child will be kidnapped. Along with several thousand sailors - There will be hand-to-hand combat to prove who is really the toughest. But of course! - Someone will have a very cool vehicle. I think anything with 16inch guns and Tomahawks counts as a very cool vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/30 "2003-02-21T21:04:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Edward The Head \* > \*\*I’m gonna have to say Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the best macho movies there is. \*\* In my book, this wins hands down. Harrison Ford is the ultimate macho action hero in this movie. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/31 "2003-02-21T21:22:34Z")
Gotta vote for _Red Dawn_… - The villain has no redeeming qualities. - Check. Evil Cubans & Russkies! - Things will be blown up. - Check. Gotta love the RPG action - Guns will be fired and meaningless characters will be killed. - Check. “Avenge Me!!” - The main character won’t say much but he will say some catchy things. “Wolverines!!” “Keeps me warm.” - A woman or child will be kidnapped. -Check. And raped, to boot. - There will be hand-to-hand combat to prove who is really the toughest. -Check. - Someone will have a very cool vehicle. -Check. Badass pickup… -Rav ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/32 "2003-02-21T21:31:22Z")
**Conan the Barbarian** No guns, but plenty of other weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/33 "2003-02-21T21:43:48Z")
How about **The Wild Bunch**? By that most macho of directors, Sam Peckinpah. ---
**Author:** ![TGWATY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@TGWATY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TGWATY)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/34 "2003-02-21T22:26:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*I’d also vote for _They Live_, \*\* Glad you liked it. I wrote the screenplay for _They Live_ when I was eight years old. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/35 "2003-02-21T22:55:20Z")
Wow! I didn’t know there were so many fans of _They Live_. I loved that movie. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/36 "2003-02-21T22:57:30Z")
And thanks for writing the screenplay, TGWATY.😉 ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/37 "2003-02-22T01:09:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Peter Griffin \* > \*\*Damn vandal you beat me to it. > > I mean the end where he puts the steam pipe through the villain. > > “He needed to let off some steam”. > > Priceless. \*\* “Please excuse my friend he’s DEAD tired.” ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/38 "2003-02-22T02:03:30Z")
Actually there is one six-shooter in _Yojimbo_, used to gun down members of the rival gang when they are burned out of their headquarters. I second _Hard-Boiled_, any movie that has a baby pissing on the hero to put out his pants that are on fire is macho. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/39 "2003-02-22T02:07:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TGWATY \* > \*\*Glad you liked it. I wrote the screenplay for _They Live_ when I was eight years old. \*\* Liked it? _Liked_ it? I [started a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=112017) just for the fistfight. It’s the only thread I ever started that ran to more than one page. ---
**Author:** ![ion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f1d935/32.png) [@ion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ion)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501/40 "2003-02-22T02:53:01Z")
Wow, thank you men! You have actually succeeded in making me enjoy the mucho-macho genre (and I’d say there is no overestimation to that achievement). I feel that descriptions such as **vandal** ’s, of _Commando_, and the one of _Hard-Boiled_ by **divemaster** relieve me of my ignorance regarding how to digest these fire-and-muscle-stuffed 90 minutes. I guess you’re right - gotta love it! (Wouldn’t endager my pleasant revelation by renting the movies though.;)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-macho-movie/156501.md?page=3)