# Coolest movie shootouts/showdowns ever! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159 "2001-02-28T04:49:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/1 "2001-02-28T04:49:07Z")
The SDMB always seems to be filled with “best karate” topics so I decided to start this thread. My personal pick for 5 off the top of my head in no particular order: Reservoir Dogs - The big shootout in the end Last Man Standing - Bruce Willis shoots his way through town, double automatics blazing into a final showdown with Christopher Walkin. Desparado - Steve Buscemi tells his story of the “biggests Mexican hes ever seen” Unforgiven - Clint Eastwood learns to kill again Scarface - “Say hello to me leetle friend” ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/2 "2001-02-28T04:53:37Z")
My favorite is True Romance and under the category of best implied showdown is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/3 "2001-02-28T05:06:03Z")
Will you guys please, please watch _Hardboiled_ or _The Killer_, or both if you can stomach it, and revise your opinions afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![seriousart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@seriousart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seriousart)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/4 "2001-02-28T05:12:52Z")
Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indy Vs. the guy with the sword. Except no substitute. ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/5 "2001-02-28T05:21:21Z")
First off, I agree with the ‘Reservoir Dogs’ ending, I still love that one, also the ‘True Romance’ one. But, "Pulp Fiction’, while not the ending, it was still a fantastic part with Samuel Jackson reciting the Bible verse and blowing ‘Brett’ away. “Face Off” with the shoot out in the church. Yeah, it was in slow motion, but it was still cool. “Saving Private Ryan” when the Americans hit against the wall, and it caves in showing Germans standing there. Again, not an ending, but terrific, just the same. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/6 "2001-02-28T05:26:26Z")
The beginning and the end of **The Wild Bunch** (Sam Peckinpah). The end of of **Bonnie and Clyde** (Arthur Penn) Every movie “shootout” after those two masterpieces derived from them, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Tsugumo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4da419/32.png) [@Tsugumo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsugumo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/7 "2001-02-28T06:01:05Z")
Jackie Chan VS Ken Lo at the end of Drunken Master II (the re-release of it is called Legend of Drunken Master and if it’s not out on video already, it should be soon…go rent/buy it, heh), the whole big 20 minute last fight…It just doesn’t get better than that. - Tsugumo (whistling Drunken Master II theme…) ---
**Author:** ![Occam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Occam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Occam)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/8 "2001-02-28T06:04:08Z")
The Crow…where Brandon Lee invades the bad guy nest. The Matrix…When Neo and the chick first go through security. Usual Suspects…“One, two, three, four, five, six…Oswald was a fag” Blade…The opening scene when Blade butchers the vampires version of Studio 54. Star Wars…when Luke and Darth go at it…in all three. ---
**Author:** ![Tsugumo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4da419/32.png) [@Tsugumo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsugumo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/9 "2001-02-28T06:04:23Z")
Like a moron I completely missed that the OP meant NON-martial arts flicks, heh… Damn…I was going to list one to make up for the wasted post above, but alas, I can’t think of any off the top of my head…I’ll post again when I can, heh… - Tsugumo (forgive me, I’m a zombie college student and my brain needs more sleep to function…) ---
**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/10 "2001-02-28T06:10:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by capacitor \* > \*\*Will you guys please, please watch _Hardboiled_ or _The Killer_, or both if you can stomach it, and revise your opinions afterwards. \*\* No need to revise here, as I was just about to post those. 🙂 As far as “shoot-outs” go, these are the best, bar-none (I’d have to think about show-downs, though…). Tarantino and too many directors to name owe a great debt of gratitude to John Woo. It’s hard to think of a great shoot-out in the last 10 years that didn’t borrow from his style. ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/11 "2001-02-28T06:22:33Z")
Blazzing saddles! Jesus Christ, I laugh just thinking about it, I can’t do it justice explaining it, just go rent it. -Raises his right hand “See this hand?” “Yeah, steady as a rock. So?” -Raiases his left hand “THIS is the hand I shoot with” ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/12 "2001-02-28T06:41:50Z")
**Way of the Gun** has some of the best, realistic gunplay I’ve seen in quite awhile. They also trained the actors so it actually looked like they weren’t tremendous dangers to themselves and others just carrying a firearm–fingers off of triggers until they intended to shoot, etc. Each gunshot individually recorded for the sound instead of stock-sound bambambam looped over itself. On the unrealistic side, I would’ve mentioned John Woo’s work if no one else had. 🙂 And I don’t really consider **Yojimbo** a martial-arts film, so I’ll bring up the final showdown between Mifune and the last bad dude. (This was the Kurosawa film that Sergio Leone based **A Fistful of Dollars** on, which **Last Man Standing** dubbed.) ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/13 "2001-02-28T08:14:32Z")
Hmmmmmm…I’d say, Silverado The showdown between Kline and Dehenney(sp) is one of my favorites. Wizards The movie was eh, but the showdown between blackthorne and the wizard was most enjoyable and worth it. Support your local sheriff Perfect spoof of a showdown. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/14 "2001-02-28T08:45:10Z")
Another vote for “True Romance” here. It’s the last time I can remember sitting in the theater feeling absolutely blown away (so to speak). Quentin Tarantino said in an interview that he was tired of that oft-repeated movie cliche in which everyone’s gun is drawn and there looks like there’s going to be a ton of bullets flying, except someone comes in at the last second and resolves the situation. Yawn! What HE wanted to see is a situation where EVERYBODY SHOOTS EVERYBODY ELSE! ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/15 "2001-02-28T13:17:03Z")
Another vote for **Hard Boiled**. The shoot-outs in the tea shop, the warehouse and the hospital are incredible. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/16 "2001-02-28T13:23:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Occam \* > Blade…The opening scene when Blade butchers the vampires version of Studio 54. > > Star Wars…when Luke and Darth go at it…in all three. I was kinda thinking gunfights more than sword duals, but since you brought it up: Rob Roy - Big Bad Liam Neison spends a good 10 minutes getting cut to pieces by the the more skillfull, yet foppish Tim Roth. I won’t spoil how it turns out, but it was pretty badass. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Drastic_ > On the unrealistic side, I would’ve mentioned John Woo’s work if no one else had. I didn’t care for many of his movies (Hard Target, Broken Arrow) but you definitely see his influence in movies like The Matrix, Desperado, and others. ie Use of two small guns instead of one big one Lots of jumping around on wires Shooting the bad guys 10-15 times Pistol bullets with stopping power enough to send a man flying 10 feet in the air Pretty unrealistic, but makes for great cinematography:) ---
**Author:** ![dustMagnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@dustMagnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustMagnate)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/17 "2001-02-28T13:36:09Z")
Coolest shootout I’ve seen in a long time: **Three Kings** , the firefight over the spilt milk. The camera seems to follow each bullet, and the imagery of a gut shot spreading infection will stay with me for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/18 "2001-02-28T13:52:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by Drastic_ > > On the unrealistic side, I would’ve mentioned John Woo’s work if no one else had. > > I didn’t care for many of his movies (Hard Target, Broken Arrow) but you definitely see his influence in movies like The Matrix, Desperado, and others. > > ie > Use of two small guns instead of one big one > Lots of jumping around on wires > Shooting the bad guys 10-15 times > Pistol bullets with stopping power enough to send a man flying 10 feet in the air > > Pretty unrealistic, but makes for great cinematography:)\*\* Woo’s Hollywood efforts are the worst he’s ever done. Try **Hard Boiled** or **The Killer** , or (IIRC) **A Better Tomorrow II**. ---
**Author:** ![Pnuk\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Pnuk\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pnuk_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/19 "2001-02-28T14:44:52Z")
Seeing as we’ve done **Desperado, Usual Suspects** and **The Matrix** I’ll have to offer up **From Dusk til Dawn**. Especially the mega vampire ass-whooping that goes on. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159/20 "2001-02-28T14:52:46Z")
I’ll go with a classic and say High Noon. It may not have the most shots fired or any slo-mo or a beautiful ballet of bullets but it has characters I really care about and you really don’t know how it’s going to end. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-movie-shootouts-showdowns-ever/56159.md?page=2)