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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