Best movie quote about revenge?

June 14, 2010 12:17 PM

What's the best revenge quote you can think of? Something like ''I'll be back.'' or ''Prepare to meet your maker.''

My friend is having a contest to give away her pink tea set. Someone has already said "You killed my father, prepare to die" which was the only thing that came to mind. If you help me win, you can come have tea with me! :)

posted by lily_bart to grab bag (64 answers total)

Sic Semper Tyrannis?
posted by jenkinsEar at 12:18 PM on June 14, 2010 [3 favorites]

"Do you feel lucky, kid? Well, do ya?"

"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."
posted by spicynuts at 12:19 PM on June 14, 2010 [3 favorites]

From hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.
posted by Behemoth at 12:19 PM on June 14, 2010 [7 favorites]

"Revenge is a dish best served."

This really only works if she's seen the most recent episode of Party Down and is a fan, however.
posted by mikeh at 12:19 PM on June 14, 2010

"Now, if there's anything I can do for you..."
"Well, I certainly hope you'll die soon."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:20 PM on June 14, 2010

"To the last, I grapple with thee; from Hell's heart, I stab at thee; for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."
posted by puritycontrol at 12:21 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yeah, what Behemoth said.
posted by puritycontrol at 12:22 PM on June 14, 2010

"No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die."
posted by Melismata at 12:22 PM on June 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

It's been a while since I've seen it, so I'm not sure if it's about revenge, but:

"The chain in those handcuffs is high-tensile steel. It'd take you ten minutes to hack through it with this. Now, if you're lucky, you could hack through your ankle in five minutes. Go. "
posted by bondcliff at 12:22 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

"Don't shoot! Let 'em burn!"
posted by Scoo at 12:25 PM on June 14, 2010

I fart in your general direction.
posted by sanko at 12:26 PM on June 14, 2010 [4 favorites]

I don't think taunting is revenge, sanko.
posted by spicynuts at 12:31 PM on June 14, 2010

You hear me talkin', hillbilly boy? I ain't through with you by a damn sight. I'ma get medieval on your ass."

My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the armies of the North, general of the Felix legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
posted by bearwife at 12:35 PM on June 14, 2010 [3 favorites]

"What heart?"
posted by flechsig at 12:44 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

I always liked this exchange from Commando, but I think Behemoth has perhaps the best ever quote of this genre.:

Arnie: "Remember Sully when I promised to kill you last"
Sully: "That's right Matrix you did"
Arnie: "I Lied".
whereupon Arnie, who is holding Sully by the ankle over a cliff, opens his hand....
posted by caddis at 12:47 PM on June 14, 2010

"Get away from her YOU BITCH!"
posted by 8dot3 at 12:47 PM on June 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
posted by availablelight at 12:48 PM on June 14, 2010 [14 favorites]

"Nemo me impune lacessit."
posted by Parasite Unseen at 12:48 PM on June 14, 2010

"You and I have unfinished business."
posted by Parasite Unseen at 12:50 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

From David Mamet's Heist:

"Don't you want to hear my last words?"
"I just did."
posted by cribcage at 12:58 PM on June 14, 2010 [3 favorites]

Broadcast News:
'You'll never make more than twenty-five thousand dollars a year!'
posted by flowerofhighrank at 12:59 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

"What is best in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." - Conan the Barbarian
posted by MXJ1983 at 1:08 PM on June 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

"THIS ISN'T OVER"
posted by davey_darling at 1:09 PM on June 14, 2010

Kick-Ass spoilers!!!! (I bother to warn because it's fairly new...)




"Wait until they get a load of me..." *puts on new villain mask*


I loved it because it was said by a character at the very end of the flick after being defeated and his father killed, cements his role as a villain, and references Jack Nicholson's Joker instead of Heath Ledger's, which seems to get all the attention lately.




And another, inspired by Behemoth's spot-on answer, from First Contact...

"I will not sacrifice the Enterprise. We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats. They invade our space, and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds, and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far and no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!"
posted by utsutsu at 1:12 PM on June 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

"Until you do right by me, everything you think about is gonna crumble!... Until you do right by me, everything you even think about gonna fail!" (spoken by Celie to Albert in The Color Purple)
posted by amyms at 1:12 PM on June 14, 2010

Bugs Bunny: "Of course you realize, this means war!"
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 1:13 PM on June 14, 2010 [4 favorites]

Oh, how did I not think of this one first?

"I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:18 PM on June 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

"Conan! What is best in life?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women."
posted by Madamina at 1:25 PM on June 14, 2010

"You tell him I'm coming! Tell him I'm fucking coming!!"
- The Limey
posted by puritycontrol at 1:28 PM on June 14, 2010

PREPARE TO DIE, BLOWHOLE ... almost immediately followed by the mention of revenge as Pete's all-time favorite hobby.
posted by Greg Nog at 1:30 PM on June 14, 2010

Little Bill Daggett: I don't deserve this... to die like this. I was building a house.
Will Munny: Deserve's got nothin' to do with it.
[aims gun]
Little Bill Daggett: I'll see you in hell, William Munny.
Will Munny: Yeah.
[fires]
posted by Tavern at 1:34 PM on June 14, 2010

To the extent Behemoth quotes Moby Dick - awesome, to the extent Behemoth quotes Khan - less awesome. That quote embodies the central theme of a masterpiece of literature. In the movie it makes a similar point but is perhaps more useful in hitting the viewer over the head with the obvious comparison of the movie to the book. Moby Dick from the whale's POV reduces substantially the impact and importance of the avenger's state of mind. The movie follows the adventure-drama script of a most fearsome bad guy up against our not to be outdone protagonist who rises to the occasion to best a perhaps superior foe. From Ahab's point of view though the story, while as long and tedious as a sea voyage of the time, delves into the psychology of revenge and what drives us toward that not so noble pursuit. In the book the quote ties the whole story and theme together, but in the movie it is less important, a coda revealing the link to the book, not just that, but not as important as in Moby Dick.
posted by caddis at 1:40 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

YOU'VE FUCKED WITH THE WRONG PERSON! My husband does business with the Mafia! When they track you down, you, your entire family, everyone you ever KNEW will all get chainsaw enemas!

- Ruthless People
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 1:41 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll whisper "no."

Or, on a lighter note:

You see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
posted by stet at 1:42 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum.

They Live
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:44 PM on June 14, 2010 [4 favorites]

It really depends on which version you watch (among other things), but this line from Blade Runner always gave me the chills:

"It's bad she won't live. But then again, who does?" - Gaff

Might be a stretch, though.
posted by Lizsterr at 1:57 PM on June 14, 2010

"Son of a bitch must pay."
posted by Joe Beese at 2:25 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

"Yeah, fuck you too!" ~ John Carpenter's The Thing

"Smile, you son of a bitch." ~ Jaws

"You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together, I've got nothing better to do." ~ Raider of the Lost Ark
posted by brundlefly at 2:37 PM on June 14, 2010

Oh, and I don't know about "best," but...

"If revenge is a dish best served cold, then put on your Sunday finest. It's time to feast!" ~ Batman & Robin (Arnie as Mr. Freeze, of course)
posted by brundlefly at 2:40 PM on June 14, 2010

Caddis: I always liked this exchange from Commando, but I think Behemoth has perhaps the best ever quote of this genre.:

Arnie: "Remember Sully when I promised to kill you last"
Sully: "That's right Matrix you did"
Arnie: "I Lied".
whereupon Arnie, who is holding Sully by the ankle over a cliff, opens his hand...

And then later he is asked, "What happened to Sully?" and Arnie replies nonchalantly, "I let him go."


My contribution:
"The jerk store called, they're out of YOU!" - George Costanza
posted by NoraCharles at 2:49 PM on June 14, 2010

"Death is but a door. Time is but a window. I'll be back." last words of Vigo before his (first) death, Ghostbusters 2.
posted by Gneisskate at 2:50 PM on June 14, 2010

From the wonderful Antonia's Line, to the man who raped her grandaughter;

“If I had it in me to kill someone, I would kill you. Instead, I’ll curse you. And my curse will haunt you forever. If you ever return, my curse will savage you to death. If you return, my hate will destroy you"

Sounds much more menacing in the original Dutch.

But you can't beat Shakespeare, and as there have been films of both:

Lear:
No, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both,
That all the world shall--I will do such things,--
What they are, yet I know not: but they shall be
The terrors of the earth.

and (Margaret to) Richard III:
If heaven have any grievous plague in store
Exceeding those that I can wish upon thee,
O, let them keep it till thy sins be ripe,
And then hurl down their indignation on thee,
The troubler of the poor world's peace!
The worm of conscience still be-gnaw thy soul!
Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv'st
And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends!
No sleep close up that deadly eye of thine
Unless it be while some tormenting dream
Affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils!
Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog!
Thou that wast sealed in thy nativity
The slave of nature and the son of hell!
Thou slander of thy heavy mother's womb!
Thou loathed issue of thy father's loins!
posted by runincircles at 3:08 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

"Just try and stay out of my way. Just try! I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!"
posted by contrariwise at 3:18 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

I can't believe I forgot this one!

"By Grabthar's hammer, by the sons of Worvan, you shall be avenged." ~ Galaxy Quest
posted by brundlefly at 3:23 PM on June 14, 2010 [4 favorites]

"First things first, to the death."

"No. To the pain."
posted by Lulu's Pink Converse at 3:32 PM on June 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

"This will not be over quickly. You will not enjoy this. I am not your Queen!"
posted by ladygypsy at 3:58 PM on June 14, 2010

From the web comic Penny Arcade:

Gabe: Killing me won't bring her back.
Tycho: Ain't that a shame. [pulls trigger on nerf gun]
posted by ambulatorybird at 4:09 PM on June 14, 2010

I have always loved the following exchange from Rolling Thunder.

Major Charles Rane: I found them.
Johnny: Who?
Major Charles Rane: The men who killed my son.
Johnny: I'll just get my gear.
-----

And the single line best quote from the movie delivered by Johnny (Tommy Lee Jones in his film debut) when he's asked by a prostitute"What the fuck are you doing?" after he pulls a shotgun out of his bag:

"I'm gonna kill a bunch of people. "
posted by smallerdemon at 4:17 PM on June 14, 2010

This one is good because it also qualifies as one of the best opening lines ever:

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.

Poe: Cask of Amontillado


- AJ
posted by Alaska Jack at 4:37 PM on June 14, 2010

"I now pronounce you man and wife."
posted by Skrubly at 4:57 PM on June 14, 2010

To be continued.
- Major Cedric Daniels, The Wire S05

(Srsly, how was that not contribooted already?!)
posted by the NATURAL at 5:05 PM on June 14, 2010

Awww shit I just read the post title. Whatever.
posted by the NATURAL at 5:06 PM on June 14, 2010

It's harsh as hell and the quote isn't quite about revenge so much as the quote is the revenge. From The Closer, Clive Owen to Julia Roberts after she admits to having cheated on him: "Now fuck off and die, you fucked up slag."

That one almost took my breath away it was such a punch to the gut.
posted by fso at 6:10 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Moe from The Simpsons usually has a vengeful line in response to Bart's prank calls. They're listed here. The one I remembered that sent me looking for this list was:

When I catch you, I'm gonna pull out your eyes and stick 'em down your pants, so you can watch me kick the crap outta you, okay? Then I'm gonna use your tongue to paint my boat!
posted by painquale at 6:19 PM on June 14, 2010

From The Princess Bride:

Inigo Montoya: HELLO! MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA! YOU KILLED MY FATHER! PREPARE TO DIE!
Inigo Montoya: Offer me money.
Count Rugen: Yes!
Inigo Montoya: Power, too, promise me that.
Count Rugen: All that I have and more. Please...
Inigo Montoya: Offer me anything I ask for.
Count Rugen: Anything you want...
Inigo Montoya: I want my father back, you son of a bitch!
posted by dilettante at 6:34 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

"Now is not the time to be making fresh enemies". These are the last words of a famous Frenchman upon being asked to renounce the devil during the Enlightenment. Best ever.
posted by effluvia at 7:34 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

From Slaughterhouse-Five:

"... one day there's gonna be a knock on his door and there'll be this stranger. "Paul Lazzaro sent me," the stranger will say ..."

"NOBODY FUCKS AROUND
WITH PAUL LAZZARO."
posted by Tuesday After Lunch at 8:08 PM on June 14, 2010

"Hey Glumface! Next time there's a rainbow look up! You'll feel better... and you might see me too!" -- Rainbow Brite
posted by WCityMike at 8:38 PM on June 14, 2010

"I aim to misbehave." ~Captain Mal Reynolds, Serenity
posted by platinum at 11:12 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Well, if we're going to Shakespeare it:

Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane,
Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?
Follow my mother.
posted by paultopia at 1:57 AM on June 15, 2010

"This ... is my BOOMSTICK!"

"Come get some."
posted by galadriel at 8:12 AM on June 15, 2010

"I'm gonna commit youicide."
posted by Iridic at 2:54 PM on June 15, 2010

Thanks all! I didn't win, but I updated my Netflix queue thanks to you all! :)
posted by lily_bart at 9:14 AM on June 17, 2010

Late to the party, but anyway:

"When I woke up, I went on what the movie advertisements refer to as a 'roaring rampage of revenge.' I roared. And I rampaged. And I got bloody satisfaction. I've killed a hell of a lot of people to get to this point, but I have only one more. The last one. The one I'm driving to right now. The only one left. And when I arrive at my destination, I am gonna kill Bill."
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:36 PM on June 21, 2010