While action movies these days are dominated by superheroes, righteous protagonists saving the day with minimal casualties, in previous eras the genre belonged to bloodthirsty renegades. Not concerned with the sanctity of life or collateral damage, these action heroes (particularly in the 80s) would lay waste to armies of henchmen with guns using the infinite ammo cheat, spouting one-liners as they did so.

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The golden age of action movies was home to legendary stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Bruce Willis, and they each had their own iconic characters and catchphrases. It stands to their popularity that these lines are still repeated today as new generations discover these classic movies, proving that there is still a place for good old-fashioned R-rated action movies in today's climate.

1 'The Terminator' (1984) - "I'll Be Back"

Arnold Schwarzenegger in a police station in The Terminator
Image via Orion Pictures

Arnold Schwarzenegger's most iconic role, The Terminator sees the former Mr. Universe playing a robot sent back in time to exterminate Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) before she can give birth to humanity's savior. Arnie is fantastic as the villain, his intimidating physique and limited dialogue sell the concept of the perfect killing machine.

"I'll be back" has transcended its original usage, as it is repeated in every other Terminator movie, as well as some of his other films. The original is its best usage, however, as Arnie says it to a police receptionist upon being denied entry, before smashing a car through the front and massacring the entire police force.

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2 'Die Hard' (1988) - "Yippee Ki Yay"

Bruce Willis staring out a broken window in Die Hard
Image via 20th Century Fox

One of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, Die Hard sees Bruce Willis playing police officer John McClane, who arrives at Nakatomi Plaza wanting to reunite with his estranged wife. Instead, he is forced to save her and other hostages after the tower is taken over by an army of terrorists.

After killing some goons, McClane chats with terrorist leader Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) on the radio. When Gruber labels him as just another American cowboy, McClane replies with "yippee ki yay m***********", cementing the line in history as it would go on to be used in every following Die Hard movie.

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3 '300' (2006) - "This is Sparta"

Gerard Butler on a battlefield in 300
Image via Warner Bros

A film bursting with testosterone, 300 sees Gerard Butler playing Leonidas, the king of Sparta in 479 B.C. Receiving the news that a Persian army is on the warpath and seeks for the Spartans to submit to their rule, Leonidas gathers 300 of his best warriors and sets out to meet the invaders on the battlefield.

While the film features plenty of stylish action sequences thanks to its eye-catching visual style, 300's most iconic moment comes at the beginning. When an emissary is sent to meet Leonidas and ask him to submit to the Persian king, Leonidas is offended and yells "this is Sparta" before kicking the messenger into a bottomless pit.

4 'Aliens' (1986) - "Get Away From Her, You B****"

Sigoruney Weaver in a Power Loader in Aliens (1986)
Image Via 20th Century Fox

One of the greatest sequels of all time, Aliens abandons the haunted house style of the original in favor of creating a full-blown action movie as space marines battle a horde of Xenomorphs. Franchise hero Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is caught in the middle as she tries to survive a second attack by the acid-blooded creatures.

Ripley finds herself bonding with the young Newt, the only survivor of the colony that has been overrun. So when Newt finds herself threatened by the Xenomorph Queen, Ripley straps into some power armor, drops the classic line "get away from her, you bitch" and goes toe to toe with the source of all her misery. An iconic scene in an iconic movie.

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5 'Rocky IV' (1985) - "If He Dies, He Dies"

Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren face off in Rocky IV
Image via MGM / UA Entertainment Company

Birthing Sylvester Stallone's most popular character, the Rocky franchise sees scrappy boxer Rocky Balboa (Stallone) rising from underdog to world champion. He has several classic rivals, such as Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), but one of his most memorable is Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a hulking brute from Russia.

When Drago arrives at American shores demanding a fight, Creed happily obliges. The former champ is massively outmatched, however, and is killed in the ring by Drago's savage power. As Creed dies in Rocky's arms, Drago coldly tells a reporter "if he dies, he dies," setting the stage for a vengeful Rocky to challenge the remorseless giant.

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6 'Army of Darkness' (1992) - "Good, Bad, I'm the Guy With the Gun"

Bruce Campbell as Ash holding his boomstick in Army of Darkness
Image via Universal

Showcasing that he has the worst luck in cinema, Army of Darkness sees Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) having no time to catch his breath after the massacre at the Knowby cabin as he is sucked into a portal to another era. Finding himself in medieval times, Ash must rally a kingdom against their demonic tormentors in order to secure a way back home.

Beginning as a scared survivor, the Evil Dead franchise sees Ash becoming the ultimate Chad as he slays countless Deadites. Even when faced with an evil doppelganger, Ash promptly shoves his broomstick in his clone's face and blows him away, uttering, "Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun." A worthy quote alongside his legendary "groovy."

7 'Dirty Harry' (1971) - "Do I Feel Lucky? Well, Do Ya Punk?"

Clint Eastwood aiming his gun in Dirty Harry
Image via Warner Bros.

Before Schwarzenegger and Stallone, Clint Eastwood was the king of the action genre. Beginning with his classic cowboy movies, Eastwood eventually ventured into more modern times. In Dirty Harry he plays Harry Callahan, a renegade cop who would rather shoot down a suspect than read him his rights.

The quintessential badass, viewers are given a perfect example of Callahan's policing style when he foils a bank robbery. As the last suspect lies bleeding, pondering leaping for his nearby shotgun, Callahan aims his trademark Magnum at him and claims to not know if he has any bullets remaining, asking the man if he feels lucky, before uttering "well, do ya punk?" The line has been replicated and parodied (and misquoted) ever since.

8 'They Live' (1988) - "I Have Come Here to Chew Bubblegum and Kick Ass"

Roddy Piper armed with a shotgun in They Live
Image via Universal

While John Carpenter is best known for directing Halloween and The Thing, he also gifted the world with this classic sci-fi action flick. When drifter Nada (Roddy Piper) discovers a pair of sunglasses that reveals to him that aliens have infiltrated society, he sets out to try and save the human race before it is too late.

While They Live is a commentary on capitalism, it also offers some badass action scenes. The best of them comes when Nada enters a bank and sees it full of aliens. Armed with a shotgun, Nada spouts "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum" before firing away.

9 'Scarface' (1983) - "Say Hello to My Little Friend"

Al Pacino firing an assault rifle in Scarface
Image via Universal Pictures

Everyone is guilty of dropping this line at least once in their lives as Scarface remains one of the most popular crime movies of all time. When Cuban immigrant Tony Montana (Al Pacino) arrives in Miami, he is determined to climb the criminal ladder and lead a life of luxury, which ultimately leads to his downfall.

After amassing all the money and power he wanted, Tony finds himself surrounded by enemies as he becomes addicted to his own drug supply. As goons swarm his mansion looking for blood, Tony readies his gun and screams "say hello to my little friend" as he engages in the gunfight that will determine his fate.

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10 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' (1991) - "Hasta La Vista, Baby"

Edward Furlong as John Connor on a motorcycle with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator aims a shotgun
Image via Tri-Star Pictures

The sequel to one of the greatest Sci-Fi movies ever, Terminator 2 not only matches its predecessor but betters it. With John Connor (Edward Furlong) now a young teen, another robot is sent back in time to exterminate him. Lucky for John, a second Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has also been sent to act as his protector.

Arnie's jump from villain to hero is one of the highlights of Terminator 2, as it allows the audience to see a different side of the killing machine. In between the violence are a few wholesome moments between John and his new robot pal as they bond, culminating with John teaching the Terminator "Hasta la vista, baby," as a catchphrase.

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11 'Dr. No' (1962) - "Bond, James Bond"

Sean Connery as James Bond lighting a cigarette in Dr. No
Image via MGM

The first James Bond movie, and the debut of Sean Connery as the character, Dr. No sees 007 traveling to Jamaica to foil the plot of the titular villain. Along with the iconic theme music and the clip of Bond walking down a gun barrel, Dr. No introduced plenty of elements that are now considered standard for the franchise.

One of the best character introductions in cinema, Bond is first revealed to the audience during a poker game. When another player asks for the suave Brit's name, the undercover agent lights a cigarette and replies "Bond, James Bond." The line has since become closely associated with the character and remains his iconic catchphrase.

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12 'Top Gun' (1986) - "I Feel the Need, the Need for Speed"

Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards on the tarmac talking in Top Gun
Image via Paramount

Before he was an instructor in Top Gun: Maverick, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) began as a student at the same academy in Top Gun. As the rebellious Maverick navigates the high standards of the training program, he crosses paths with friends and rivals both in the classroom and in the skies as they fly cutting-edge aircraft.

In one of Cruise's most iconic movies, he makes Maverick endearing despite his cocky attitude. He is joined by Goose (Anthony Edwards), his loyal wingman and best friend, and together while on the tarmac they create the film's most quoted moment as Maverick spouts he feels the need, "the need for speed."

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