People shouldn't underestimate the importance of a good tagline. An effective marketing campaign is almost as important as how good the actual movie is, especially in today's cinematic landscape, where blockbusters and IPs dominate the scene, leaving little to no room for other pictures.
Taglines are a great way for people to understand what a movie is about without having every little plot detail spoiled. The best taglines are clever, insightful, and sometimes even funny, and the 21st century has delivered some truly impressive examples. These taglines might make all the difference, convincing audiences to check out movies they might otherwise be on the fence about.
10 'Edge Of Tomorrow' (2014)
"Live. Die. Repeat."
Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star in Doug Liman's 2014 sci-fi action film Edge of Tomorrow. The plot concerns a PR officer with no combat experience who gets stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over after being thrown into a landing operation effort against an alien invader race.
The tagline for the film, "Live. Die. Repeat.," is a brilliant way to summarize the ambitious and often hard-to-follow plot. In only three words, the marketing department successfully conveyed Edge of Tomorrow's premise, raising audiences' interest while leaving enough to the imagination. It's everything a great tagline should be: short, memorable, and effective.
9 'Zodiac' (2007)
"There Is More Than One Way To Lose Your Life To A Serial Killer"
David Fincher's psychological thriller Zodiac stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. The film centers on the manhunt for the infamous serial killer known as the Zodiac, centering on the efforts of political cartoonist Robert Graysmith to uncover his identity.
Zodiac is nothing short of a masterpiece, a chilling portrayal of obsession framed by one of the US's most notorious lingering mysteries. The film's tagline speaks to the film's larger themes about the dangers of obsession and society's prevalent fascination with serial killers. Clever and insightful, Zodiac is among the best thrillers of the 21st century, a disturbing and utterly unforgettable film that everyone should see at least once.
8 'Chicken Run' (2000)
"Escape Or Die Frying"
The 2000 stop-motion animated film Chicken Run is severely underrated. The plot revolves around a group of British chickens who seek the guidance of an American rooster to evade capture by their owners, who seek to kill them and put them into meat pies.
Critically acclaimed for its humor and style, Chicken Run is an animated triumph. The film's tagline perfectly reflects its blend of surprisingly acidic humor and wit, acting as a clever and somewhat discomforting reminder of what will happen to these chickens should they fail in their escape attempt. And although audiences might laugh along with the film's antics, a painful realization will follow the next time they eat a chicken wing.
7 'Alien Vs. Predator' (2004)
"Whoever Wins, We Lose"
The 2000s were the time of beloved franchises colliding, bringing cinematic icons against each other. Such is the case for 2004's Alien vs. Predator, a film that pits the Xenomorph against the Predator in a once-in-a-lifetime battle for dominance.
Although the film has an undeniably silly vibe, its tagline is surprisingly chilling. Audiences need to buy the premise of the Xenomorph and the Predator as overwhelmingly powerful apex predators caught in a fight to the death, and this brilliant tagline helped a great deal. Because even if the humans survive, the Xenomorph and the Predator always return for more carnage; in a way, they always win.
6 'Cloverfield' (2008)
"Some Thing Has Found Us"
The 2008 monster movie Cloverfield was a masterclass in viral marketing. Matt Reeves directed the found-footage film about a group of thirty-somethings trying to survive after a massive creature rampages throughout New York City.
Mystery was key to Cloverfield's success. From keeping details about the film scarce prior to its release to keeping the monster hidden throughout most of the film to providing zero answers regarding its origin or motive, Cloverfield posed many questions and delivered no answers. The film's bravado is also reflected in the tagline, an intentionally vague sentence that only enhances the confusion and mystery surrounding the monster.
5 'Kill Bill: Volume 1' (2003)
"Here Comes The Bride"
Revenge movies don't get any better than Quentin Tarantino's violent ode to martial arts Kill Bill: Vol 1. Oscar nominee Uma Thurman stars as The Bride, a woman who wakes up after a five-year coma and pursues revenge against her former organization, led by her ex-lover and mentor, who betrayed and left her for dead on her wedding day.
Some of cinema's best taglines use common phrases and give them new meaning. Kill Bill does just that, taking a classic and beloved expression and turning it on its head, using it as a warning for all who dare cross the Bride's path to revenge. Here comes the bride, indeed.
4 'Central Intelligence' (2016)
"Saving The World Takes A Little Hart And A Big Johnson"
Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, two of the most influential leading men of the 2010s, star in the otherwise forgettable comedy Central Intelligence. The plot revolves around two high school classmates who join forces to recover satellite codes stolen by a dangerous terrorist.
It's funny, but the most memorable part of Central Intelligence is the tagline. Double entendre might seem cheap or lazy, but using it and getting away with it takes genuine wit. The tagline is brilliant in nearly every way, expertly using the film's leading actors while reflecting the film's comedic tone. If only such cleverness had also been present in the film's script.
3 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' (2005)
"The Longer You Wait, The Harder It Gets"
The 40-Year-Old Virgin made a star out of Steve Carell. The film centers on Andy, an employee at an electronics store and action-figure collector who remains a virgin at forty. Encouraged by his co-workers, he attempts to take the next step with a woman he meets at the store.
Faithful to its R-rated and juvenile humor, The 40-Year-Old Virgin employs double entendre to promote itself. The result is a hilarious tagline that excels as an appropriate reflection of the protagonist's inability to connect with women and the logical, physical struggle that comes with being a virgin at forty.
2 'The Social Network' (2010)
"You Don't Get To 500 Million Friends Without Making A Few Enemies"
David Fincher might be the most iconic director of the new millennium, thanks to how many generation-defining projects he has delivered. However, The Social Network, which follows Mark Zuckerberg during Facebook's foundation and the subsequent legal battles he faced, might be his finest effort.
The film's tagline is a spectacular reworking of a timeless proverb almost everyone knows. It's a marvel, not only because it captures the scope of Zuckerberg and Facebook's influence on millennial culture but because it accurately represents the film's themes without giving away any part of the plot. Few taglines are as effective as this; then again, few films are as great as The Social Network.
1 'The Dark Knight' (2008)
"Why So Serious?"
Superhero movies that blend genres often rank as the best in the genre, but few, if any, can top The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan's epic crime thriller follows the Caped Crusader as he joins Commissioner Gordon and DA Harvey Dent to take down the dangerous anarchist criminal known as Joker.
Employing a viral marketing campaign, The Dark Knight built most of its promotion around a single phrase: "Why so serious?" Eerie and foretelling, the tagline became synonymous with the film and its villain, Heath Ledger's Joker, eventually entering pop culture's lexicon. Haunting, menacing, and somewhat taunting, the phrase is a simple yet perfect summarization of Joker and the ideal example of the heights a great tagline can achieve.