Movies

15 Best Quotes From Iconic War Movies

ByCineShout

Jan 19, 2025
15 Best Quotes From Iconic War Movies


One of popular culture’s most storied and successful brands of film, several prominent war outings number among some of the finest pieces of cinema ever made. While these films usually place an emphasis on producing an immersive depiction of armed conflict rather than sizzling dialogue, many of the greatest war movies of all time have also played host to some of cinema’s most quotable characters.

These memorable individuals have produced a number of immortal pieces of dialogue over the years, taking credit for the best quotes that can be found throughout cinema’s most iconic war movies. Typically uttered with pitch-perfect timing and delivery, these superb soundbites often serve to perfectly exemplify the movie’s aura, while simultaneously inviting poignant introspection on the very nature of armed conflict itself.

15

“James…Earn This.”

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Closing arguably the greatest war movie ever made in unforgettable fashion, Captain Miller’s dying words after American reinforcements arrive to turn the tide of Saving Private Ryan’s climactic battle sequence is the film’s most memorable piece of dialogue. Mortally wounded after one of cinema’s best last stand scenes, Tom Hanks’ charge implores Matt Damon’s James Ryan to “earn this” before tragically succumbing to his wounds.

Highlighting the immense sacrifice that went into saving Private Ryan, the quote also serves as a heartbreaking farewell to one of the genre’s most beloved characters. It’s a tear-jerking quote emblematic of the horrendous human cost associated with WWII, a fitting state of affairs for a movie lauded as one of the most authentic depictions of war ever conceived.

14

“Now I Want You To Remember That No Bastard Ever Won A War By Dying For His Country.”

Patton (1970)

George C. Scott utterly loses himself in his performance as the eponymous general in 1970’s Patton, perfectly capturing the real-life individual’s ruthless discipline and mercurial nature. While Scott produces some masterful work in his Academy Award-winning bow, no piece of dialogue better exemplifies his character’s nature than his very first line of the movie, delivered in an epic monologue against the backdrop of the American flag.

Opening the movie with a bang, “Old Blood-and-Guts” delivers his seminal line, before concluding his explanation in emblematic fashion of the legendary soldier: “He won it by making some other dumb bastard die for his country.” Serving as the perfect introduction to this inimitable individual, the superb quote highlights Patton’s no-nonsense personality in sharp relief.

13

“If I’m Gonna Die, I Want To Die Comfortable.”

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Winning six Academy Awards, 2008’s The Hurt Locker is regarded as one of the greatest war movies of all time, even if the film was criticized by many military experts. Kathryn Bigelow’s movie features an electrifying lead performance from Jeremy Renner as Sergeant William James; a prolific bomb disposal expert who is soon revealed to be an adrenaline fiend.

Confronted with a car boot groaning under enough explosives to blow him to hell, James demonstrates the extent of his complete disregard for his own safety. The soldier removes his protective gear to allow him to work quicker, wryly remarking there’s “enough bang in there to send us all to Jesus” before delivering the soundbite that perfectly encapsulates his daredevil nature.

12

“This Is Sparta!”

300 (2007)

Depicting a fictionalized take on the Battle of Thermopylae, Zack Snyder’s 300 is widely viewed as one of the best sword-and-sandals movies ever made. Gerard Butler’s Leonidas turns in a litany of iconic war movie one-liners, but his foremost soundbite comes in the movie’s early goings, as he ruthlessly disposes of a Persian emissary demanding a Spartan surrender.

Confronted with Spartan swords, the panicked Persian reasons that “This is madness!” only for Leonidas to set the score straight with his unforgettable quote before dispatching him. Things don’t get much more Spartan than gleefully booting a diplomatic messenger into a bottomless pit, underlining the Greek warriors’ indomitable nature and seamlessly setting the tone for the movie to follow.

11

“Ideals Are Peaceful. History Is Violent.”

Fury (2014)

Chronicling WWII’s endgame from the perspective of a US Sherman tank crew, David Ayer’s Fury is a front-runner for one of the best war movies of the century. Painting a harrowing and graphic picture of the brutal conflict, the movie relentlessly stresses that “war is hell,” a state of affairs summarized in sublime fashion by a piece of dialogue from Brad Pitt in one of his finest war movies.

Showing Logan Lerman’s Ellison a roomful of dead German aristocrats who had committed suicide to avoid capture, Pitt’s Wardaddy offers up his iconic one-liner as rationale to hammer Ayer’s message home with merciless pragmatism. Later history books might show that the town was taken with no violence, but the roomful of corpses tells a different story.

10

“You Are Never Out Of The Fight.”

Lone Survivor (2013)

Unsurprisingly, for a film paying tribute to the real-life bravery of US Navy SEALs, 2013’s Lone Survivor heavily features a common saying among these elite soldiers: “I am never out of the fight.” Spoken by Marcus Luttrell at the beginning and end of the movie, the rousing one-liner is also Michael Murphy’s last quote before his heroic sacrifice, exposing himself to a hail of Taliban gunfire to regain communications in a moment that never fails to elicit goosebumps.

Even after the horrific extent of his ordeal, the rousing quote is also what brings Marcus back from the brink of death. Perfectly encapsulating the spectacular bravery and steadfast resilience of these near-superhuman soldiers, there’s arguably no better quote that exemplifies SEAL culture.

9

“…They May Take Our Lives, But They’ll Never Take Our Freedom!”

Braveheart (1995)

In terms of quotes that are arguably more famous than their parent movie at this point in proceedings, William Wallace’s impassioned battle cry in 1995’s Braveheart serves as the quintessential example. A prevalent staple of popular culture almost three decades later, Mel Gibson’s charge roars the piece of dialogue to rally the Scottish forces for battle against the English.

A textbook battlefield pep talk that also forms the basis of Wallace’s final words, it’s near-impossible not to get pumped up as the Scot concludes his speech with this fierce line against the backdrop of James Horner’s stirring score. The quote is now virtually synonymous with Scotland and the country’s fierce desire for independence, serving as the perfect tribute to Wallace himself; glaring historical inaccuracies aside, that is.

8

“One Shot Is All It’s About.”

The Deer Hunter (1978)

One of the best war movies of the 1970s, The Deer Hunter is a devastating examination of the mental scars left by war. The movie’s immortal soundbite is used to demonstrate the characters’ journey from the quote’s first appearance to its last; first featuring when Mike and Nick discuss the humane way to kill a deer, before returning in the movie’s final game of Russian Roulette.

De Niro’s charge uses memories of their hunting trips to try and bring Christopher Walken’s shell-shocked character back from the brink, compounding the tragedy when his dear friend still shoots himself. The quote’s most devastating aspect is that it reveals that Nick finally recognized Mike in his last seconds, but was so broken by his experiences that he pulled the trigger anyway.

7

“Each And Every Man Under My Command Owes Me 100 Nazi Scalps…And I Want My Scalps!”

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

A front-runner for the most quotable war movie character of all time, Brad Pitt’s Aldo Raine serves as the leader of the eponymous group of Jewish-American soldiers in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. Raine explains the mission to his men with an unforgettable speech, turning in one of the single greatest introductory monologues in the history of cinema.

Demanding that each soldier kill and defile 100 Nazis in non-negotiable fashion, Raine’s orders capture a perfect snapshot of the man’s ruthless nature; he is called “Aldo the Apache,” after all. The quote also serves to remind audiences of Tarantino’s penchant for graphic excess; is there a better exemplification of the director’s love for spectacular violence than the visual of 100 bloody human scalps?

6

“This Is My Safety.”

Black Hawk Down (2001)


Black Hawk Down recounts the harrowing true story of a U.S. military mission gone awry in Somalia. Tasked with capturing a warlord, elite soldiers find themselves in a fierce battle against Somali militia forces.

Release Date

January 18, 2002

Runtime

144 minutes

Writers

Ken Nolan

Turned in by Eric Bana’s Delta Force operator Norm “Hoot” Gibson, Black Hawk Down’s “This is my safety” line is arguably the acclaimed 2001 movie’s most iconic piece of dialogue. Chastised for failing to place the safety catch on his assault rifle, Hoot deadpans the immortal line in ice-cool fashion while motioning a trigger finger squeeze in the irate face of Jason Isaacs’ Captain Steele.

Providing an intriguing window into the procedure-be-damned personality of arguably the movie’s most memorable character, Bana’s slick one-liner spawned countless memes and parodies that are still doing the rounds to this day. Tactfully defying a stuck-up superior officer is likely the stuff of soldiers’ dreams, a daydream given life by Hoot’s classic soundbite in one of Ridley Scott’s best movies.

5

“There Are No Pacts Between Lions And Men.”

Troy (2004)

While Wolfgang Peterson’s Troy never quite lived up to expectations, the 2004 epic war movie boasts a magnificent turn from Brad Pitt as the legendary Greek warrior, Achilles. The highlight of the actor’s performance arguably comes in the aftermath of his cousin Patroclus’ death at the hands of Eric Bana’s Hector, leading Achilles to vengefully confront him at Troy’s gates.

Lending terrifying authenticity to Achilles’ implacable rage, Pitt uses the unforgettable line to scornfully decline Hector’s request for funeral rights after their duel in one of the genre’s most menacing monologues. Ominously telling the Trojan prince how he plans to defile his body, the Myrmidon leader signs off in iconic fashion before advancing: “This is Hector, the fool who thought he killed Achilles.”

4

“I Don’t Know How I’m Going To Live With Myself If I Don’t Stay True To What I Believe.”

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Based on the remarkable true story of WWII conscientious objector Desmond Doss, 2016’s Hacksaw Ridge delivers a superb dramatization of the soldier’s personal conflict, the clash between his desire to serve his country and his religion. This serves as an integral narrative thread of Mel Gibson’s acclaimed movie, evidenced by Doss’ impassioned explanation of his moral stance after he is arrested for refusing to carry a weapon.

Producing a stirring snapshot of a man so principled that even the threat of a court-martial or the pleas of his beloved cannot sway him, the soundbite turned in by Garfield’s character is enough to move the sternest individual. A testament to courage and staying true to one’s self, Doss’ rousing quote is one of the genre’s more uplifting examples.

3

“Gentlemen, You Can’t Fight In Here! This Is The War Room!”

Dr Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)

Contentiously the finest war movie from the 1960s, Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is universally regarded as one of the most influential films of all time. This blisteringly satirical take on the Cold War is a wickedly funny, timeless classic that holds up to this day, a status quo that is underlined by the movie’s best quote.

As a scuffle breaks out in the War Room against the backdrop of impending nuclear war, the fighting parties are hilariously chastised by President Muffley for their conduct. If ever there was a soundbite that perfectly symbolized irony, it has to be this one; a deathly serious situation so comical that Kubrick couldn’t resist turning it into satire.

2

“Ain’t War Hell?”

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

While Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann’s more brutal one-liners during boot camp likely serve as the most memorable quotes from 1987’s Full Metal Jacket, the foul-mouthed and abusive nature of R. Lee Ermey’s dialogue means that the overwhelming majority are too inappropriate to print. Fortunately, Stanley Kubrick’s offering also hosts another seminal war genre soundbite.

The line comes from Tim Colceri’s helicopter machine-gunner, a violent psychopath who takes pot shots at Vietnamese locals for fun. When asked by Joker how he can bring himself to shoot women and children, the gunner cackles “You just don’t lead them so much!” before following with the quote to underline his sadistic proclivities. Much like the wider movie, the quote serves to witheringly exemplify the absurdity and immorality of the Vietnam War.

1

“I Love The Smell Of Napalm In The Morning.”

Apocalypse Now (1979)

The most famous soundbite that the genre has to offer, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” is the best quote from one of the most iconic war movies of all time in 1979’s Apocalypse Now. The line comes from Robert Duvall’s Bill Kilgore in the immediate aftermath of a colossal napalm strike that reduces the Vietnamese vegetation to apocalyptic flames in the space of a second.

Speaking effusively of the napalm’s effects on the enemy, a shirtless Kilgore describes the smell of a terrifying chemical weapon like a person discussing their favorite coffee. Subtly serving to highlight Kilgore’s status as the movie’s true villain, the quote serves to perfectly capture the warmongering nature and moralistic detachment of Duvall’s iconic character.

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