The 7 Most Macho Movie Scenes That Get You Choked Up

Love stories never make me cry. As a matter of fact almost nothing makes me cry in the movies. To date, only 2 films in history have made me cry. But let me tell you somehing… there are a bunch of movies that have brought me to the verge of tears, not because of love or romantic gestures… bur rather MACHONESS!

That’s right, Machoness has, on several occasions got me choked up. Not just any kind of chest thumping Machoness… but Machoness so pure, used in the aide or defense of others… Machoness with a purpose. Yes my friends… sometimes we as men see an act of such pure macho, that it inspires us and shakes us to our foundations! We cannot help but be moved by them… be captured b them… to stand and salute and yes… almost be brought to tears by them.

The following are the 7 most macho movie scenes that almost brings any man to the point of tears! They are as follows:

1) I offer myself as your new brother (Best of the Best)
It’s a scene so macho it rocks you to your core. Dae Han, the most brutal of warriors was defeated and yet claimed victory because his opponent showed him mercy… an opponent who’s brother was killed at Da Han’s hands in another tournament years ago. Broken and battered, Dae Han limps over to his opponent… takes the gold medal off from around his own neck and places it on his opponents. He bows, expresses his regret over the death of the man’s brother and offers himself as his new brother. Hell yes! A warrior filled with honor and nobility. So bloody macho it nearly makes you cry

2) I’m Sparticus! No I’m Sparticus! (Sparticus)
It is a scene that will go down in legend. The slave army that rebeled against the Roman empire and nearly won now lay defeated. The Roman’s offer a sliver of mercy if the defeated soldiers reveal who their leader is… which one of them is Sparticus. They want to make an example out of Sparticus and crucify and torture him. But instead of taking the cowards way out, one by one the slave soldiers stand and proclaim “I am Sparticus!”. “No… I am Sparticus”. Loyalty to the very end! If you are not moved by this scene, you have no honor.

3) The redemption of Boromir (The Lord of the Rings)
He is my favorite characer in all of fiction. Boromir, the brave son of Gondor, next in line to be steward of the kingdom of men, all too human and succumb to the temptations of the Ring of power and tried to steal it from Frodo… later in a brilliant blaze of glory finds redemption when he leaps into unwinnable odds to valiantly and individually try to save Merry and Pippin from the Orcish monsters trying to take them. With purity of focus and all the might of men in his sword, Boromir slays countless Orcs before finally falling with his body riddled with arrows. His valiant charge in the name of redemption, loyalty and honor is a level of macho most of us will never know. All hail Boromir! DAMN THIS TEAR IN MY EYE!

4) Good Bye (Terminator 2)
Having gone beyond his mission to save John Conor, the Terminator realizes his purpose is also for the protection of all mankind. The only way to ensure the coming machine apocalypse is averted is to lower himself into the molten steel and destroy himself. An argument could be made that since he was a robot it shouldn’t really count… I say macho is macho… machine or not!

5) You go… we go (Backdraft)
Kurt Russell has discovered the identity of the killer who has been murdering people with fire… one of his lifelong friends! But even at the end, when the killer is dangling from an 80 foot drop to certain death, Kurt hangs on to him… even though he has no chance of saving him. The killer, filled with remorse looks up at Russell and says “Let me go”… he realizes there is no saving him. But Russell will have none of that. Macho doesn’t let go. Russell… struggling to hold on looks the man in the eyes and say those immortal words: “You go… we go”. And he stayed true to that as he held on until they both fell to what would be their deaths. M-A-C-H-O

6) Palpatine gets the shaft (Return of the Jedi)
Growing up, the earliest lesson I learned in life was “don’t fuck with Darth Vader”, as it turns out that applies to you even if your name is emperor Palpatine. In one of the greatest moments in cinematic history, the all powerful emperor is standing over Luke, slowly killing him with his force lightning. Vader stands there watching, conflicted, confused… to defy the Emperor would be foolishness. And then it happens… Vader has a moment of clarity and thinks to himslef “Fuck this… I’m Darth fucking Vader and this bitch is messing with my spawn”. Vader grabs the Emperor and hurls him down the shaft. Movie…. MAGIC.

7) The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few… or the one (Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan)
When one thinks of “Macho”, you would be forgiven if Vulcans don’t instantly pop into your mind. But when Spock, in The Wrath of Khan knocks out MaCoy so he himself can go into the radiation and face certain death in order to try to save the ship and his friends… how can you not stand at full attention with your hand over your heart and profess “Spock was one macho Vulcan”! Who knew that pure logic: “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one” could lead you to the glorious road of eternal machoness!

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47 thoughts on “The 7 Most Macho Movie Scenes That Get You Choked Up

  1. Just a few words here on cream soda, which is my other cross- platform flavor obsession. This one is much easier to copy using booze: ginger ale and a half shot of Captain Morgan’s on the rocks, spritz of lime. You have to order it weak to get the palate correct, but they go down so easy that the low alcohol content is for the best. The discovery of that summery thirst- quencher almost makes up for the fact that the cultural Visigoths at Dum- Dum Pops cut the number of cream- soda lollies in the average bag…

  2. Wow… I was suprised no one put down one of Al Pacino’s BEST FILMS EVER!!!! In Scarface, when Tony Montana goes completely fucken wacko after watching his sister get turned into hamburger and having the coolest form of coke induced rage ever caught on the silver screen. YOU WANNA PLAT ROUGH?! OK! SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!!!

  3. The scene from Grease always cracks me up in a guy way.

    HEY, DANNY, UH…

    WE’VE BEEN FRIENDS
    A LONG TIME, RIGHT?

    YEAH.

    REMEMBER THE DRIVE-IN
    THE OTHER NIGHT.

    THERE WAS THE DUEL.
    THE GUY’S BEST FRIEND
    WENT WITH HIM,

    LIKE HIS SECOND?

    YEAH. SO?

    WELL, UH…

    I THOUGHT THAT
    YOU COULD BE MY SECOND
    AT THUNDER ROAD.

    YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE
    WITH YOU?

    OH, HEY!

  4. There is one movie that had made me choked up last night. It’s tears of the sun, a war movie played by Bruce Wilis. Some of the soldiers stays loyal to their death and they worked together as one elite packed protecting the weak refugees. I’m not a good story teller, but I assure I’m really touched last night.

  5. I guess this doesn’t exactly qualify as “macho” but more of a male bonding type of thing… I guess. I gotta go with a scene in Sling Blade… where Karl and the boy are having a heart-to-heart talk sitting by the lake. Basically you know this is Karl’s farewell speech. At the end of the talk, Karl asks if he can put his arm around the boy (I start getting choked up here), then when Karl walks away, the boy pulls a bookmark that Carl made for him out of the stack of books that reads “you will be happy”. That’s the capper for me.

  6. Clint Eastwood in “For a Few Dollars More”, scene in bar where he interrupts a card game, takes all the cards, deals them out, no one moves or speaks. They play a round of poker, Clint wins. The loser says “I didn’t catch what we were playing for…”, Clint replies “Your life.” All hell breaks loose, Clint uses only one hand to smack everyone down. Scene ends when three armed thugs step in, Clint unleases his revolver.

  7. I forgot about Armageddon that ending is mocho but Gladiator and Lion King are the only movie where I have ever gotten really chocked up.

    300 is overrated yea a mocho film but hey that was its only goal that and make some money so 300 having a mocho moment no the entire movie is mocho.

    i forgot about man on fire and Last Samurai also and I know there are so many more movie we are not thinking of dam it well how about the Leathel Weapons movies or die hard films any mochoness to them?

  8. Sorry for any repeats, but as far as scenes that get me choked up every time:

    1. “He was a soldier of Rome. Honor him.” “Who will help me carry him?” – Gladiator. Simply, utterly moving.

    2. “Ru-dy. Ru-dy. Ru-dy. Ru-dy.” I know it’s coming EVERY SINGLE TIME, but it gets me all the time. And I’m not even a Notre Dame fan.

    3. “Mike Eruzione! Winthrop, Massachusetts!” “Who do you play for?” “I play for the United States of America!” – Miracle.

    4. “Hey dad? You wanna have a catch?” – Field Of Dreams.

    5. “They can take our lives, but they’ll never take……our FREEDOM!!!!!!” – Braveheart

  9. Thanks Phil for the Kill Bill reference. It is kind of sad with all the roles for women over the years that it’s difficult to come up with many “macho” moments for them. Definitely agree with adding The Abyss and Armageddon and Rudy. Man did I well up when the offensive tackle missed his assignment :) and Rudy took advantage of it for the sack. I actually had a little drop fall out of my eye.

  10. 1) Bruce Willis at the end of Armageddon!!!

    2) Kirks speech when spock dies – at his service.

    3) Last words from Maximus in Gladiator

    4) The prayer at the end of 13th Warrior – the death of the king

    5) Borrimir asking for forgivness before he dies

    6) The very end of 300 – with the 10,000 heading into battle

    7) The Rohan Kings last words in ROtK + Her words to the Witch King before she kills him!

    8) “You bow to no man” – Return of the King. (The whole last half of the movie bascially)

    9) 3:10 to Yuma, – When he gets on the train after Christian Bale…you know……

    10) The death seen of Bruce Waynes father, his final words and actions before he dies. On a side note, the end speech between Batman and Lt Gordon.

  11. Hmm I would also add the end of 3:10 to Yuma with Bale getting Crowe to the train when no one else would do it.

    The line “Pain don’t hurt” in Roadhouse.

    Optimus Prime telling Megatron, “One shall stand one shall fall”

    There are two I cannot believe you did not add:
    – The first was the closing scene in Army of Darkness in the hardware store. “Ma’am I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave the store”
    – The prayer to Crom in Conan before the final major battle where Conan tells Crom what to do if he will not listen

  12. Hey great list I really like it. I have one what about Man on Fire at the end when Dakota Fanning asks Denzel Washington where is he going when the bads guys are going to take him for her. He says I am going home, Damn!!!! I was at the movies with my friends and had to turn away so they would not see the tears in my eyes.

  13. “Field of Dreams” – the end where Keven Costner asks his dad for a catch. If that doesn’t get every red-blooded male out there with memories of playing catch with their dad choked up, nothing will.

  14. what about punisher where he goes ape shit over everyone…. oh wait i’m the only one who actually enjoyed this movie…

    troy = hector = all im saying for this one

    the guardian = final scene holding on to each other by the pinkies practically

    unforgiven = clint eastwood tunes bodies after his friend dies

    the last samurai = cruise and watanabe at the end attempting to tune

    LIVERPOOL F.C = CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 2005 = COMING BACK FROM 3-0 DOWN TO BEAT A.C MILAN IN PENALTIES

  15. my biggest regret is that ive only seen 1 of these. (not that i didnt know about any of the others)
    i need 2 start making a list of movies i need 2 watch.

    atleast from wat ive read, i dont agree with #1

    movies i thot shuldve been included (just off the top of my head): 300, Fight Club, and American History X

    speaking of which, i can c the upcoming Incredible Hulk being a part legendary machoness!

  16. Oh, I LOVE this list. Boromir’s death destroyed me. I was just a mess in that theater. The slo-mo and the sound effects of the arrows whistling toward him and hitting their target really makes the scene.

    Leonidas’ last stand is my favorite scene in 300. Love it, love it, love it.

    And I might catch shit for this, but I don’t find Vader taking out Palpatine to be all that macho. I guess it’s a chest-thumping moment for some, but I just think, “Hehe, throw the dude down the well!”. I always found it to be a bit corny(don’t crucify me!), but it is a nice moment. I understand why it’s on the list since John loves Star Wars, but it wouldn’t have made my own list.

  17. …IMHO, “Best of the Best” does not deserve to be in the list.

    Hey, how about “Braveheart,”? three specific scenes fit the requirements:
    1) After his wife is killed, as he comes riding the horse to kill the soldiers.
    2) His speech before battle
    3) When the executioner is cutting W. Wallace’s guts/balls and he yells: “Freeeedooooooooooooooomm”

  18. Oh for sure Revenge of the Sith at the end where Obi-Wan cuts up Vader and they exchange few words b4 Vader starts to burn.

    That part in the Abyss where that guy is typing I luv u because he thinking he will die soon.

    Last Samurai where Cursies character is at the jp village and he having nightmares about killing the innocet native american villigers.

  19. Leonidas’s last stand in “300” is pretty effective as well

    King Leonidas and his 300 spartans have been sorrounded by the massive Persian army. Despite being outnumber and having no tactical advantange what so ever Leonidas desides that the best way to go out is the Spartan way. And by the “Spartans way” I mean kicking seroius fucking ass without any regard for your own safety. Leonidas decides to make his fight charge with spear in hand, as all of his are being killed around him by Persian archers. (With brilliant narration provided by Dilios, David Wenham)

    “His helmet was stifling, it narrowed his vision. And he must see far. His shield was heavy. It threw him off balance. And his target is far away.”

    He final does let his spear loose in the direction of the Xerxes cutting him across the face, proving that even a “Godking” can bleed. Exhausted and without his trusty shield, Leonidas (like the rest of his men) finally falls to the overwelming numbers of the Persina army, but not without his final farewell to his wife.

    Now that’s MACHO

  20. Great list John.

    Here’s a small handfill more, and I’ll start with:

    “Primose Lane” (RoboCop)
    Alex Murphy, now an OCP cyborg called RoboCop, starts to remember who he is. He goes to Murphy’s (his) house, which is now up for sale. Goes in the house and those memories hit home from the Halloween fun to his kid looking up to his cop father to a long gone wife kissing him, saying “I really got to tell you something. I love you” …CUT TO that Real Estate dude on the monitor-whose “ad” is dehumanizing and you want him to shut up. Robo makes him an offer all right.

    “No,no.no,no NOOOOOOO!”(Superman: The Movie).
    Yes, it chokes me up all the time, without fail. Superman saves hundreds upon thousands of lives, but as fate has it, he cannot save Lois Lane as she is trapped in her car during the earthquake. It isn’t the crushing that kills her. It is being buried alive. Superman is beside himself. He takes the car out of the hole, rips the door off, dead Lois. He stays with her for who knows how long. Finally, the idea that even with all those powers, he cannot stop the people he loves from dying, sinks in. It is a reality he cannot -and will not accept. In denial, then anger, he shoots off into the skies, and confronts the voices of his late fathers.

    “Rocky’s round” (Rocky)
    When Rocky, after getting back up yet again, eggs Apollo on. Then he gets under Apollo’s ribs for a few effective blows.

    “Tell me your name” (Gladiator)
    I second Ezell up there…“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridus. 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”

    “My name is Igo Montoya. You killed my father, Prepare to die” (Princess Bride)
    And when Montoya does confront the six fingered killer and does him in, “I want my father back, you son of a bitch”

    Stepping on the snake (Passion Of The Christ)
    Jesus being mocked and cut up, and crucified to die for mankind is a noble and heroic act. But the one scene of his temptation in the garden gets us faithful choked up- and revved up- and that’s when Jesus steps on Satan, as represented by the snake.

    Bud saves Lindsay and Bud messages Lindsay (The Abyss)

    He fought to bring her back to life; friends think she is dead, tell him its over. He believes it for a few moments, then he slaps and shakes his wife, “Fight!” and she revives. Later, Bud has to retrieve the warhead and disarms it. But he cannot get back. He’s losing conciousness and conducts an early form of touching text messaging.

    Since we are talking Cameron, it seems he knows how to milk such scenes (see John’s mention of T2) rather well. I mean, even in Titantic when Jack dies and Rose lives.

    @Doug.
    Women…

    It’s not so much as a macho moment I guess, but “You Had Me at Hello” in Jerry Maguire comes to mind for me.

  21. Well Doug, there is Kill Bill vol.1 where The Bride takes the finished sword from Hattori Hanzo and is told that if she meets God, God will be cut. That made you well up, did it not?

    You really can’t beat the death of Spock but I have one or two.

    In Star Trek III when Kirk’s son David is killed by Klingons and he doesn’t even see it happen; he just hears silence, calls out his son’s name and then Saviik tells him that David is dead. Kirk falls off his chair and weeps “you Klingon bastard, you killed my son” and then you can hear his heart harden and he says again with steely hate “Klingon bastard”.

    Han Solo’s desent into carbonite is a macho moment that we all sniffle a little at, i think. I’m suprised you didn’t mention it John.

    Apollo Creed being beaten into oblivion by Ivan Drago in Rocky IV always makes me bite my lip. “Throw the god damn towel”.

    Finally, though it’s not a great movie, in Robocop 2, the cyborg that was once Alex Murphy meets his wife and tells her “they made me to honour him………your husband is dead. I don’t know you”. It’s cold and it’s macho, i think.

  22. Wow… #4 just hit me like a ton of bricks. Before I even read the list, when the only info I had was the title, immediately I was transported to the sublime rim of that superfluously large vat of lava, and I got choked up; Arnold was there to tell me, with the most badass inflection imaginable, “I understand now why you cry… But it is something I will never do.” THAT SCENE WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER BEEN OVERCOME WITH EMOTION DURING A MOVIE!!! I found it both strange and comforting that the scene made your list; I thought I was just weird for crying at that point!!!

  23. Wow… #4 just hit me like a ton of bricks. Before I even read the lisy, when the only info I had was the title, immediately I was transported to Judgement Day, and I got choked up; Arnold was there to tell me, with the most badass inflection imaginable, “I understand now why you cry… But it is something I will never do.” THAT SCENE WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER BEEN OVERCOME WITH EMOTION DURING A MOVIE!! I found it both strange and comforting that the scene made your list; I thought I was just weird!!!

  24. What about Gladiator when Crow gives the Emperor the speech how he will get his vengeance in this life or the next. That was bad ass or in Hannibal when he cuts off his hand instead of Fosters to escape the FBI.

    There is some good mocho lines and moments in Braveheart and in Predator too.

  25. Great post, John. So true how the actions of honorable men can be heartwrenching. Very glad you included Backdraft – awesome line in an awesome movie. So I’m racking my brain. Can you think of any movies where the female character performs the macho act? I’m sure there are many – I’m just having a mental block as I try to think of any.

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