Directed by John Woo. Written by Graham Yost.

Vic Deakins

• Would you mind NOT shooting at the thermonuclear weapons?

• How many times do I have to say it? Please don't shoot the nuclear weapons.

• If a thought ever went through his head it'd be the quickest trip in North America.

• [after the explosion] I said, Goddamn! What a rush!

• I do appreciate the money that you and your associates have invested in this operation, but it is an operation. It's a military operation. And you don't know dick about that. I've been in the military for 20 years. I planned and flew over 100 missions in the Gulf.

• [while fighting with Hale] You're bleeding. That's good. Let's see if we can't get any more out of you.

• Used to be every fight went to a knockout. You know how it feels like to be knocked out?

• Your brain presses against your skull, and it feels like this [presses on Hale's temple and scowls].

• Battle is a highly fluid situation. You plan on your contingencies, and I have. You keep your initiatives, and I will. One thing you don't do is share command. It's never a good idea.

• The clock is ticking.

• [After Pritchett says about Deakins, "Maybe the son of a bitch is dead"] What a terrible thing to say.

• You know, this reminds me of something. I didn't really kill anybody before. I dropped bombs on Baghdad, but never face to face. I don't know what the big deal is - I really don't.

• Shit. FUCK! He's gonna do it. Get him!

• Good one, Hale, I didn't see that coming - but you're definitely gonna pay for it.

• [After Hale jumps onto the roof of the truck in front of Deakins' truck] Well, Hale, son of a bitch!

Riley Hale

• You don't understand. This really is yours. I took it out your wallet while you were in the shower.

• Endangered dirt. That's a new one.

• You know - these exercises are fantastic. When the day comes we have to go to war against Utah, we're really going to kick ass, y'know?

• We're only sparring, buddy.

Other

• Giles Prentice: I don't know what's scarier, losing a nuclear weapon or that it happens so often there's actually a term for it.

• Giles Prentice: Just for the record, I'm not entirely a civilian. I was a lieutenant in the ROTC at Yale.

• Kelly: Deak, you da man.

• Pritchett: [last words] Oh, God! Oh, God! How does that gunship fit into your strategy?! You don't know what you're doing! This is out of control! I must have been...

Dialogues

[on whether to disclose the loss of a stealth bomber]

Giles Prentice: Wait. We're making a mistake.

Secretary Baird: Giles? You have something you wish to share with us?

Giles Prentice: Yes. Aviation Week has been following the development of the B3 for years. They have "stringers" - guys camping out in lawn chairs all night by the Whiteman perimeter fence, watching just in case one of these things take off. There gonna know that one took off last night, and they're gonna know that it didn't come back. Now, we put out a press-release saying a C141 went down in Utah, they're going to put two and two together, Aviation Week is going to run a story, everyone's gonna know what really happened, and we're all going to look extremely stupid. We're better of telling the truth.

Secretary Baird: The truth? How did you get this job?

Riley Hale: You're out of your mind.

Vic Deakins: Yeah. Ain't it cool?

Riley Hale: I'm serious, Deak, your mind has taken a walk off the map.

Vic Deakins: Maybe. But I'm still gonna kick your ass.

[Deakins has just activated the nuke]

Kelly: Shut that son of a bitch down. I didn't sign up for this. I'm not ready to die, not for you.

Vic Deakins: Everybody dies, Kelly. I'm as good a reason as any.

Major Vic Deakins: Nah, flying doesn't mean what it used to mean to me.

Capt. Riley Hale: Not the flying - carrying the nukes. You love having the power of God at your fingertips. You get off on it.

Pritchett: You assured me everything would go smoothly.

Vic Deakins: Everything is going smoothly, I assure you.

Pritchett: It's still my money.

Vic Deakins: And if we succeed, you and your associates will get a ton of it.

Pritchett: *IF* we're successful?

Vic Deakins: Look, Mr. Pritchett, I will deliver the weapons to the destination. But I can't depend and I can't guarantee that those assholes in Washington won't do something stupid like... not pay.

Pritchett: What if they don't?

Vic Deakins: Well, if they don't, the southwest will be a quiet neighbourhood for... about ten thousand years.

Riley Hale: The point is, you've got a head full of bad wiring.

Vic Deakins: What was that?

Riley Hale: You're fucked in the head, Deak.

Vic Deakins: [Fires wildly at Hale but fails to hit him] Hah!

Riley Hale: I pissed him off.

Vic Deakins: Hale. Pick up. Pick UP!

[Hale spins around, looking at the phone Deakins is speaking through]

Vic Deakins: C'mon buddy - pick up the 'phone.

Riley Hale: "Buddy," huh? Son of a bitch, you tried to kill me. The friendship is over.

Vic Deakins: Well, that doesn't mean I don't like you. Hell - I'm impressed. I'd have figured you'd have picked up and walked off by now.

[running after Riley even though he told her to go to a phone for help]

Terry: Oh, this is a bad idea.

[jumps on the roof of the truck with Hale]

Riley Hale: OK, you can come.

Secretary Baird: Guys in lawn chairs. I dunno, Giles. Sometimes you scare me.

Giles Prentice: Hell, sir. Sometimes I scare myself.

Vic Deakins: You just saved me 3 million dollars. I owe you one.

Terry Carmichael: Shoot yourself. We'll call it square.

Vic Deakins: [Mockingly] Ooh! Attitude!

[after Hale has shot a bad guy from between Terry's legs]

Terry Carmichael: Wow.

Riley Hale: Yeah. That was a first for me too.

[last lines]

Riley Hale: My name's Riley Hale.

Terry Carmichael: Terry Carmichael. You know you're still under arrest, Captain.

Riley Hale: [holding Terry's hand] Well, looks like you're gonna have to take me in.

[while Max is bent over the nuke's keyboard, Terry attacks him with a hammer. He easily blocks her swing and throws her aside]

Max: We haven't met. I'm Max.

[She attacks him again, and he kicks her ass]

Max: You probably thought I was a computer nerd, didn't ya? Ha-ha-ha, wrong! I was a Navy SEAL, lady. You really should see what I can do... with just my thumb.

[He draws a pistol and racks the slide with his thumb and forefinger and Terry throws a hammer at his head, killing Max before he pulls the trigger]

Vic Deakins: Ya know, there was a time when I was gonna let you in on this deal. Ya know why I didn't?

Riley Hale: Because I would have said "no"?

Vic Deakins: Nah, if you'd said "no" I'd have just killed you; I was afraid that you were going to say "yes"! 'Cause you don't have the balls to follow through with something like this, we both know that.

Cast

• John Travolta — Maj. Vic 'Deak' Deakins
• Christian Slater — Capt. Riley Hale
• Samantha Mathis — Terry Carmichael
• Delroy Lindo — Colonel Max Wilkins
• Bob Gunton — Pritchett
• Howie Long - Kelly