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Broken arrow 01 6209
Cquote1
"Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons?"
—Vic Deakins
Cquote2


USAF pilot Major Vic "Deak" Deakins (John Travolta) steals a nuclear weapon to ransom back to the U.S. He steals two, and detonates one underground to prove he's not afraid to detonate it. His partner Captain Riley Hale (Christian Slater) and Park Ranger Terry Carmichael (Samantha Mathis) team-up to stop Deak. The term "Broken Arrow" is US military jargon for a nuclear weapons accident. This is actually an "Empty Quiver" made to look like one.

Ignoring the Jean-Claude Van Damme Ego Trip that was Hard Target, this film was western cinema's first proper introduction to John Woo's Heroic Bloodshed genre of film, the popularity of which is cemented one year later in 1997 by Face Off, also by John Woo and starring John Travolta.

Tropes used in Broken Arrow (1996 film) include:


Cquote1

 "You probably thought I was some science nerd! I was a Navy SEAL, lady! You should see what I can do with just my thumb!"

Cquote2
Cquote1

 Vic Deakins: I just realized something. I never actually killed anyone before. I mean, I dropped bombs on Baghdad, but, uh... never face to face. [Beat] I don't know what the big deal is. I really don't.

Cquote2
  • It Works Better with Bullets - Terry pulls this one on Hale during their Mexican Standoff. She's lying, as she demonstrates after she's wrested the gun back from him.
  • Large Ham - John Travolta is having the time of his life with Deak.
  • Made of Iron - Almost the entire cast, with one exception. Kelly hurts his hand hitting the side of a tunnel while shooting at a helicopter, and clearly gives a shout of pain. Kinda surprising, considering that Kelly is played by Howie Long, who played pro football for over 10 years, and would be the cast member with the highest tolerance to pain.
  • Mexican Standoff - Hale with a gun, and Terry with a knife.
    • Lampshaded by Hale: "This isn't a standoff, lady, I've got the gun!" Terry counters that she never keeps it loaded.
    • Also, Hale and Deak with the shotgun and remote detonator.
    • Lampshaded with Hale pointing a gun at one of Deak's men who in turn is pointing a gun at Terry, and when Hale tells him to stop the Humvee they're in, the guy says "Looks like we have a standoff." Hale's response? Shoots him in the leg and slams him headfirst into the steering wheel while shouting "No! We! Don't!"
    • A villainous one happens between Kelly and Deak.
  • New Old West
  • Not with the Safety On, You Won't - Terry Carmichael successfully pulls this on Hale.
  • Pants-Positive Safety - Terry hides a gun within her pants.
  • Pin Pulling Teeth - One of Deak's mooks does this due to one of his arms being all shot to hell.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Hale gives one to Deakins.
Cquote1

Hale: I know why you did it.
Deakins: Oh really. Why did I do it?
Hale: Maybe it was because you kept getting passed over for promotion. Maybe it was because everyone was cashing in and you wanted to get in on it. I don’t fucking know! You’re no different than a guy shooting up a playground. You got a head full of bad wiring!
Deakins: What did you say?
Hale: I said you're fucked in the head, Deak!

Cquote2
Cquote1

 Deak: Yeah. Ain't it cool?

Cquote2


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