The Movie
The whole damn movie is the epitome of manly 80s One-Man Army awesome that could only be rivaled by the likes of Rambo at the time, but it wouldn't do it justice not to point out some key points.
- Matrix's Establishing Character Moment as a badass Action Hero: his house gets attacked, and in checking up on Jenny's bedroom, he only finds a dead bodyguard and Diaz calmly waiting for him, taunting him with Jenny's "I love you, Daddy" card in his hand. Matrix realizes his daughter is already being kidnapped, but as Diaz pressures him to cooperate, Matrix makes it crystal-clear he's not taking any of their shit.Diaz: And if you want your kid back... then you gotta cooperate. Right?
Matrix: Wrong. (blasts him in the face and chases after Jenny's kidnappers) - The bad guys remove engine parts from Matrix's car to make sure he can't chase them, but there's one thing they didn't consider: their escape route is a winding road going downhill. So Matrix pushes his broken car, gets in, and "drives" it straight down the hill, steering it to avoid the trees. This sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
- John Matrix's Badass Boast to Sully:Matrix: You're a funny guy, Sully. I like you. ...That's why I'm gonna Kill You Last.
- Matrix's later interrogation of Sully on the edge of a clifftop. When he already summarizes where Sully is supposed to meet a cohort who knows where his daughter is, he becomes a useless weight on his arm.Matrix: Remember Sully when I promised to kill you last?
Sully: That's right, Matrix, you did!
Matrix: I lied. [He drops Sully off the cliff]
Sully: OOH LALAA!
- Matrix's later interrogation of Sully on the edge of a clifftop. When he already summarizes where Sully is supposed to meet a cohort who knows where his daughter is, he becomes a useless weight on his arm.
- Matrix's introduction, carrying a tree one-handed with no special effects assistance.
- Matrix is forced to be on a plane with one of the Big Bad's henchmen in order carry out his mission. As they're on the plane, Matrix asks for a pillow and blanket, and then as he reaches forward…he snaps his his elbow back, knocking the baddie unconscious, snaps his neck like a twig and then disguises him like he's simply asleep. And then, what does he say to the flight attendant?
- And then Matrix breaks out of the cargo hold onto the landing gear and jumps from the plane, into a conveniently located swamp, as it takes off.
- Simply this exchange of dialogue:Cooke: Fuck you, asshole!
[Cooke pulls the trigger, hoping to kill Matrix in one shot, but the gun's ammunition is depleted]
Matrix: Fuck you, asshole! - Matrix vs. an army. Of course the army can only give him a flesh wound!
- His Lock-and-Load Montage beforehand.
- Matrix is out of ammo. He is trapped by a dozen Mooks in a gardening shed. Weed-Whacking Ensues.
- Matrix's fight against Bennett. Bennett is the only person in the entire film who actually stands any kind of chance against Matrix and even has him on the ropes at one point. John beats him by impaling him with a steam pipe.Matrix: Let off some steam, Bennett.
- Despite having both his daughter as a hostage and a gun trained on him John, knowing his sadistic tendencies is able to dare Bennett into letting Jenny go and dropping his gun to fight him one on one and giving John a chance rather than just shooting him or using Jenny to stop John from resisting. When he's clearly losing Bennett pulls the gun again, but it still gave John enough of a fair fight to eventually get the win.
