Over the last couple of decades, Dwayne Johnson has cemented himself as one of the most entertaining and successful action heroes of all time. In addition to his impressive physique and natural charisma, Johnson's ability to effortlessly deliver cool one-liners and badass lines of dialogue have helped make him one of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Some of his best quotes come as he is trying to inspire his allies and teammates, such as his speeches as a coach in Gridiron Gang, while others come as he is confidently threatening or taunting his opposition, such as his constant back and forth with Jason Statham in Hobbs & Shaw, but all of them reveal the toughness and confidence that Johnson brings to every role.
Fighting With My Family
"The Rock Is Me. Dwayne Johnson. Just With The Volume Turned Way Up, The Treble Adjusted, The Bass. Same Guy."
When Paige and Zak get the opportunity to meet WWE legend Dwayne Johnson in Fighting With My Family, he has important advice for the pair and gives them a valuable lesson about how to craft their wrestling persona. He demonstrates his shtick and teaches them that they have to be themselves, but a more amplified version of who they are.
Watching Johnson play the cool, smack-talking, heightened version of himself that helped make him famous is a fun treat for long-time fans of the wrestler-turned-actor known as "The Rock".
Walking Tall
"I Grew Up In This Town. People Used To Walk Tall In This Town."
One of Johnson's first leading roles came in the 2004 film Walking Tall in which he plays a former US Army Special Forces sergeant who returns home to find that gambling and corruption have taken over his small hometown, prompting him to launch the fight to take back the town.
This quote sums up the character's attitude as he tries to inspire the town to stand up and return to its values. His bravery in the face of danger and willingness to stand up when no one else will make him a great action hero.
Red Notice
"I'm A Good Guy But Sometimes I Do Bad Things."
The recent Netflix hit Red Notice succeeds mostly due to its fun tone and the great duo of Johnson and Ryan Reynolds. As the film centers around the race to acquire valuable stolen artifacts, it is filled with betrayals and twists, including some from Johnson's FBI agent John Hartley.
While Johnson often plays the straight man in the movie, he is more than just a by-the-books lawman. Even when Johnson plays someone on the right side of the law, or at least someone pretending to be, he still gets to add his signature flair.
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
"It's A Lot Easier To Be Brave When You've Got Lives To Spare. It's A Lot Harder When You Only Have One Life."
The family-friendly adventure film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has fun with Johnson's ultra-macho action hero persona by casting him as a videogame avatar controlled by a teenager, leading to plenty of quotes such as this one in which he must dig deep and find courage in dangerous situations.
While Johnson's characters typically possess over-the-top confidence, watching him display emotional vulnerability and find a way to be brave in spite of fear showcases another aspect of his range and adds a different type of cool character to his filmography.
Baywatch
"I Was Born Of The Sea. I Eat Fire Coral And I P*ss Salt Water."
The action-comedy Baywatch acknowledged the guilty pleasure cheesiness of the original show by capturing an over-the-top tone, especially in Johnson's character, Lieutenant Mitch Buchannon. As the head of Baywatch, he is a no-nonsense leader who knows he is the best of the best.
This quote comes from a profanity-laced tirade about how Buchannon is the master of the ocean and perfectly captures the character's hilarious self-confidence. The monologue is an excellent example of Johnson's natural ability to boast about himself in the most entertaining and hypermasculine ways.
Hobbs & Shaw
"I'm What You Call An Ice-Cold Can Of Whoop-Ass."
Former DSS agent Luke Hobbs has become Johnson's signature role and the brash, bold character often gives him the opportunity to spout off badass one-liners. In an early montage highlighting the difference between Hobbs and Shaw, Hobbs makes this retort as he demonstrates his brute strength and straightforward approach.
Hobbs is a tough brawler who is capable of going toe to toe with the likes of Dom Toretto. He has saved the world multiple times and carries himself with the confidence that comes from knowing that he can beat just about anyone in a fight.
The Scorpion King
"I Make My Own Destiny."
While Johnson has become known for his involvement in multiple blockbuster franchises, his first franchise role came as the titular Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns and the spinoff. As captured in this quote, the spinoff revealed that Mathayus does things his own way and has no fear of death.
Mathayus has the confidence in his own strength and ability to believe he is not beholden to fate or the gods and that he is the one who gets to forge his own destiny. It is an inspiring quote that encourages independence and self-belief.
Gridiron Gang
"On The Gridiron, We Do It My Way, Not Your Way."
The inspirational sports drama Gridiron Gang sees Johnson's Sean Porter start a football team at a juvenile detention camp to help the kids escape their problems and develop discipline in one of Johnson's best films to date. Coach Porter takes control of the team in this quote and commands the respect of the players.
The team is filled with former drug dealers and gang members but Porter is able to establish himself as the alpha of the team. He balances tough love and inspiration as he clearly communicates that he is the leader of the team.
Hobbs & Shaw
"One On One. No One Else Around. I Will Beat Your Ass Like A Cherokee Drum."
Beyond the big action scenes, the stand-out of Hobbs & Shaw is the hilariously antagonistic buddy-cop dynamic between the two leads. The film is filled with trash talk about what the two characters would do to each other if given the chance, including this quote.
The two are a classic odd couple and continually top one another with their creative insults, comebacks, and threats. Even when staring down one of the deadliest men in the world, Johnson's Hobbs is just as confident as ever and refuses to back down.
Furious 7
"Daddy's Gotta Go To Work."
While Johnson's characters have had plenty of macho, badass quotes throughout the years, his coolest moment comes in Furious 7 as Hobbs realizes that the crew needs him to jump back into action despite having a broken arm. Hobbs informs his daughter that he has to get back out there and then bursts out of his cast.
The quote is one of Hobbs' most iconic moments in the franchise and demonstrates just how tough he really is as nothing, not even broken bones, is going to stop him from getting out there and going to work by stopping the bad guys.