Dateline Movies Countdown: Best-Hanging-On-Dear-Life-Scene-Before-Bad-Guys-Fall

Usually seen near the end part of a movie, the death of a bad guy or the villain in a movie traditionally ends dramatically and tragically, either by being shot at or burned alive, exploding to bits and pieces or in the case of our topic, hanging on a ledge or holding on to something, cursing words or threats before ultimately falling to their death. Herewith are our list of the Best Hanging On Dear Life Scene Before Bad Guys Fall:

1.  Die Hard

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Based on the 1979 thriller-novel - Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, Die Hard stars  Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov and Bonnie Bedelia and directed by John McTiernan.  Alan Rickman stars as Hans Gruber, a leader of a heavily-armed German terrorist group taking over Nakatomi Corporation located at Nakatomi Plaza Tower.  

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Here John McClane outsmarts Hans by concealing a gun on his back. Shots a terrorist in the head and Hans about to fall off the tower dragging down McClane's wife with him.   The bloodied John manages to catch his wife just in time before they fell. Hans, on the other hand, hangs on his dear life by grasping Holly's watch.  Still trying to get even with John, Hans tries to aim his gun towards John.  John manages to unstrap Holly's watch and Hans fell into his death 40-stories below.

2.  True Lies

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Based on the 1991 French comedy film La Totale! directed by Claude Zidi, True Lies brings Arnold Schwarzenegger to the big screen in 1994 with no less than James Cameron producing, directing and writing the script of the movie.  Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Art Malik, Tia Carrere and Charlton Heston also stars in this action-comedy movie.

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So furious that his plans are now crumbling into pieces, Salim Abu Aziz played by Art Malik, chases Harry Tasker's fleeing daughter.  Timely arriving on the scene with his borrowed jet plane, Harry helps his daughter escape.  But the distraught leader still manages to follow and also jumps on board the jet plane, preventing their easy escape.  After a couple of fist fights, Malik nearly fell but his suspender was caught in one of the jet's missile.  Harry wanting to end the commotion, releases the missile towards Salim's co-terrorists and ends the conflict.

3.  The Lord of the Rings - 
     The Return of the King

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This 2003 epic fantasy-action-adventure film is the third part of the trilogy of JRR Tolkien's famous book Lord of the Rings.   It stars Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Karl Urban, John Noble, Andy Serkis, 
Ian Holm and Sean Bean.  Peter Jackson directed, produced and wrote the script of the movie.  

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After their long journey, Frodo and Sam finally reach Mt. Doom to throw the One Ring into its fiery pit and destroy Sauron once and for all.  But Gollum still wants to keep the ring for himself and prevents Frodo in fullfilling his mission.  A struggle and a fight ensues.  In a desperation attempt, Gollum bit the finger of Frodo to get the ring.  Gollum dancing in joy that he now has his precious ring back with him was pushed by Frodo into the pit. 

4.  The Cable Guy

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The Cable Guy is a 1996 satirical black comedy starring funnyman Jim Carrey
Matthew Broderick and Leslie Mann.  It is the third movie to be directed by Ben Stiller. The first movie being Elvis Stories in 1989 and Reality Bites is his second. His latest directorial movie is Zoolander 2.

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Knowing that his plans are not going in the direction he wanted to, Chip, played by Jim Carrey, who is standing on top of a satellite dish, decided to jump to his death. Steven, played by Matthew Broderick, was able to catch Chip in the nick of time. After giving his long last speech, Chip decides to let go, knocking off the satellite causing television disruption to the whole town.

  

5.  In The Line Of Fire

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In the Line of Fire is an action-thriller film released in 1993 and was directed by Wolfgang Peterson.  It stars Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo and Dylan McDermott.  

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After watching his partner, played by Dylan McDermott die in the line of fire (wink, wink), Clint Eastwood's Frank Horrigan sets his sights on vengeance, leading him to uncover John Malkovich's Mitch Leary's assassination plot. Unfortunately, Mitch gets the upper hand, and takes him hostage in an elevator. Luckily for good 'ol Frank, a sniper was able to shoot Mitch in the shoulder, and gives Frank enough time to beat his nemesis to a pulp. With his plans foiled, Mitch decides to let go of the ledge he holds on to, refusing Frank's aid.

When will bad guys ever learn when to give-up? Don't they know that life is more precious than victory? Maybe it's because they're the bad guys, and that's what every villain does, or maybe just a fitting end to signify their fall from grace. We'll never really know unless they hang on for their dear life.  How about you, what is your best-hanging-on-dear-life-scene?