Top Ten Movie Weapons of All Time

Picture the following action movie scene. Clouds of smoke part as the hero stands before villain. The villain smirks as the hero dramatically pulls out his... steak knife. Wow. Isn't that thrilling?

Let's face it. Where would actions movies be without ultra-cool weapons? These two go together like death and taxes, politics and lies, peanut butter and jelly... You get the idea. The question is, what are the coolest movie weapons to ever grace the silver screen? Here's the short list, feel free to add to it if you like; after all, I believe the pen is mightier than the sword, so I may have missed something.

The Short List

10. The Phaser - Star Trek
I fondly remember my friends and I making phasers in high school shop class. The teacher was a Star Trek fanatic and loved us for making them. Now I think there are a lot of movie weapons out there that look better, but it's hard to beat that '60s retro look. Just to clarify, we're not talking about the little cell phone looking phasers, but the ones that the cell phone phasers locked into. Utilitarian and simple, the phaser was cool simply because you could switch it from stun to kill, and when you blasted something it just disappeared, nice and clean. Destruction without the mess -- how cool is that?

9. Noisy Cricket - Men in Black
Okay, so Tommy Lee Jones' gun looked cooler than this one. But for pound for pound, the Noisy Cricket packed more punch and more laughs than any weapon this side of a Schwartz Ring. Besides, if Will Smith wields it, it's got to be cool.

8. Red Ryder BB Gun - A Christmas Story
I know this is a bit of a stretch, but considering how central this weapon is to the story, it should be on the list. Not to mention, it has a compass in the stock. Shooting your eye out has never been more fun.

7. Han Solo's Blaster - Star Wars
Grownig up my little brother was a Han-abee through and through. The best thing was all you needed was a black vest, a white shirt and you could pull off a pretty good Solo. Part science-fiction and part Luger, Solo's weapon was the epitome of cool for a generation of space scoundrels. Oh and just for the record, it was a lot cooler when Greedo didn't shoot first.

6. Indy's Whip - Raiders of the Lost Ark
I don't think any movie weapon caused more damage around the house than Indiana Jones' whip from Raiders of the Lost Ark. It's such a simple weapon, but that's part of its charm. Well, that and the fact that here was a weapon that could cause actual damage to tree limbs, tin cans, fence posts and anything else that got in its way. There was just no substitute for that piercing CRACK that split the backyard air.

5. Harry Potter's Wand - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
All right so it's a stick, I know, but I can't think of any sticks that are as cool as Harry Potter's wand. If my son Flipendos one more thing in our house I think I'll go off the deep end. Based on that alone, Harry's wand deserves an honored place on any movie weapon list; after all, one hallmark of a cool movie weapon is how much it irritates your parents.

4. Ash's Chainsaw - Evil Dead/ Army of Darkness
A chainsaw for a hand - how cool is that? Although Ash's boomstick might be S-mart's top of the line, it pales next to a chainsaw fitted onto your arm. According to Bruce Campbell to make the chainsaw appear to be running constantly, tobacco smoke was blown through a tube that went up his pant's leg, through his shirt and into the chainsaw. Hail to the king, baby.

3. Sting - The Lord of the Rings
Simply a beautiful weapon, this sword may be small, but anything that glows when Orcs are around deserves kudos. Given to Frodo by Bilbo, Sting is the little sword that could.

2. Atlantean Sword - Conan the Barbarian
We go from small to huge with this one. In my opinion, this is the coolest movie sword of all time, hands down. Beautifully carved, beautifully executed, this ten-pound broadsword is the perfect blend of form and function. The Atlantean sword is the one Conan finds in the tomb after being chased by wolves (as opposed to his father's sword). Most movie swords are either wimpy-looking or too big. This one's just right for crushing your enemies and seeing them driven before you.

Judge this one for yourself HERE.

1. Lightsaber - Star Wars
Doesn't matter which one, which color, take your pick - the lightsaber is the coolest weapon in movie history. It's a great concept that looks and sounds better than any other movie weapon period. The lightsaber is a terrific combination of high tech and ancient, that says more about its movie universe than any other weapon. Hey, you don't have to take my word for it - just ask the Star Wars kid; he'll tell you.