Law Abiding Citizen Quotes
A frustrated man decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family's killers free. He targets not only the killer but also the district attorney and others involved in the deal.
Jonas Cantrell: Tell us what we're dealing with. Shelton was a spy...?
Bray: Look, spies are a dime a dozen. I'm a spy. Clyde is a brain. He's a think tank-type guy. His specialty was low-impact kinetic operations.
Nick Rice: That's a hell of a fancy way to say that he kills people.
Bray: We kill people. He figured out how to do it without ever being in the same room. It was his gift, and he was the best. One time, we're tasking this tricky target. I mean, we're usin' cruise missiles and Predators, and we even had a B-2 Bomber flatten this guy's villa with JDAM. Alright, we're burnin' up millions in ordnance and we're gettin' nowhere with this guy. So we call Clyde, and we ask him to solve our problem. Clyde develops a Kevlar thread with a high-tech ratchet made of carbon fiber. Put it in a necktie. Two days later, Mrs. Bad Guy comes home, finds Mr. Bad Guy dead on the bathroom tile, choked to death. What I'm sayin' is, just assume that this guy can hear and see everything that you're doing.
Nick Rice: No. We got him locked away; maximum security.
Bray: He's in jail, it's because he wants to be in jail. He's a born tactician. Every move that he makes, it means something. That cellmate that he killed, what, you think that was random? No. That's a pawn being moved off the board. If I were you, I'd be lookin' for the next piece. Anybody who had anything to do with that case, he's gonna be comin' after you.
Nick Rice: So what are you sayin'? You sayin' we can't stop him?
Bray: Walk into his cell, and put a bullet in his head. Aside from that, no, you can't stop him. If Clyde wants you dead, you're dead.
Bray: Look, spies are a dime a dozen. I'm a spy. Clyde is a brain. He's a think tank-type guy. His specialty was low-impact kinetic operations.
Nick Rice: That's a hell of a fancy way to say that he kills people.
Bray: We kill people. He figured out how to do it without ever being in the same room. It was his gift, and he was the best. One time, we're tasking this tricky target. I mean, we're usin' cruise missiles and Predators, and we even had a B-2 Bomber flatten this guy's villa with JDAM. Alright, we're burnin' up millions in ordnance and we're gettin' nowhere with this guy. So we call Clyde, and we ask him to solve our problem. Clyde develops a Kevlar thread with a high-tech ratchet made of carbon fiber. Put it in a necktie. Two days later, Mrs. Bad Guy comes home, finds Mr. Bad Guy dead on the bathroom tile, choked to death. What I'm sayin' is, just assume that this guy can hear and see everything that you're doing.
Nick Rice: No. We got him locked away; maximum security.
Bray: He's in jail, it's because he wants to be in jail. He's a born tactician. Every move that he makes, it means something. That cellmate that he killed, what, you think that was random? No. That's a pawn being moved off the board. If I were you, I'd be lookin' for the next piece. Anybody who had anything to do with that case, he's gonna be comin' after you.
Nick Rice: So what are you sayin'? You sayin' we can't stop him?
Bray: Walk into his cell, and put a bullet in his head. Aside from that, no, you can't stop him. If Clyde wants you dead, you're dead.
Clyde Shelton: This... Tetrodotoxin. Should be nicely into your system by now. Isolated from the liver of a Caribbean Puffer Fish. So, it paralyzes you... and leaves all the other neurological functions perfectly intact. In other words, you can't move... but you feel everything. It does absolutely nothing to blunt the pain... and you're about to experience more of that, than you could ever fucking imagine.
Clyde Shelton: [in court, laughing and clapping after judge grant bail, after his charade] Thank you.
Judge Laura Burch: Excuse me?
Clyde Shelton: No, I don't think I will excuse you. You see, this is what I'm talking about. You were about to let me go. Are you kidding me? This is why we're here in the first place. You think I don't remember who you are, lady?
Judge Laura Burch: I would tread carefully, Mr. Shelton.
Clyde Shelton: Well, how carefully should I tread? Because apparently I just killed two people, and you were about to let me walk right out that door! How MISGUIDED are you? I feed you a couple of bullshit legal precedents, and there you go - you jump on it like a bitch in heat. Folks, you all hang out...
Judge Laura Burch: [nervously starts pounding with gavel on a sounding block] I'm warning you, Mr. Shelton!
Clyde Shelton: ...in the same little club...
Judge Laura Burch: You will be held in contempt!
Clyde Shelton: ...and every day you let madmen and murderers back on the street. You're too busy treating the law...
Judge Laura Burch: [keeps pounding] One more time!
Clyde Shelton: ...like it's a fucking assembly line!
Judge Laura Burch: One more time.
Clyde Shelton: Do you have any idea what justice is?
Judge Laura Burch: You are now...
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to right and wrong?
Judge Laura Burch: ...in contempt of court.
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to right and wrong?
Judge Laura Burch: Remove this man.
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to the people?
Judge Laura Burch: Bail denied!
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to justice?
Judge Laura Burch: Bail denied!
Clyde Shelton: And I bet you take it up the fucking ass, bitch.
Judge Laura Burch: Bailiff!
Clyde Shelton: [to Nick Rice, as he's being dragged away in cuffs by policemen] Hey, see you later, Nick.
Judge Laura Burch: Excuse me?
Clyde Shelton: No, I don't think I will excuse you. You see, this is what I'm talking about. You were about to let me go. Are you kidding me? This is why we're here in the first place. You think I don't remember who you are, lady?
Judge Laura Burch: I would tread carefully, Mr. Shelton.
Clyde Shelton: Well, how carefully should I tread? Because apparently I just killed two people, and you were about to let me walk right out that door! How MISGUIDED are you? I feed you a couple of bullshit legal precedents, and there you go - you jump on it like a bitch in heat. Folks, you all hang out...
Judge Laura Burch: [nervously starts pounding with gavel on a sounding block] I'm warning you, Mr. Shelton!
Clyde Shelton: ...in the same little club...
Judge Laura Burch: You will be held in contempt!
Clyde Shelton: ...and every day you let madmen and murderers back on the street. You're too busy treating the law...
Judge Laura Burch: [keeps pounding] One more time!
Clyde Shelton: ...like it's a fucking assembly line!
Judge Laura Burch: One more time.
Clyde Shelton: Do you have any idea what justice is?
Judge Laura Burch: You are now...
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to right and wrong?
Judge Laura Burch: ...in contempt of court.
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to right and wrong?
Judge Laura Burch: Remove this man.
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to the people?
Judge Laura Burch: Bail denied!
Clyde Shelton: Whatever happened to justice?
Judge Laura Burch: Bail denied!
Clyde Shelton: And I bet you take it up the fucking ass, bitch.
Judge Laura Burch: Bailiff!
Clyde Shelton: [to Nick Rice, as he's being dragged away in cuffs by policemen] Hey, see you later, Nick.
[Darby is lying paralyzed on a table]
Clyde Shelton: These are tourniquets, so you don't bleed out, 'cause you may be here a while.
[points to an IV rig]
Clyde Shelton: Saline solution, that should keep us going.
[tightens Darby's restraints]
Clyde Shelton: Clamps nice and secure. Comfortable? You really are shaking. Sure you're all right?
[picks up a syringe]
Clyde Shelton: You'll love this. Adrenaline. Now this is so you don't pass out.
[injects Darby]
Clyde Shelton: There you go. How's it feel? Good? Now what we don't want is you swallowing your tongue, so bear with me...
[inserts a mouthpiece into Darby's mouth]
Clyde Shelton: There we go.
[holds up a box cutter]
Clyde Shelton: Now this is for your penis, but we'll get to that later.
[holds up a scalpel]
Clyde Shelton: Scalpel. This is for your eyelids... in case you insist on fucking shutting them. You see, I know what it feels like to be helpless. Just like when I watched you slaughter my whole family. Oh, you can't fight fate, right, Darby...? Oh! Look, I made this especially for you.
[Cranks a full-length mirror into position over Darby, giving him a view of his whole body]
Clyde Shelton: You like it? I didn't want you to miss anything. Now you have the best view in the house. You hear that? Your heart is beating so fast. You know, me too. Look.
[He points to the mirror, where a photo of Clyde's wife and daughter is taped to the corner]
Clyde Shelton: Now they get to watch you suffer. They'll be the last thing you ever see... as I cut off every single one of your fucking limbs. See, I wasn't lying when I told you I wanted to keep you out of prison. That was the truth.
Clyde Shelton: These are tourniquets, so you don't bleed out, 'cause you may be here a while.
[points to an IV rig]
Clyde Shelton: Saline solution, that should keep us going.
[tightens Darby's restraints]
Clyde Shelton: Clamps nice and secure. Comfortable? You really are shaking. Sure you're all right?
[picks up a syringe]
Clyde Shelton: You'll love this. Adrenaline. Now this is so you don't pass out.
[injects Darby]
Clyde Shelton: There you go. How's it feel? Good? Now what we don't want is you swallowing your tongue, so bear with me...
[inserts a mouthpiece into Darby's mouth]
Clyde Shelton: There we go.
[holds up a box cutter]
Clyde Shelton: Now this is for your penis, but we'll get to that later.
[holds up a scalpel]
Clyde Shelton: Scalpel. This is for your eyelids... in case you insist on fucking shutting them. You see, I know what it feels like to be helpless. Just like when I watched you slaughter my whole family. Oh, you can't fight fate, right, Darby...? Oh! Look, I made this especially for you.
[Cranks a full-length mirror into position over Darby, giving him a view of his whole body]
Clyde Shelton: You like it? I didn't want you to miss anything. Now you have the best view in the house. You hear that? Your heart is beating so fast. You know, me too. Look.
[He points to the mirror, where a photo of Clyde's wife and daughter is taped to the corner]
Clyde Shelton: Now they get to watch you suffer. They'll be the last thing you ever see... as I cut off every single one of your fucking limbs. See, I wasn't lying when I told you I wanted to keep you out of prison. That was the truth.
Clyde Shelton: I'm at war with this
[indicating the system]
Clyde Shelton: . This, this broken thing. This thing that brought you and I together.
Nick Rice: This broken thing works for people that are sane. You think doing what you're doing is going change anything? You and whoever else you have helping you, are gonna pay.
Clyde Shelton: I don't think you have any idea who's helping me, or what I'm doing.
Nick Rice: It's a matter of time.
Clyde Shelton: You see the bodies, you see the smoke. But the larger picture still eludes you.
[indicating the system]
Clyde Shelton: . This, this broken thing. This thing that brought you and I together.
Nick Rice: This broken thing works for people that are sane. You think doing what you're doing is going change anything? You and whoever else you have helping you, are gonna pay.
Clyde Shelton: I don't think you have any idea who's helping me, or what I'm doing.
Nick Rice: It's a matter of time.
Clyde Shelton: You see the bodies, you see the smoke. But the larger picture still eludes you.
Nick Rice: Is your name Clyde Alexander Shelton?
Clyde Shelton: Yes sir
Nick Rice: And you've waived your right to counsel is that correct?
Clyde Shelton: Yes sir
Nick Rice: You sure you want to do that?
Clyde Shelton: Yes sir
Nick Rice: Did you murder Clarence Darby?
Clyde Shelton: I wanted him dead he killed my wife and child
Nick Rice: Rupert Ames, did you murder him too?
Clyde Shelton: Rupert Ames deserved to die, they both deserved to die
Nick Rice: So you arranged both of those murders?
Clyde Shelton: I planned it in my head over and over again, it took me a long time
Nick Rice: I guess we're done
Clyde Shelton: Counselor, you might want to cancel your 12:30 lunch with Judge Roberts
Nick Rice: Excuse me?
Clyde Shelton: In fact you might want to cancel the rest of the week because you're going to be busy sit down
Nick Rice: We're done here we have your confession
Clyde Shelton: Oh, you do?
Nick Rice: On tape, in our profession we consider that a "slam dunk"
Clyde Shelton: What father wouldn't fantasize about that? "Darby and Ames deserved to die" I think most people would agree with that, "I planned it over and over in my head" who wouldn't fantasize about that? None of these are admissions of guilt.
Clyde Shelton: Yes sir
Nick Rice: And you've waived your right to counsel is that correct?
Clyde Shelton: Yes sir
Nick Rice: You sure you want to do that?
Clyde Shelton: Yes sir
Nick Rice: Did you murder Clarence Darby?
Clyde Shelton: I wanted him dead he killed my wife and child
Nick Rice: Rupert Ames, did you murder him too?
Clyde Shelton: Rupert Ames deserved to die, they both deserved to die
Nick Rice: So you arranged both of those murders?
Clyde Shelton: I planned it in my head over and over again, it took me a long time
Nick Rice: I guess we're done
Clyde Shelton: Counselor, you might want to cancel your 12:30 lunch with Judge Roberts
Nick Rice: Excuse me?
Clyde Shelton: In fact you might want to cancel the rest of the week because you're going to be busy sit down
Nick Rice: We're done here we have your confession
Clyde Shelton: Oh, you do?
Nick Rice: On tape, in our profession we consider that a "slam dunk"
Clyde Shelton: What father wouldn't fantasize about that? "Darby and Ames deserved to die" I think most people would agree with that, "I planned it over and over in my head" who wouldn't fantasize about that? None of these are admissions of guilt.
Clyde Shelton: I want one of those really nice beds. I just... I can't think straight without a nice sleep. The bed in my cell is just so lumpy.
Nick Rice: The ones on TV really late night?
Clyde Shelton: Yeah, that's the one.
Nick Rice: The one with the old couple in the bed?
Clyde Shelton: Yeah. It has lumbar support.
Nick Rice: Okay, I know what you mean.
Clyde Shelton: So? Are you going to take the deal?
Nick Rice: Fuck no.
Nick Rice: The ones on TV really late night?
Clyde Shelton: Yeah, that's the one.
Nick Rice: The one with the old couple in the bed?
Clyde Shelton: Yeah. It has lumbar support.
Nick Rice: Okay, I know what you mean.
Clyde Shelton: So? Are you going to take the deal?
Nick Rice: Fuck no.
