We’ve witnessed characters wieldall manner of weaponson the big screen, from sleek firearms to mighty swords. Here, though, we’re looking specifically at makeshift weapons. Those that often emerge in moments of dire necessity, where characters are pushed to their limits and forced to adapt to harrowing circumstances. Whether it’sbattling hordes of zombieswith household items, turning an entire house into a minefield of danger, or crafting unique weapons to outwit foes, these moments exemplify the resilience and resourcefulness of characters in the face of peril.
Below, we count down the 10 most creative and unforgettable makeshift weapons in movie history. From iconic moments of survival to outrageous (and often hilarious) displays of ingenuity, these weapons have left a lasting mark on the world of film, often blending humor, horror, and sheer brilliance in their imaginative concoctions and uses.
10Oxygen Tanks — Jaws
In the iconic killer shark movieJaws, oxygen tanks play a crucial role in the climactic battle to defeat the relentless great white shark. As a last-ditch effort to stop the terrorizing predator, Chief Brody, Hooper, and Quint devise a daring plan: they attach a high-pressure scuba tank to a harpoon and lower it into the water. Quint takes aim and successfully strikes the shark with the harpoon. As the shark continues its relentless assault, Chief Brody takes matters into his own hands to put an end to the onslaught.
With a rifle, he takes careful aim at a floating oxygen tank lodged in the shark’s mouth, ultimately hitting it and causing a massive explosion. This brilliant and resourceful use of an oxygen tank becomes the key to their victory over the formidable predator, as it blows the shark to smithereens in a dramatic and memorable climax.
9Vinyl Records — Shaun of the Dead
While, admittedly, it may not be the most creative (or effective) makeshift weapon on this list, it is certainly responsible for one of the most hilarious scenes in horror history. Shaun and Ed, whilst being (slowly) approached by zombie invaders inShaun of the Dead, rummage through Shaun’s old record collection to decide which albums are worthy of keeping and which can be hurled at said zombies (apparently Dire Straits and The Batman Soundtrack are not worthy of being kept, but The Stone Roses is).
When this comically futile music-based defense strategy falls flat, they do eventually turn to more sensible tools of survival, like a shovel and a cricket bat.
8Weaponized Guitar Case — Mexico Trilogy
TheMexico Trilogy, directed by Robert Rodriguez, follows the enigmatic guitar-playing assassin, El Mariachi, as he seeks vengeance against a powerful drug lord. El Mariachi is known to always carry his trusty guitar case, ingeniously concealing a stash of deadly weapons.
By the final installment,Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Rodriguez takes the concept of the weaponized guitar case to even greater extremes. By this point, there is now a guitar case that transforms into a flamethrower, unleashing fiery chaos upon his enemies, and another that serves as a moving remote-controlled bomb, adding a comically explosive twist to the action.
The events leading up to the creation of this makeshift weapon are particularly unusual. In the cult classic sequelEvil Dead 2, Ash Williams once again encounters a series of supernatural horrors including the demonic possessions of his own hand and arm. After the gruesome removal of his own hand, Ash turns this misfortune into an advantage in a brilliantly creative and bizarre fashion.
Desperate to combat the evil forces that threaten him, he replaces his severed hand with a chainsaw. This makeshift prosthetic becomes an iconic and fearsome weapon in Ash’s arsenal, effectively allowing him to mow down hordes of undead creatures and face the supernatural threats head-on.
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6Machine Gun Leg — Planet Terror
InPlanet Terror, Rodriguez takes the concept ofEvil Dead’s chainsaw hand and takes it one step further with a machine gun leg. Cherry Darling, played by Rose McGowan, undergoes a gruesome amputation early in the film and has her leg replaced with a high-powered, automatic machine gun. After much suspension of disbelief from the audience, Cherry uses her newly acquired firepower to take on waves of zombies and villains in the post-apocalyptic planet of terror, in this homage totheEvil Deadfranchise.
5Flame Thrower — The Thing
InJohn Carpenter’s chilling masterpiece,The Thing, a makeshift flamethrower is ingeniously crafted using common tools and supplies found in their Antarctic research station. It is assembled using a safety flare and a canister of pressurized gas. This improvised flamethrower serves a dual purpose: not only as a means to combat the shape-shifting alien menace that threatens the crew’s very existence, but also as a vital tool to identify the imitations among them.
By using fire to reveal the true form of the alien, the makeshift flamethrower becomes an essential instrument of survival and trust, embodying the crew’s desperate fight against an unseen and deadly enemy in the unforgiving Antarctic wilderness.
4Snooker Ball in a Sock — Scum
The Ray Winstone-led ultra-violent British prison dramaScumpaints a stark and unflinching portrait of life behind bars, where individuals must rely on their wits and whatever they can find to protect themselves and assert their presence in an unforgiving, brutal system. In one memorable scene, a character decides to use a sock filled with a snooker ball as a makeshift weapon, and the outcome, as you could imagine, is devastating.
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Dead Alive, directed by apre-mainstream fame Peter Jackson, holds a notorious reputation as one of the bloodiest and goriest films in cinematic history. This cult classic showcases Jackson’s early penchant for over-the-top, splatter-filled horror-comedy.
One of its most infamous and blood-soaked scenes involves the use of a lawnmower as an improvised weapon. In this jaw-dropping sequence, the film’s protagonist uses the lawnmower to obliterate hordes of reanimated corpses in his house, resulting in an absurdly excessive and comically gruesome massacre.
2Holy Water Squirt Gun — From Dusk till Dawn
By this point, it’s becoming apparent that an entire list could have been made based solely onthe movies of Robert Rodriguez. This time around, singling out just one makeshift weapon as the best inFrom Dusk till Dawnis no easy task. When a group of people find themselves trapped at the mercy of bloodthirsty vampires in a remote bar, they must rely on the leftover goods from previous truckers who have fallen victim to the undead.
Among the ingenious creations they fashion is a pneumatic stake for precise vampire slaying. However, what truly stands out is the combination of their resourcefulness and faith. The preacher in the group blesses a case load of bottled water, which they then load into squirt guns, turning the tools of fun into instruments of salvation.
1The Entire House — Home Alone
Home Alonehilariously demonstrates the resourcefulness of young Kevin McCallister when he is inadvertently left behind by his family during the holidays. In essence, Kevin transforms his entire house intoone colossal makeshift weaponto fend off a duo of bungling burglars. Some of the best examples of everyday household objects being fashioned into weapons of mass destruction include heated doorknobs, paint cans swinging down the staircase, BB gun ambushes, and strategically placed toy cars to trip up the intruders.
Kevin’s mastery of everyday household items, from tarantulas to blowtorches, showcases his ability to think on his feet and use his creativity to outsmart the would-be burglars and earns him the well-deserved top spot on this list.
