Top 10 Zip-Lining Scenes in Movies

When the main bad guy plummets to his demise, it appears that Lee and Carter’s second case is officially closed. The duo literally receives a bombshell, however, when a henchwoman arrives with an explosive surprise. With nowhere to go but out the window, they use their jackets to zip-line down a string of Chinese lanterns into oncoming tragic. As usual, Lee is quick on his feet while Carter screams in his high-pitched voice. This scene offers everything one could want from a “Rush Hour” film, mixing action, comedy, and one-liners.

As with most of Adam Sandler’s comedies, the Steve Buscemi cameo is easily one of the most entertaining parts, and that’s also the case with “Grown Ups.” At a pretty kickass-looking waterpark, the guys start to have second thoughts about the zip-line attraction. But a couple of kids and Sandler’s body double make it look easy enough, not to mention incredibly fun. Determined to outdo his rival, Buscemi’s Wiley decides to perform a stunt the Jackass crew wouldn’t even attempt. Hanging upside down, Wiley gets caught and resigns to a painful fate. Don’t try this at home, kids.

In this scene from “The Dictator,” President Aladeen zip-lines across buildings to reclaim his former glory. Things don’t play out like in most action blockbusters, as Aladeen gets caught about halfway through. Dangling over the streets of New York, the Prime Minister relieves himself of all the coconut water, bananas, and bricks in his pockets. Even emptying his bowels isn’t enough, though. When a goat chews the end of the wire, Aladeen is sent swinging into a window where his big Khram greets a woman. So that’s why he’s called the dick-tator.

The James Bond movies have had a few zip-line scenes over the years, but “Moonraker” definitely had the most memorable one. When Jaws uses his jaws to stop 007’s getaway cable car, the master spy and Astronaut Holly Goodhead need to get inventive. They slide down the cable using a chain, but that doesn’t stop Jaws from further pursuing them. Just when it looks like Bond and Holly will be trampled in midair, they let go and fall to safety. Jaws’ landing isn’t quite as soft.

Set to John Williams’ majestic musical score, this scene sees Kevin use a sawed-off bicycle handlebar to glide from his home to his tree house. Burglars Harry and Marv, who never really seem to learn their lesson in these “Home Alone” movies, continue to chase the troublemaking boy out the window. Kevin always comes prepared, however, and sends the filthy animals flying back into a brick wall. How Harry and Marv aren’t dead by this point is a mystery, but their antics do make for great slapstick and an immortal zip-line sequence.

Action stars like Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell are pretty much contractually obligated to perform at least one zip-lining stunt throughout their careers. In this electrifying prison escape from “Tango & Cash,” the two wrongfully accused cops must trust in Cash’s knowledge of electricity. Utilizing their dependable belts, they both manage to zip-line down the prison’s electric lines over the wall. It would appear that you really don’t get electrocuted as long as you’re only touching one wire and not the ground. Good to know.

What makes the climax of “Back to the Future” especially enthralling is how the suspense and action just keep building. Every time it looks like Marty and Doc Brown can’t possibly run into any more trouble, something else goes horribly wrong. With the clock ticking ever closer to 10:04pm and the DeLorean racing down the street, the Doc needs to reconnect a vital wire in a jiffy. Just when all hope seems to be lost, Doc zip-lines from the top of clock tower and saves the day in the nick of time.

Jack Sparrow might not look like the most competent pirate at first glance. After watching him in action, though, you’ll be convinced that he’s the greatest pirate you’ve ever seen. When caught by the royal marines, Captain Jack takes full advantage of his surroundings to devise a swift escape. Creating a noose with his handcuffs, Jack is able to zip-line down some rope to the end of a bridge. Whether he planned this all out or made it up as he went alone, nobody executes excessive stunts better than Jack.

“Divergent” might not be the greatest young adult adaptation of all time, but it does include one of the most exciting and atmospheric zip-line sequences of all time. As part of her initiation into the Dauntless faction, Tris must prove her bravery by zip-lining from the top of the Hancock Building through a post-apocalyptic Chicago. Beautifully shot and set to uplifting music, this awe-inspiring scene truly captures the wonder of an epic thrill ride. We’d all gladly choose Dauntless just to ride this bad boy once.

Before we zip down to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Batman Saves Vicki
“Batman” (1989)
- Bank Heist
“The Dark Knight” (2008)
- Pool Zip-Line
“The Social Network” (2010)
- Train Assault
“Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011)
- Shirtless Zip
"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (2011)
- Ninja-Zip
"G.I. Joe: Retaliation" (2013)

In “The Adventures of Tintin,” director Steven Spielberg delivered some of his biggest and most improbable action set pieces since “Indiana Jones.” Motion capture technology allowed Spielberg to go as over-the-top as ever, most notably in this exquisitely choreographed chase. Pursuing a bird with a scroll, Tintin rides his motorcycle through Moroccan dwellings, up a ramp, and, as a grand finale, uses his deteriorating bike to zip-line over the village. Done in a single take, not that that's noteworthy since this is CGI, this sequence never stops to catch its breath and simultaneously takes the audience’s breath away.

Do you agree with our list? What big screen zip-lining scene blew you away? For more exhilarating Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.