Starting out as a wrestler, and being integral to the development of the World Wrestling Federation (WWE), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has come quite a long way. With films that grossed over $3.5 billion in North America and $10.5 billion worldwide, Dwayne Johnson is one of the highest-grossing and highest-paid actors in Hollywood. The actor has given quite some spectacular performances over the years. Here are some of the most iconic moments from Dwayne Johnson’s movies that one can’t forget:
10 Roadblock vs Firefly - G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
The fight scene between The Rock’s Roadblock and Ray Stevenson’s Firefly in G.I. Joe: Retaliation is memorable for various reasons. First, it’s not often one gets to see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson being plummeted to the ground that hard. Secondly, the explosive fireflies that show up, in the beginning, to distract Roadblock from completing his mission are quite unforgettable. And lastly, the scene is a great example of how one should not get distracted and gloat about their victories. Even though Roadblock is on the ground, Firefly’s gloating gives the former time to land in an attack. It also distracts him from seeing the car come up from behind him and almost run him over.
9 Crane Jump - Skyscraper (2018)
In Skyscraper, Dwayne Johnson plays Will Sawyer, a former FBI agent, who attempts to rescue his family from a newly constructed skyscraper in Hong Kong after a group of terrorists set it on fire. One of the most gripping moments from the film has to be Dwayne Johnson’s jump from a crane to a skyscraper. With the authorities on his tail, Johnson’s Sawyer tries to hook the crane onto the skyscraper in order to create a pathway for himself. However, the hook drops at the last minute, leaving Sawyer with no option but to jump the remaining distance. One can’t help but move to the edges of their seat as they watch Sawyer leap into the air and almost fall. He barely makes it by latching onto the edge, literally swaying in the air for a few seconds before climbing inside the building.
8 The Rock Does Not Like Bullies - Central Intelligence (2016)
Warner Bros. Pictures
The iconic bar fight from the buddy action-comedy Central Intelligence is hard to forget. While Kevin Hart’s Calvin Joyner waits for Johnson’s Bob Stone to return to his seat, he gets picked on by a much larger man. When Stone returns to the table, he tries to calmly control the situation. However, now the two face not one but four men who also seemed armed. After calmly stating that he does not like bullies, Stone proceeds to disarm and take down all four men. It’s quite impressive and amusing to watch.
7 Running Towards Success - Gridiron Gang (2006)
It’s rare to find iconic The Rock scenes that aren’t action-packed, but if one were to look through Gridiron Gang, they would find quite a few. Perhaps one of the most memorable moments from the film is when Johnson’s character Coach Sean Porter tries to encourage Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker), a kid from the detention center, that he has potential as a football player. Porter tells Willie that he gives up on himself way too easily, and takes it upon himself to help the football player see his true potential. Porter gets all suited up in football gear and asks Willie to try knocking him over. Willie tries and tries and tries, failing at each attempt, while Porter keeps trying to encourage him. Eventually, Willie does succeed in knocking Porter down, and the audience can’t help but cheer along with the other players. Porter’s little speech also resonates with many people when he reminds Willie that he has no one but himself to help him reach his full potential.
6 Boom Shakalaka! - The Rundown (2003)
Columbia Pictures
The build-up for this particular scene is quite dramatic. With Seann William Scott’s Travis trapped inside a bus as rebels open fire all around, Johnson’s Beck is forced to think fast. The scenes contain a lot of close-up shots that create more tension as Beck tries hard to think of a way to save Travis. The tension finally dissipates as Beck has a determined look in his eyes, as he heads out to face his enemies head-on. With upbeat music playing in the background, Beck takes down an entire group of rebels with just two guns and saves Travis just in time. He even makes a cool exit as the bus explodes in the background.
5 First Meeting With The Rock - Fighting With My Family (2019)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The moment when Florence Pugh’s Paige and Jack Lowden’s Zak first meet The Rock is quite amusing. The two share with the wrestler how much they’ve been inspired by the wrestler and how the two are also trying to pursue a career in wrestling. It’s quite amusing to see The Rock trying to leave, but being dragged back into the conversation by Zak. His advice to the two young wrestlers is inspiring yet amusing as he practically raps it all out.
4 Choose Your Character - Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
The initial scene where the players realize they’ve been sucked into the game and are in different bodies is quite hilarious. It’s quite funny to see The Rock falling onto the ground, with the camera panning over his muscles. It’s quite amusing to see Spencer poking his muscles and peering inside his shirt. When he tries to explain to his friends that he is indeed Spencer, they are hesitant to believe him. It’s only when he jumps in fright after hearing a bird screech that they believe him. It’s rather amusing to see The Rock, who is usually shown as a brave and experienced fighter, shriek and jump just at a sound.
3 The Rock Talks to George - Rampage (2018)
The conversation between Davis Okoye (Johnson), a primatologist, and George, an albino western lowland gorilla during the initial scenes of Rampage is quite memorable. The scene starts off as a high-tension scene with Davis trying to calm another gorilla When George enters, the other gorilla panics and almost attacks Connor, only to be stopped last minute by George. For a minute, it seems like George will attack Connor too, only for the gorilla to start joking around with Davis in sign language. The Gorilla even clowns Davis by refusing to give him a fist bump and stating that he saved Davis. The interaction between the man and gorilla is quite entertaining to watch.
2 The Rock vs Helicopter - The Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
If one were to sit and talk about the iconic scenes from The Fast and Furious franchise, they might need a whole separate list. Perhaps one of the most memorable moments from Hobbs & Shaw is when the team has to face off against a helicopter, of all things. Not only does the scene give the audience a great chase, but it does so with a twist. Rather than the usual car chase, Hobbs and Shaw are facing a helicopter. There’s even a moment when The Rock is the only thing that’s hooking the helicopter to a truck. Talk about superhuman strength!
1 You're Welcome! - Moana (2016)
Johnson’s portrayal of Maui, the legendary demigod, in Moana, is definitely quite different from his usual roles that are more centered around action sequences and fights. One of the most memorable moments in the film is when Moana meets Maui for the first time. While visually one can liken Maui to The Rock, with his size and muscles, what’s the most surprising thing about the scene is when Maui starts singing. It’s pleasantly surprising and amusing to hear The Rock’s voice singing “You’re Welcome” while Maui dances around. Before Moana, who’d have thought they’d be able to hear Johnson sing a Disney song, of all things?