Boom Boom Firepower
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About
Boom Boom Firepower is a popular catchphrase delivered by "The Thinker" (played by Hank Azaria) in the 2009 live-action film, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. The line saw use in video parodies and image macros over the following decades.
Origin
In Night and the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, released May 22nd, 2009, the quote originates from the character The Thinker, shortly after coming to life and flexing his muscles in order to impress a nearby female statue. The quote first appeared in the movie's trailer, showcasing the scene where the two main characters need him to translate a tablet:
Amy Adams: It's a matter of life and death!
The Thinker: I'll tell you what's a matter of life and death, that beautiful lady over there! Boom! Boom! Firepower!
In the final film, the quote would be altered and extended:[1]
Larry Daley: Hey, buddy, over here! This is serious!
Amy Adams: Apparently it's a matter of life and death!
The Thinker: I'll tell you what's a matter of life and death, that beautiful lady right there!
The Thinker: Hey baby! Check out the gun show going on over here! Boom! BANG! Firepower!
Spread
The trailer's version would go on to become widely quoted by elementary school-aged children, who would quote and/or impersonate the Thinker during this scene.[2][3] Several uploads of this clip have managed to garner hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. The most popular of these videos was uploaded by user Justin Pangilinan, whose upload from April 25th, 2009 obtained over 578,000 views.[2]
The scene has been remarked on as a highly nostalgic scene for Gen Z in the 2020s. For example, on September 9th, 2021, TikToker willstephens posted about how the scene held power over elementary school children in 2004, gaining over 23,000 likes in two years (shown below, left). Additionally, some users suspected a Mandela Effect had happened with the line, as many users remembered "Boom Boom Firepower" but the actual film had "Boom Bang Firepower." This is because the line was slightly altered from the popular trailer to the film. On August 4th, 2021, TikToker hes.hxnter remarked on the potential Mandela Effect in a TikTok that gained over 300 likes in two years.
@waitingforbiscuits I can't begin to explain the absolute hold that scene had on us as a generation #nightatthemuseum #fyp #foryou ♬ Cracking Up – Jake Thomas
@hes.hxnter 🤯💥🔥 mandela effect? is that you? #mandelaeffect #alternateuniverse #alternatereality #mindblown #fypシ #foryou #foryoupage #GetYourJeansOn ♬ original sound – Hunter Lee
Various Examples
Search Interest
External References
[1] YouTube -- Night At The Museum 2 – The Thinker
[2] YouTube -- Boom Boom Firepower (video & comments)
[3] Tik Tok -- Will Stephens on Tik Tok
Top Comments
The Sea-Dumpling
Jul 01, 2023 at 02:41AM EDT
SirKeksalot
May 13, 2023 at 10:22AM EDT