Bill Paxton’s 6 Geekiest Movie Roles

“Game over, Man.” Sadly, Bill Paxton died on February 25, 2017 from complications during surgery. While many are mourning Paxton by remembering his starring role in the HBO series “Big Love,” the science fiction community is mourning the loss of a quirky mainstay of the genre. Here are Paxton’s roles in some of the best sci-fi movies ever.

6. The Terminator (1984)

The Terminator is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose son will one day become a savior against machines in a post-apocalyptic future.

There’s a reason you probably don’t remember Paxton in this movie, and that’s because he was barely in it. He was one of the thugs the Terminator beat up to get his clothes. It’s a minor role, but an awesome movie, and Paxton gave it his all.

5. Edge of Tomorrow (2013)

Edge of Tomorrow is a 2014 American military science fiction film starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. Cruise plays Bill Cage, a public relations officer with no combat experience, who is ordered by his superior to film the first wave of a crucial landing operation against the aliens. Though Cage is killed in combat, he finds himself in a time loop that sends him back to the day preceding the battle every time he dies.

In this time-travel story about an arrogant officer forced to relive the same battle over and over again, Paxton played the cheerfully brutal Master Sergeant Farrell. I’ll never forget his classic line, “Tip of the spear, edge of the knife…crack o’ my…”

4. Weird Science (1985)

Weird Science is a 1985 American teen comic science fiction film written and directed by John Hughes and starring Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, and Kelly Le Brock.

In this epic geek fantasy about two nerds who create a real woman, Paxton played the foul-mouthed and sadistic older brother Chet. It was another relatively small role, but Paxton made his every scene a scene-stealer, especially when he threatened to butter Lisa’s muffin.

3. Predator 2 (1990)

Predator 2 is a 1990 American science fiction action film directed by Stephen Hopkins, and starring Danny Glover, Ruben Blades, Gary Busey, María Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton and Kevin Peter Hall. The film is a sequel to 1987’s Predator, with Peter Hall reprising the title role of the Predator.

In this one, Paxton played Detective Jerry Lambert, a wisecracking cop who provides some comedy relief from the overall dark tone. Lambert was one of Paxton’s funniest roles in an otherwise gory and horrific movie.

2. Apollo 13 (1995)

Apollo 13 is a 1995 American docudrama space adventure film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris.The screenplay by William Broyles, Jr., and Al Reinert, that dramatizes the aborted 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission.

Paxton played Apollo 13 Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise, one of the unfortunate astronauts who ended up trapped on the ill-fated trip. Paxton brought Haise to life with courage and conviction, and his portrayal of an illness mid-flight made returning home more urgent.

1. Aliens (1986)

Aliens is a 1986 American science fiction action horror film written and directed by James Cameron, produced by Gale Anne Hurd, and starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, William Hope, and Bill Paxton. It’s the sequel to the 1979 film Alien and the second installment in the Alien franchise. The film follows Weaver’s character Ellen Ripley as she returns to the planet where her crew encountered the hostile Alien creature, this time accompanied by a unit of space marines.

“Game over, man!” With those words, Paxton became beloved as the tough-talking but ultimately panicked Lt. Hudson in Aliens. He started out as the most gung-ho about the mission to exterminate the Xenomorphs, bragging about how they had nukes and pointed sticks, but when the mission went wrong, Hudson was the first to break down like a little baby.

What was your favorite Bill Paxton role?

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