9 Extremely Effective Slow-Motion Film Scenes

By Robert James / February 22, 2014

Ever have the experience of when you trip, and it takes forever to reach the ground? It's a commonly-held belief that when bad things happen, they happen slower, for our brain is that much more aware of what is going wrong at the time. It is in this principle that movies developed the use of "slow motion".

It's understood without a doubt that slow motion is one of the great film cliches of all time €“ drawing out an action or dramatic beat to a crawl is a great way to increase tension and make a money shot stand out like nothing else. However, like any cliche, it has amassed a strong number of cynics over the years. It is impossible to take a film seriously when every frame is overcranked to the point of silliness, so modern uses of the technique must be well justified or cleverly employed for them to be accepted by a modern moviegoing audience. It is frankly hard to enjoy a man running from an explosion as it billows out behind him anymore thanks to the over-use of that particular cliche (sorry Michael Bay, but that ship sailed long before you were even at the harbor) so if they are to be loved, movies must use slow motion the way they use action sequences €“ sparingly, and with creativity. For your reading pleasure, I have compiled a list of film scenes and moments that epitomize why well-used slow motion can be a timelessly effective movie technique...