10 Best Opening Movie Scenes Of All Time (According To Reddit)
Can anything top The Dark Knight's bank heist opening?
The first few minutes and the last few minutes are the most important parts of any movie.
That ending is the director's final chance to wow the audience, and it's what they'll remember the most as they exit the theatre (or unstick themselves from the couch), and start chatting with their friends. As such, a brilliant ending can be a major fuel source for positive word of mouth, so it's vital that it's strong.
Similarly, a powerful opening is what will get audiences hooked in the first place, ensuring that they're engaged throughout the rest of the film, right up to that (hopefully) knockout finale.
As a result, we often see movies put extra effort and care into their openings, with the filmmakers crafting them for maximum shock, horror, amazement, or emotional value, getting their films off to the best - and most memorable - start.
It's no surprise then that "best movie opening scenes" is an oft-discussed topic among film fans, and with a Reddit thread recently broaching this topic, we thought we'd highlight some of the openings that those Redditors voted as their favourites.
10. X-Men 2
Before Spider-Man 2 and The Dark Knight, there was a period of time where X-Men 2 might've been the greatest comic-book movie ever, and its incredible opening action scene was a big reason why.
After a stirring monologue from Charles Xavier and a short CG title sequence, said action scene picks up inside the White House, with teleporting demon Nightcrawler laying down the smack on a small army of the president's guards.
With an evocative, operatic score, a flawless blend of practical and digital effects, and some masterful camerawork that really sells the confusion of fighting a foe with such unpredictable movement, it's hard to find fault with the technical execution of the scene.
It's also a perfect example of action serving story, with a member of the oppressed mutant society fighting back against a symbol of not just American power, but global power. It's an effective sequence on so many levels, and simply put, this is super-powered action at its finest.