10 Most Controversial Opening Movie Scenes

2. Irreversible

Gaspar Noe and Irreversible
Mars

Though that ten-minute sequence at the mid-point of Irreversible is easily one of the most controversial of all time, it often overshadows the revenge-thriller's similarly explicit introduction. Because the story is told in reverse, it actually begins with the climax, as main character Marcus storms through a BDSM club to confront a man who he thinks raped his partner.

Without knowing for sure, he proceeds to brutally bash his head in with a fire extinguisher (which was used as a reference for Drive's similarly gruesome face-stomping elevator scene), before realising he's got the wrong guy. Not only is the act itself so over the top, but the opening was also controversial for its depiction of the BDSM club, including an infamous shot of director Gaspar Noe masturbating towards the camera.

Noe has always been a controversial filmmaker ever since his debut, but nothing will ever top the downright nasty, ugly highlights of Irreversible.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.