10 Most Controversial Opening Movie Scenes

2. Irreversible

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.