Top Ten Action Scenes! (Caution! Some Spoilers!)
POSTED BY: manwithpez
UPDATED: Saturday, August 11, 2007 19:22
VIEWED: 9507
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I love most forms of media...and I love lists! This list will cover my favorite action scenes that had me on the edge of my seat from TV, movies...probably a book or two thrown in too! So, in no apparent order:
10. Peter Learns The Webs (Spider-Man): The first time digital Tobey MacGuire starts swinging around New York to catch his uncle's killer, I didn't realize I was holding my breath until the scene was over! I remember thinking He's doing it! He's really swinging!
9. The Colonial Space Marines Take a Pounding (Aliens): James Cameron took his time introducing his cast, and for good reason. For some reason, I like this scene over the Queen vs Ripley at the end. The stakes are high as most of the marines get wiped out, and quickly. Also, there was an excellent job in portraying the kind of chaos that can settle on even the best trained people.
8. Luke vs Darth Vader (The Empire Strikes Back): Lucas/Kasdan starts to show us just what a lightsabre duel can be in this pointed match (still my favorite of the six movies). I absolutely love that early on, Luke is the agressor, and even manages to take Vader by surprise. And, that, my friends, is what you call a thrilling conclusion to an action scene!
7. Serenity Escapes The Reavers (Firefly): The more I watch it, the more I notice that this is a long, long scene...but, its meant to be. The suspense in this scene builds like a static shock, and Wash saving the day had me in heart palpatations by the end of it!
6. Roland Becomes A Man (The Dark Tower Series: The Gunslinger): Gunslinger Roland is forced into an early test of manhood by his future nemesis, and drops one hammer (In the form of a hawk) of a surprise on his teacher. Also cements Cort (Roland's trainer) as one of my favorite characters ever.
5. Vegeta Gets A Whuppin' From Android 18 (Dragonball Z): The proud Saijin prince Vegeta believes he's invincible. He's been beaten before, but a couple of androids pop his ego balloon. I love this fight even more because Vegeta (not one of my favorite characters) had just come off a huge victory against another android! The Prince gets his arm busted, and the primal scream he lets go of raised hackles on me the first time I saw it.
4. The Lighthouse Massacre (Battle Royale): This is not a movie for the squeamish, and it will probably never be marketed in North America. Probably for good reason, as the subject matter concerns teenagers forced to kill each other. This scene involves a group of girls, one a paranoiac who poisons dinner, but doesn't get to warn another girl in time. A shootout ensues, and bodies are lying everywhere by the time its over. When it is over, the absolute silence had my eyes bulging over what I'd just seen.
3. Robot-FU! (I, Robot): There are far too few scenes of Sonny fighting his own kind in this movie, but when he does, WATCH OUT! Though they should all be evenly matched, Sonny comes out on top, mainly showing (to me, at any rate) that having a soul, or the likeness of one, can help you out in other areas instead of just emotion.
2. Wang Chi vs Rain (Big Trouble In Little China): Silly, silly, silly movie that I absolutely love! Wang, seemingly coming out of left field with these sword fighting abilities shocks the hell out of his opponent. And me too, the first time I saw it! What a funny, action packed flick...I recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen it!
1. Marty S. McFly Gets Back To 1985 (Back To The Future): If ever there was an action scene where acting, writing, editting, cinematography, special effects, music (especially music!) come together so seamlessly, its here. Its not like you don't know that they're going to pull it off...of course they are! But, what a ride! I could watch this scene a thousand times and never get bored with it!
And, there's ten...that went too fast! There are several other scenes I'd like to mention, but here a few that I love!
Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here i
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There must be about 5 likely candidates in the original Matrix (let us not utter the names of the sequels). The Nightcrawler intro to X-men 2 is legendary also. Plenty more I'm sure, but I can't think of them right now.
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Okay! Ten more!!! And thanks to Grounded for helping me remember the Nightcrawler scene!!! I can't believe I forgot that one!
10. Nightcrawler Storms The Whitehouse (X-Men 2): I love when classical music is used in action scenes, so long as it adds to the scene! This is an excellent example. Dies Irae indeed. How could you not be a Nightcrawler fan after this?
9. Lobby Throwdown (The Matrix): This will be the only scene I mention from The Matrix. But, it is a scene I love from start to finish. Guns, guns, guns! All to the strains of Spybreak as well...and nothing was cooler than Trinity kicking the guys shotgun over his shoulder...Sweet!
8. When Gods Fall (Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 5: The Gift): I'm not going to say much in deference to chrisisall, but...Whoa!
7. Trunks Lays Frieza To WASTE! (Dragonball Z): He acts like his father, he's more powerful than his father, and by God, he even sounds like his father sometimes! Trunks, Vegeta's son, makes an explosive entrance into the Z universe by defeating a foe in one episode that Goku took some 30 odd episodes to vanquish. And, was he such a smartass about it!
6. The Unstoppable T-800 (The Terminator): From the time that dog barks in the parking lot of the hotel until there a certain metallic squishing sound at the end of the movie, this is one of the most relentless action scenes ever filmed.
5. Short Round Springs The Boobytrap (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom): Yeah, yeah, I know its the worst of the lot, but, damn what a scene! John Williams's music doesn't ease the tension factor either...And how funny is Harrison Ford's face when he's looking through that hole in the wall: "We...are going...to DIE!"
4. That's A Lot Of Cheese (The Way Of The Gun): I love this movie...let me state that up front. Are our guys gonna make it? Who knows...I mean, they are the bad guys in this scenario. This entire movie is one big rollercoaster ride filled with imminently quotable lines...But, this final scene gets the nod just for the sheer amount of ammunition used!
3. Dr. Kimble's Wild Bus Ride (The Fugitive): Admit it...you gasped in surprise just like I did when you saw that train's headlight coming right down on Harrison Ford. Showing just how good a man Kimble is, he gets as many people to safety as he can just before he...JUMPS. And I mean at the very last second.
2. Battle Of New and Old Gods (American Gods): This Neil Gaiman book was one of the best reads I came across in recent years. What a concept. I can't describe it here, because its just that complicated, but at the end of the book, I got a very DCs Kingdom Come feel about the immensity of what was happening. What a book!
1. Batman And Joker Have It Out (Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm): I'm hoping that Batman Begins will find an action scene suitable enough to top this one as my favorite Bat movie. I mean, take this exchange between the two foes: Joker: "Let me go or will both be killed" Batman: "Whatever it TAKES!". Also, when Joker shows up, Batman (Kevin Conroy in this case) literally growls "Jokerrrrrr." Gave me goosebumps!
You know, I'm finding that I have a lot more than ten in my head...who knows...maybe I'll add another one!
Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."
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Quote:
Originally posted by manwithpez:
2. Wang Chi vs Rain (Big Trouble In Little China): Silly, silly, silly movie that I absolutely love! Wang, seemingly coming out of left field with these sword fighting abilities shocks the hell out of his opponent. And me too, the first time I saw it! What a funny, action packed flick...I recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen it!
Wonderful Manwithpez. I totally adore this film. Over the years it must be the film I've watch the most. I had it on Video when I was a kid and I have it on DVD now - have you heard the commentary with Kurt and John? They're so funny! Just like a coupla ol' buds shooting the breeze while watching their favourite film.
Ok onto your question: Tough call this I dunno if I can manage ten but I'll see:
I'm gonna start with :
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark - The boulder scene. When I saw the trailer to this film on it's initial release, they showed 'the boulder clip' and I remember thinking; Oh that'll be towards the end of the film. So imagine what a shock I got when I watched it and it was the start of everything! WOW!!!! How would it follow such an introduction!!!! Falling rocks, spears, poisonous darts, whips, closing doors, pits, spiders and a rolling giant boulder!!!! Jeeeeesus! What action! And at eleven or twelve, whatever I was, it was unbelievable!!!!! I came outa the cinema literally bouncing of the walls and across my dad's shoulders! I was that pumped.
Well:
2. Raiders of the lost Ark - Yep! The scene from when the Ark is put onto the truck and Indy chases after it on horse back. It's almost twenty minutes of non-stop action and when you think the scene before was the fight on the plane! It's fantastic! He jumps onto a moving truck fights off Nazi soldiers, dodges bullets, is flung over the bonnet, rides underneath the truck, back up again, picks off a couple more nazi's then fights with the driver, takes control and away with the ark!!!! True hero stuff and never bettered in my opinion. Even bond never did action like this!
3.TRON - I've always loved Tron. And although it's not essentially an action film, I always thought the Light Cycle getaway was cool!
4.The Thing (1951) Big fan of this film. For action I've always admired the scene where The Thing comes after them and the giga counter ticks down it's nearing approach. Really tense stuff and the subsequent battle when it breaks in with the gasoline being poured over the Thing and the chaos thereafter in the flames is brilliantly done, and all in one shot too, with the flames as the only light source to light the scene!!!! Brilliant for it's time and still brilliant now.
5.Operation Condor - Jackie Chan always takes my breath away with his stunt work, but I thought the scene in Operation Condor when he's fighting on those platforms, in the underground bunker, that are moving up and down as he and two others punch, kick, flip and chuck each other about is astounding. I watch this open mouthed every time!
Ok I think I should stop there: I'm sure I'll think of many others but these came to mind first so I guess that accounts for something.
All the best
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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only have one to add. the battle in the mines of moria from lord of the rings.
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Ahhh...The Thing was on last night! I love that scene where they're planning to throw kerosene on it. They turn off the lights just before the creature opens the door, and the only light in the scene is the little flashing bulb on the Geiger counter...Brilliant!
I also love the scene where James Arness is behind the greenhouse door. I don't know why, but it was unexpected! And, when the hand starts to move on the table! Holy CRAP!
What a movie!
Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."
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I'm gonna mention Gladiator. Still one of my favorite movies. A bit before they go to the coliseum, Maximus goes it alone against a gauntlet of gladiators and dispatches them almost effortlessly. Led to "Are you not entertained?"
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"MY APOCALYPTIC TENOR HAS NOT BEEN DISPELLED!" - T-Rex ( www.qwantz.com)
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Gladiator not one of my favorite movies, but I loved that scene...Especially how disgusted with the crowd Maximus looks...
Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."
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STEVEthePIRATE wrote:
Quote:
I'm gonna mention Gladiator. Still one of my favorite movies. A bit before they go to the coliseum, Maximus goes it alone against a gauntlet of gladiators and dispatches them almost effortlessly. Led to "Are you not entertained?"
That was the scene that spoiled the film for me :( interesting how different people see things. Maybe I should take another look at it.
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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Great-now thanks to you guys I must go to the video store and rent a bunch of movies...Oh well!
One of my favorite action scenes is in Desporado- Antonio Banderas literally throwing Salma Hyek from roof top to roof top. And then the fireball behind them where they dont even look back-plus the music.....woooo soo cool
She understands, she doesn't comprehend
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