Cinematic nostalgia! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at standout scenes from modern films - that’s 1980 and onwards.
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at standout scenes from modern films 1980
00:16and onwards.
00:17We won't be including animated movies though, as those deserve a list of their own.
00:24Number 30.
00:36Trinity Test – Oppenheimer Few things are as terrifying as an atomic
00:41explosion.
00:42The depiction of the first test of one in Oppenheimer is no exception.
01:01Much of the film has built up to this point.
01:03The scientists, members of the military, and other members of Los Alamos gather to observe
01:08the Trinity Test.
01:09The anticipation is nerve-wracking, an impression reinforced by the music.
01:24At last, the countdown ends and all we can hear is J. Robert Oppenheimer's breath as
01:29the fiery light explodes into existence.
01:32As awe-inspiring as it is horrifying, the Trinity Test scene hits like the shockwave
01:37that follows the explosion.
01:39Number 29.
01:40Gypsy Danger's Hong Kong Fight – Pacific Rim
01:43Giant mechs fighting giant robots is pretty epic by definition.
01:47And while this film is full of battles featuring these combatants, the Hong Kong battle is
01:52easily the highlight.
01:53After all the Jaegers sent are destroyed by the two Kaiju, Gypsy Danger is sent in.
01:58The enormous mech and its pilots first take on the muscular leatherback at the harbor.
02:15Then the Jaeger takes on a second Kaiju, Otachi, in the city.
02:19The neon-lit atmosphere and city destruction gives the fight a great sense of scale.
02:24Meanwhile, Gypsy Danger's use of the environment for weaponry – from shipping containers
02:28to boats – is awesome.
02:30There's even a few sight gags.
02:32Much like Gypsy Danger's final strike against Otachi, this giant robot-slash-monster battle
02:37is a cut above.
02:48Number 28.
02:49Rom Vs. Beam – RRR
02:52This Indian period action film is loaded with grandiose set pieces worthy of discussion.
02:57But all the drama and emotion peaks with this fight between best friends.
03:01Komaram Beam has risked everything to attack the governor's mansion to rescue a little
03:06girl.
03:07But his bestie, A. Rama Raju, or Rom for short, stands in his way because of his own mission
03:12working undercover with the British.
03:36Their clash is as over-the-top as it is emotional.
03:39Punches are exchanged, they use grapples, and they destroy nearby water fixtures.
03:44Rom and Beam even attack each other with fire and water.
03:58As much as it hurts to see their bromance tested, the fight is undeniably awesome.
04:03Number 27.
04:05Church Fight – Kingsman The Secret Service
04:08Fast-paced action is the name of the game in Kingsman, and this fight goes for broke.
04:19Harry Hart is a Kingsman agent investigating a church in Kentucky.
04:22To kill him, villain Richmond Valentine activates a pulse that inspires a murderous urge in
04:27Harry and the church members.
04:41The resulting action scene goes to 11.
04:44As Leonard Skinner's free bird plays, Harry kills his way through the churchgoers with
04:48ruthless efficiency.
04:50Harry uses guns, gadgets, knives, flagpoles, and anything else he can lay his hands on
04:55until he's the only one left standing.
04:57This scene alone packs more creative and frenetic action than the other movies have
05:01in their entire running time.
05:03Number 26.
05:05My Name is Maximus Decimus Meridius – Gladiator Rome wasn't built in a day, and Gladiator
05:11isn't an epic built on just one incredible moment.
05:14While Are You Not Entertained is quite iconic, we just couldn't give it to any moment but
05:19this one.
05:24After General-turned-slave Gladiator Maximus and his comrades win their Coliseum battle,
05:29Emperor Commodus goes down to meet him.
05:31When Commodus insists that he reveal himself, Maximus does so, letting his betrayer feel
05:36the fire of his hatred in an epic speech.
06:00And the best part is that, despite how much Commodus wants to kill him, the crowd won't
06:05allow it.
06:06The slave exceeds an emperor in this moment.
06:08Number 25.
06:10Harry Potter Kills Voldemort – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.
06:27The Harry Potter franchise features plenty of standout moments, but all of them lead
06:31up to this one as Harry confronts Tom Voldemort Riddle at Hogwarts.
06:36Their duel takes them throughout the castle grounds and even above them.
06:39Finally, the two wizards come crashing down into a ruined courtyard.
06:50As the exchange spells, Moldy Voldy's snake, Nagini, is finally killed, robbing him of
06:55the last thing tying the immortal to life.
06:58When his killing curse rebounds on him, the snake-faced man is killed, his body dissolving
07:02into nothing.
07:03Not only is it the end of a thoroughly despicable villain, it's also a grand climax for an
07:08iconic fantasy film series.
07:11Number 24.
07:12Get Away From Her, You Bitch – Aliens.
07:22Just when it seems like Ellen Ripley, Newt, and Bishop have escaped the vicious aliens,
07:27the alien queen pops out, having stowed away on their ship to ruin their day.
07:32Well, ruin it more.
07:34After tearing Bishop in two, he's an android, so he's fine.
07:38Mostly.
07:39The queen goes after Newt, and to Ripley, driving an exosuit cargo loader.
07:47And like so many xenomorphs before and after her, the queen gets tossed into space.
07:52It's immensely satisfying to see Ripley go toe-to-toe with the biggest, baddest alien
07:56of them all after how helpless the humans have been all movie, using the future equivalent
08:01of a forklift.
08:03Number 23.
08:04Dragon's Breath Sequence – John Wick Chapter 4.
08:15The John Wick films contain some of the most incredible action scenes on the silver screen.
08:19Choosing just one is difficult, but our choice goes to this fiery scene.
08:29In a dilapidated building, John is attacked by hordes of men armed with incendiary rounds,
08:34called Dragon's Breath.
08:35After taking one for himself, Mr. Wick sets his foes ablaze as he makes his way through
08:40the building.
08:41He also does battle with an assassin named Mr. Nobody, saves his opponent's dog, and
08:45falls onto a van.
08:47The action throughout is fantastic, though the obvious highlight is several extended
08:51crane shots that film everything from above with no cuts.
08:54The scene is, in a word, fire.
08:58Number 22.
08:59Godzilla vs. Kong – Godzilla vs. Kong What is it about Hong Kong that attracts kaijus?
09:05The two most famous giant beasts of them all clash in the city in a titanic matchup for
09:09the ages.
09:14Kong is armed with an axe made from one of Godzilla's scales, which, along with the
09:18city terrain, gives him an early edge.
09:21Kong's mobility and POV shots are incredible throughout.
09:24However, as more of the city gets destroyed and Godzilla sinks his claws into the greatest
09:29of apes, he ultimately proves the superior kaiju.
09:32A king may be no match for a god, but we, and Godzilla, have to respect the hustle.
09:39Number 21.
09:40This is Sparta – 300 With more slow motion than you can throw a
09:44spear at, 300 has no shortage of larger-than-life moments.
09:48But right from the trailer, this scene stood out.
09:51A Persian messenger and his entourage arrive in Sparta to persuade – or threaten – the
09:56Spartans to bend the knee to Xerxes, king of Persia.
09:59However, while King Leonidas was unlikely to submit anyway, the messenger's attitude
10:03and his insults to the queen cause him to draw his sword on the man.
10:16After delivering an epic speech, Leonidas proceeds to kick the messenger into a nearby
10:21well.
10:22Poor bottomless pit.
10:23The scene has been a meme for decades, but it remains a gloriously badass piece of cinema.
10:34Number 20.
10:35One Last Berserker Rage – Logan Talk about going down swinging.
10:43Wolverine's 2017 swan song, Logan, fittingly sees the renegade X-Man go out in a final
10:50animalistic rage of epic proportions.
10:53In a climactic scene, he needs to save his newly discovered daughter, Laura.
10:58With his mutant body all but deteriorating, Logan injects himself with a dangerous serum
11:04to elevate his weakened powers.
11:06This gives him the necessary fury to take on the pursuing mercenaries and his lethal
11:10clone.
11:11Wolverine and Laura are able to slice, dice, and shoot their way to a brutal victory.
11:16Of course, it's not without a cost.
11:19Let's just say we're glad Logan got in this last bit of beast mode bonding before
11:23meeting his ultimate end.
11:29Number 19.
11:31Battlefield Run – 1917 A harrowing achievement in filmmaking, Sam
11:48Mendes' 1917 offers up quite the awe-inspiring addition to the wartime genre of movies.
11:54To enhance the plot's ticking clock of suspense, Mendes uses a real-time approach to the proceedings.
12:00He makes the film look and feel like one continuous shot.
12:04It's this bit of technical ingenuity that makes the film's climax all the more epic.
12:18When British Lance Corporal Schofield has to run across a volatile battlefield in a
12:22desperate attempt to deliver a life-saving message, he must dodge everything from incoming
12:27explosions to charging soldiers.
12:30After months of rehearsals and two days of filming, the results speak for themselves.
12:35Even an unintentional tumble from the actor only adds to the remarkable impact of the
12:40scene.
12:47Number 18.
12:48Axe Attack – The Shining – 1917 By the end of Stanley Kubrick's chilling
13:00adaptation of The Shining, writer Jack Torrance has a seriously bad case of all work and no
13:06play.
13:07Driven to madness by the supernatural-infested Overlook Hotel, the disturbed Daddy Dearest
13:12goes on a terrifying hunt, with his very family serving as his prey.
13:16Wielding a menacing fire axe, Jack tracks his wife to a locked bathroom.
13:21With a series of forceful strikes and a peek through the resulting hole, the family patriarch
13:26lets out a twisted take on a phrase straight from the pop culture lexicon.
13:33But he's not exactly playing a talk show host welcoming a guest to his stage.
13:38Kubrick's greeting led to an epic moment full of sinister intentions.
13:43Number 17.
13:44Stopping the Train – Spider-Man 2 Within his tangled web of reboots and sequels,
13:53Peter's version of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has spun out his fair share of
13:58memorable on-screen occurrences.
14:00One of his most epic moments takes place in the Wall Crawler's second big screen outing.
14:06He engages in a daring battle atop a moving train with his mentor gone mad, Doctor Octopus.
14:14During the fight, Peter learns the demented Doc has destroyed the vehicle's brakes.
14:20Spider-Man gallantly puts himself in front of the runaway automotive and uses everything
14:24he has to bring it to a halt.
14:26His draining heroics don't go unappreciated.
14:29Not only do the saved passengers carry our collapsed hero to safety, but they restore
14:33his anonymity.
14:35We think a certain Uncle Ben would be proud.
14:48Number 16.
14:49Showdown with the Crazy 88 – Kill Bill Vol. 1
14:52At a time when I knew the least about my enemies, the first name on my death list, O-Ren Ishii,
14:59was the easiest to find.
15:01As the saying goes, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
15:05Let Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill serve as the ultimate example.
15:09Four years after being double-crossed and left for dead, Uma Thurman's The Bride awakens
15:14from a coma and sets out on a violent journey of revenge.
15:17The reborn assassin quickly tracks her first target, O-Ren Ishii, to the House of the Blue
15:23Leaves.
15:24But The Bride discovers that the entirety of O-Ren's personal army, the Crazy 88,
15:30stands in her way.
15:31Is that what I think it is?
15:32You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?
15:35What follows is an epic battle featuring one woman cutting down waves of opponents.
15:40By the end of the battle, our victorious heroine lets what's left of the survivors go home
15:46before she heads to another epic fight.
15:49Number 15.
15:50Clock Tower Lightning Strike – Back to the Future
15:53But the only power source capable of generating 1.21 gigawatts of electricity is a bolt of
15:58lightning.
15:59What did you say?
16:00A bolt of lightning.
16:01Unfortunately, you never know when or where it's ever going to strike.
16:05Movie climaxes don't get much more electrifying than this one.
16:09In the beloved sci-fi blockbuster Back to the Future, Doc Brown's time-traveling experiment
16:14sends California teen Marty McFly into the bygone 1950s.
16:19Not only does he have to preserve his very existence in the past by ensuring his teenage
16:24parents fall in love, but he must travel back to the present to save Doc.
16:28The key to his return is a documented lightning strike set to take place at the local courthouse
16:33Clock Tower.
16:34Look at the time!
16:35You've got less than four minutes!
16:42Since a blast from the storm is the only way to power the DeLorean time machine, this scene
16:47becomes the ultimate race against time in order to catch cinema's most epic bolt of
16:52lightning.
16:57Number 14.
16:59A duel on Mustafar.
17:00Star Wars Episode III, Revenge of the Sith.
17:03Only a Sith deals in absolutes.
17:08I will do what I must.
17:11You will try.
17:13Okay, we admit George Lucas' trio of Star Wars prequels is rather divisive.
17:18But there's no denying that they featured a handful of standout moments.
17:22The most epic of them all takes place when Anakin Skywalker, the newly-apprenticed Sith
17:27Lord, clashes with his former Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
17:31Surrounded by lava on the planet Mustafar, the fight between former friends gets intense
17:36rather quickly.
17:37When Obi-Wan managed to get the high ground, it looked like the duel was over.
17:41It's over, Anakin!
17:43I have the high ground!
17:47You underestimate my power!
17:50But the future Dark Lord attempts to continue the duel.
17:53This leads to Anakin suffering a major defeat at Obi-Wan's hands.
17:57Fortunately for us, this battle paved the way for an epic Darth Vader moment in another
18:01prequel film, Rogue One.
18:09Number 13.
18:10The Halo Jump.
18:11Mission Impossible, Fallout.
18:12Hey, your heads-up display has a built-in guidance system.
18:15Follow it to the target.
18:16Open your chute when the system says not before and definitely not after.
18:20Tom Cruise has a lot of amazing stunts under his belt, but he arguably topped them all
18:25in Mission Impossible, Fallout.
18:27The epic sequence occurs after Cruise's Ethan Hunt decides to enter Paris undetected
18:32by performing a Halo Jump out of a plane.
18:35You know, just your average high-altitude, free-fall, low-open skydive.
18:40The jump looks questionable when Hunt spots an incoming lightning storm, but his CIA associate
18:46August Walker insists on jumping despite the warning.
18:49We gotta talk.
18:50Need to rethink this.
18:51Out of my way, Hunt.
18:52Walker, we got a problem.
18:53There's a storm and we need to...
18:55Enough talk.
18:56I'll see you in Paris.
18:57When he takes the leap, Ethan has no choice but to go after him.
19:01From there, we get a spectacular free-fall that gets more dangerous when the two are
19:06struck by lightning.
19:07Knowing Cruise actually jumped out of a plane makes the scene even more epic.
19:14Oh, God.
19:15Number 12.
19:16Zero Gravity Hallway Fight, Inception.
19:19How do I drop you without gravity?
19:21If there is one director you can count on to consistently leave you awestruck, it's
19:26Christopher Nolan.
19:27His 2010 sci-fi offering, Inception, is definitely no exception.
19:32The most astonishing sequence in the film comes in the form of a particular hallway
19:36fight.
19:37During an elaborate attempt to infiltrate a powerful businessman's subconscious in
19:42a multi-layered dream, things go sideways for a team of cerebral thieves.
19:47A man named Arthur gets stuck in a dream layer that loses its gravity, this paving the way
19:52for a highly mesmerizing skirmish in a rotating hotel corridor.
19:57It's an incredibly twisty sight, made all the more impressive knowing it was entirely
20:02accomplished by practical means.
20:05Our brains haven't been the same since.
20:07So certain of your world, of what's real?
20:11Number 11.
20:12Sandstorm Chase, Mad Max, Fury Road.
20:15Should we turn it around and run him into our backup?
20:20No!
20:21We're good!
20:22We bang it!
20:23With near non-stop motorized mayhem throughout, Mad Max, Fury Road stands as quite the adrenaline-fueled
20:30spectacle.
20:31Thirty years after the last film, the post-apocalyptic action franchise got a welcome shot in the
20:36arm with George Miller's follow-up film.
20:39The best moment in this cornucopia of full-throttle thrills arise when an ominous wasteland storm
20:45blows in.
20:46It's here that our hero, chained to the hood of a car, is taken on a wild ride in
20:50pursuit of the large war rig.
20:52Oh, what a day!
20:54What a lovely day!
20:55Once in the blinding red sandstorm, Max does everything he can to stay alive.
21:00The vehicle he's chained to is utterly wrecked during the mayhem.
21:04We guess you can say the intensity in this sequence was turned up to the max.
21:08Oh, look at that.
21:11So shiny.
21:12So chrome.
21:13Number 10.
21:14D-Day, Saving Private Ryan.
21:16Clear the ramp.
21:17Thirty seconds.
21:18God be with you.
21:21Unflinching and utterly horrifying, Saving Private Ryan's opening battle scene at
21:25Omaha Beach was praised for its epic authenticity immediately upon its release.
21:30The scene would go on to influence just about every wartime film that succeeded it.
21:36From the moment the infamous beachside storming begins, we bear witness to an up-close-and-personal
21:41blitzkrieg of devastation.
21:44Taking from the point of view of Tom Hanks' Captain John H. Miller, the scene serves as
21:49a sobering reminder of the horrors of war.
21:52I said, what the hell do we do now, sir?
21:57It's one thing to read about such things in a history textbook, but another to bear
22:01witness to the devastation by way of sheer, unrelenting realism.
22:05That's quite a view.
22:08Yes, it is.
22:11Quite a view.
22:139.
22:14Boulder Dash – Raiders of the Lost Ark
22:23The opening moments of Indiana Jones' inaugural franchise film introduces audiences to one
22:29of cinema's most iconic characters while enthralling them in the process.
22:34It's here that our archaeologist-adventurer extraordinaire attempts to steal a Golden
22:39Idol artifact.
22:40While doing so, he unwittingly triggers a set of booby traps.
22:44The most threatening of them all is a giant boulder made for the purposes of rolling destruction.
22:50This of course leads to the near-fedora-flattening chase we are also very familiar with.
22:55It's one that other films would go on to spoof profusely.
22:59If this wasn't the most epic way to present indie to the world, then we don't know what
23:03is.
23:04Doctor Jones, again we see there is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away.
23:108.
23:11Say What?
23:12Again – Pulp Fiction
23:28How do you make the dialogue in a Quentin Tarantino movie more epic?
23:31You just make sure it's delivered by Samuel L. Jackson.
23:34And there's no better example of this than in the pop-culture touchstone that is Pulp
23:39Fiction.
23:40The film, which tells interweaving stories of different Los Angeles residents, features
23:44a pair of unlawful hitmen portrayed by John Travolta and Sam Jackson.
23:49When the duo runs roughshod over a helpless victim in search of information, a truly memorable
23:54exchange goes down.
23:56After his questions are met with a series of what replies, Jackson's character snaps
24:01and dares his victim to say the word one more time.
24:08Jackson's brash delivery turns this interrogation into a legendary scene and a reliable meme.
24:157.
24:17T-Rex Attack – Jurassic Park
24:35Jurassic Park will forever be the film that made us wish dinosaurs could truly be resurrected,
24:41only to have us quickly change our minds immediately.
24:43The dino destruction in the Steven Spielberg franchise starter was more than enough proof
24:48of how dangerous such a colossal act could be.
24:51It all starts when the film's traitorous computer programmer deactivates the park's
24:55security system in order to gain access to an off-limits embryo storage room.
25:00In doing so, he also cuts power to the outside tour vehicles and the dinosaurs' electrified
25:06barriers.
25:09This doe-brained act allows a Tyrannosaurus Rex to escape and inflict all manner of havoc
25:14on the trapped humans, but it also creates one of cinema's most heart-pounding sequences
25:206.
25:34Bank Robbery – The Dark Knight
25:42When Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, fans
25:46were skeptical.
25:47But all doubt was quickly erased thanks to an epic opening sequence.
25:52During the scene, we learn that Joker convinced his masked cronies to off one another throughout
25:57a daring robbery at a mob bank.
25:59In the end, it's revealed that he's the last thief standing.
26:02Ledger's Joker proved just how insanely fearless and cunning he was.
26:17Expertly shot by Nolan, the scene perfectly laid the groundwork for the unpredictability
26:22that was to follow.
26:23As for Joker, his ruthlessness would only grow stronger and stranger thanks to a series
26:29of exceedingly disturbing acts.
26:31Need we remind you of the many story times dedicated to how he got his scars?
26:385.
26:39Motorbike Chase – Terminator 2 Judgment Day
26:50Thanks to an abundance of high-octane action, Terminator 2 Judgment Day still stands as a
26:55seminal sci-fi blockbuster.
26:57Among the abundance of explosive scenes, the daring chase through the San Fernando Valley
27:02proves to be particularly intense.
27:05With John Connor in his crosshairs, the T-1000 uses a semi-truck to plow his way towards
27:11his dirt-bike-riding target.
27:13Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator trails the predator and prey in a Harley Davidson.
27:18With metal-crunching destruction, a breathtaking motorcycle jump, and one heck of a fiery finish,
27:24it's safe to say this scene delivered an adrenaline rush.
27:27T2's epicness wasn't limited to action scenes, though.
27:31The film concludes with a surprisingly touching self-sacrifice from Arnie's cybernetic android.
27:47Thumbs up, indeed.
27:494.
27:50Portals Open – Avengers Endgame
28:05In Avengers Infinity War, Thanos delivered an unthinkable universe-altering snap.
28:10This left fans waiting with bated breath to see if the countless dusted victims, including
28:15many of our favorite heroes, would have their fates reversed.
28:19We'd get our answer around 12 agonizing months later, when Avengers Endgame produced
28:24a record-breaking finale of epic proportions.
28:27It's here that audiences witnessed such groundbreaking occurrences as Captain America doing the impossible
28:32and actually wielding the mighty Mjolnir.
28:39But it was the sheer epicness of seeing the portals open, and our beloved heroes return
28:43to fight Thanos, that sent many theaters into raucous applause.
28:47Movie moments just don't get more crowd-pleasing than this.
28:543.
28:59Dodging Bullets – The Matrix When the Wachowskis unleashed the Matrix upon
29:09the world at the close of the 90s, not only did it leave a big impression on audiences,
29:14but it also influenced the entire movie industry.
29:17A big part of that impact, of course, stemmed from the epic on-screen display of the Bullet
29:22Time technique.
29:23This technique would later be copied in a barrage of future Hollywood films.
29:27Without question, the most notable example of this legendary action sequence takes place
29:32when Keanu Reeves' Neo faces down the agent on a building rooftop.
29:37Neo stunningly dodges an onslaught of bullets by bending his body in unnatural ways in slow
29:42motion.
29:49It's the type of sequence that makes you sit up and say,
29:572.
29:58Battle of Helm's Deep – The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
30:07When it comes to Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, there is certainly a
30:10lot to like.
30:11Fantastical settings, larger-than-life characters, and, of course, those epic battles.
30:17While all of the franchise film's combat sequences delivered exceptional pulse-pounding
30:21action, there are a few that truly stand out.
30:31The Great Charge of the Rohirrim was a crowd favorite that saw King Théoden and his Rohan
30:35troops epically aid Gondor against the Mordor armies.
30:39Yet the Battle of Helm's Deep is truly the grand-scale clash that rules them all.
30:43The first battle in The War of the Rings became a tremendous showdown between good and evil.
30:48From the first arrow fire to the total destruction of the wizard Saruman's forces, this battle
30:52did not disappoint.
31:04Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
31:08about our latest videos.
31:10You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
31:14If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
31:20Number 1.
31:21I Am Your Father.
31:23Star Wars Episode 5, The Empire Strikes Back.
31:33Could it be that pop culture's most infamous paternity reveal doesn't include Maury Povich
31:38reading out DNA results?
31:40Well, believe it.
31:42Because the fatherhood revelation in Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back is so immense
31:46that it's not likely to be topped anytime soon.
31:49It all goes down in the long-awaited confrontation between the newly trained Jedi, Luke Skywalker,
31:55and the Dark Lord himself, Darth Vader.
32:04And while the lightsaber duel between the two did not disappoint, it was what Lord Vader
32:09let slip during the encounter that left Jaws on the floor.
32:25Surprising absolutely everyone, the staggering revelation has gone down in the annals of
32:30cinema history as one of the most groundbreaking and epic plot twists ever.
32:36Was there a majestic movie moment that we failed epically by forgetting?
32:40Contain your madness to the comments.