Most people at some point have likely gone to a movie to see one specific thing. Whether it is Tom Cruise actually flying a jet in Top Gun: Maverick, or a certain cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, one single scene can make an entire movie worth watching.
That one great moment can make an already excellent film even better or can bring a little bit of salvation to an otherwise terrible one. The rest of the movie may also be fantastic, but it is that one special scene that makes it truly a must-watch. Like that one song that’s good enough to buy the album, these scenes alone were worth the price of admission.
The Car Chase (The Raid 2)
The Raid movies are known for their incredible martial arts sequences, but the second movie also features one of cinema’s greatest car chases. After the protagonist is captured, a fellow undercover cop springs into action to help him.
What follows is a pulse-pounding car chase that combines martial arts with some spectacular vehicle stunts. It is essentially two action scenes in one, with a hand-to-hand fight inside the lead van and a multi-car battle outside of it. There are many awesome action scenes in The Raid 2, but the car chase justifies watching the movie by itself.
“One Rib” (I’m Gonna Git You Sucka)
Keenan Ivory Wayans’ I’m Gonna Git You Sucka is a hilariously underappreciated parody of ’70s blaxploitation films with several side-splitting moments, but the best moment in the film is one that has nothing to do with the plot.
While hassling the owner of a restaurant, a character played by Chris Rock breaks down the math of how much a single rib would cost instead of a full rack and tries to buy just one single rib. Afterward, upon learning that he can’t afford to buy a cup to drink, he tells the owner to just pour the soda into his hands for a dime. It’s a random but hilarious moment and is worth watching the rest of this very funny movie for.
JOHNSON! (Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me)
Austin Powers 2 not only introduced several fan-favorite characters, but it also featured one of the best scenes in the entire franchise. When Dr. Evil escapes in a very suggestively shaped rocket, various characters begin to describe what it looks like.
Each time someone is about to say the word though, the scene cuts to a different character who completes the thought in a completely harmless context. Hearing the cameo-filled cast shout out progressively more outlandish euphemisms was funny enough that it was even repeated for the third movie. It may not be highbrow, but it sure is funny.
The Hospital Scene (Hard Boiled)
John Woo has directed many classic action movies, but Hard Boiled still holds up as one of his best. In the film, two undercover police officers team up to take down a brutal gang of weapon smugglers. There are multiple spectacular action scenes, including the opening teahouse fight, but the best of them all is a climactic battle inside a hospital.
When the gang takes many patients hostage, leads Tequila and Alan must battle their way through the hospital to save the patients and take down the gang’s leader. The gunfight is gritty, full of clever stunts, and mostly captured in a single shot that spans two different floors of the building.
The Skit, Napoleon Dynamite
Cult classic Napoleon Dynamite is a very weird, but very charming movie. Its unique and downplayed sense of humor as well as its quirky characters have endeared it to many fans. The best scene of the movie occurs at the end when, in a bid to help his friend win class president, Napoleon lays down a one-man dance number.
Thus begins a hypnotic two-and-a-half-minute sequence where Napoleon shows off a variety of awesome moves on stage. The catchy song and actor Jon Heder’s infectious commitment to the dance make the scene an absolute blast to watch. It is bizarre, random, and encapsulates everything that the movie is meant to be.
Ceasefire (Children of Men)
Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men is a bleak but beautifully executed movie. Set in a near-future apocalypse where humanity has become sterile, protagonist Theo must escort Kee, the last pregnant woman through a dystopian England. The one-shot car chase is also worth a viewing, but the moment that best sums up the movie occurs near the end.
When Theo and Kee find themselves caught up in a devastating battle, her newborn baby begins to cry. As the cry sounds over the gunfire, soldiers on both sides stop fighting as they realize what it means. A ceasefire is ordered as Theo and Kee walk through the battlefield, with all eyes on the first baby in 18 years. The fighting then immediately resumes, but for one beautiful moment, the film shows that there is still some hope left.
Liquid Nitrogen (Jason X)
By the time the tenth film in a slasher movie franchise comes out, The filmmakers either have to get creative or just have fun with it. The Friday the 13th franchise took the latter approach with Jason X. The film is unashamedly campy and dumb, but it did feature one of Jason Voorhees’ best-ever kills.
After waking up in a space station science lab, Jason immediately sets his sights on the first person he sees. He grabs her and dunks her face into a convenient vat of liquid nitrogen, freezing her head instantly. He then proceeds to smash the frozen head to pieces on a table. It is a nasty but creative death and the first thing most fans remember about the movie.
Duel of the Fates (Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace)
The Star Wars prequels have been shown a little more appreciation in recent years, but The Phantom Menace is still one of the series’ weaker offerings. That said, it does feature two stand-out moments with the podrace and especially the final showdown against Darth Maul.
Darth Maul’s very appearance made him an instant fan favorite, and the sequence when he finally gets to lock blades with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan was wildly entertaining. Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber added a new layer to battle, which featured excellent choreography and one of the franchise’s best music scores. This fight was even worth getting through the Jar Jar scenes.
The Rhino (Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls)
Ace Ventura 2 is a rare comedy sequel that is arguably even better than the original. It cranked the zaniness of the original up even further and is full of quotable lines and slapstick humor. The centerpiece of the entire film however is the classic scene where Ace gets trapped inside an animatronic rhino.
After stripping naked to counter the rising temperature, Ace discovers the only way out is through a small hole in the back of the animal. Cue a nauseating but side-splitting scene where the pet detective is seemingly birthed out of the rhino in front of a group of a horrified safari group. It is a hilarious moment that is sure to stick with viewers even more so than the rest of the film’s great scenes.
The Final Shootout (The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly)
Sergio Leone’s legendary western The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is a masterpiece in the genre. The film follows three different bounty hunters as they compete for a buried treasure while making and breaking alliances with one another.
The rising tension between the three gunslingers comes to a head when they all meet in a graveyard for a final showdown. Excellent cinematography and a breathtaking score by Ennio Morricone builds anticipation of who will shoot who until the trio finally draw and fire. It is a masterful scene that can only be truly appreciated after watching the entire movie and is well worth doing so.
