# What are the best action sequences ever(spoilers within) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475 "2003-06-03T23:27:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/21 "2003-06-04T06:12:38Z")
**Star Wars: Return of the Jedi:** Luke vs Vader part II. Just listening to the score for this part gives me chills. ---
**Author:** ![sirtonyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@sirtonyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirtonyh)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/22 "2003-06-04T06:32:48Z")
Most of my favorites have already been mentioned; The shootout in **Heat** The opening sequence to **Raiders of the Lost Ark** The hospital sequence in **Hard Boiled** The lobby shooting spree in **The Matrix** Pretty much all of **Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon** I’ll add a couple more The rescue of Jamie Lee Curtis from the car in **True Lies** The Yakuza murder montage which opens **[Dead Or Alive](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0221111)** The opening car/truck chase in **Beverly Hills Cop** ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/23 "2003-06-04T06:33:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avalonian \* > \*\*And just for sheer over-the-top fun, the police car chase at the end of the original **Blues Brothers** … how many police cars got destroyed in that? Ending with Jake and Elwood at gunpoint by about 200 cops. \*\* Let’s not forget the mall scene from the same movie. And also the truck chase in **The Road Warrior**. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Bongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Winston\_Bongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Bongo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/24 "2003-06-04T06:50:30Z")
Although **Raiders Of The Lost Ark** has been mentioned, I can’t believe no one has brought up the single greatest action scene in the film, and possibly any film: the truck chase. Indy: “I’m going after that truck.” Sallah: “How?” Indy: “I don’t know, I’m making this up as I go!” Then Indy gets on the horse and goes after the Ark, kicking off the most exciting, brutal, and exhausting action sequence I’ve ever seen. Indy gets his ass kicked, kicks more ass in return, gets thrown out the windshield, dragged behind the truck, and runs the bastard Nazis off a cliff. All set to a perfect, rousing John Williams theme. I remember watching it for the first time in the theater . . . the entire audience was gasping and obviously thinking something along the lines of “Holy CRAP!” My runners-up are: 1. Any other action scene in **Raiders**. 2. Any of the nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat Psycho Truck Driver From Hell Chases Dennis Weaver in His Little-Ass Car sequences in Spielberg’s **Duel**. His first movie and STILL one of his best; I can’t _not_ watch it whenever it comes on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/25 "2003-06-04T07:48:03Z")
The opening scene of **Strange Days** has already been noted… How about the final run upstairs in **Vertigo**? ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/26 "2003-06-04T08:06:22Z")
The last 45 minutes or so of **Carlitos way**. suspense and action, and the last decent thing de palma did. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/27 "2003-06-04T10:58:28Z")
I’ll be the first to mention an animated film. The door riding scene from **Monster’s Inc.** It was fast, it was dangerous and it covered the entire world. Man when it filled the screen, it filled the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/28 "2003-06-04T11:41:35Z")
Is the car chase in **The French Connection** the one where they were going the wrong way on the freeway? 'Cause I caught that scene on TV years ago, and it was far & away the best car chase I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/29 "2003-06-04T12:00:40Z")
**Diceman** – that sounds like “To Live and Die in L.A.” Which doesn’t even start there, but first in the L.A. River (lol), then through a train switching yard, then a few other places I forget… (Obviously, I nominate this one!) The swashbuckling scene in The Princess Bride was beautifully choreographed, and funny as hell. For the post-CGI era: Matrix Reloaded’s “Burly Brawl”, no question. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/30 "2003-06-04T12:16:52Z")
Man, you guys gotta go to the classics section more often… **The Real Glory** w/ Gary Cooper - the end battle of a few stalwart Philipinos vs. the evil Moro rebels. **The Adventures of Robin Hood** w/ Errol Flynn - the dinner at Nottingham castle when Robin first confronts the evil Prince John (played to perfection by Claude Raines) and fights his way out of a hall filled with enemies. Heck, anything with Errol Flynn blows Matrix away any day of the week… 😉 **March of the Wooden Soldiers** w/Laurel and Hardy, I always thought the end ‘romp’ was exciting. and to bring in a slightly more modern movie… **Zulu!** after the set up, the entire last half of the movie is almost one, long beautiful action sequence. _Usuthu!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/31 "2003-06-04T19:38:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diceman \* > \*\*Is the car chase in **The French Connection** the one where they were going the wrong way on the freeway? 'Cause I caught that scene on TV years ago, and it was far & away the best car chase I’ve ever seen. \*\* No, I think that’s **Ronin** , which was pretty damn good as well. The french connection had Gene Hackman chasing an overhead train via the road below it, driving 70 miles an hours down busy city streets the entire time. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/32 "2003-06-04T19:54:54Z")
The S-mart ending of \*\* Army of Darkness \*\*. The charge of Fort Wagner in \*\*Glory \*\*. Tony Montana’s Last Stand in 80’s version of **Scarface**. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/33 "2003-06-04T20:01:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diceman \* > \*\*Is the car chase in **The French Connection** the one where they were going the wrong way on the freeway? 'Cause I caught that scene on TV years ago, and it was far & away the best car chase I’ve ever seen. \*\* No, I think that’s **Ronin** , which was pretty damn good as well. The french connection had Gene Hackman chasing an overhead train via the road below it, driving 70 miles an hours down busy city streets the entire time. ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/34 "2003-06-04T22:35:33Z")
I like the opening scene of **Mad Max** as Max and Goose pursue the Nightrider. I also like the final sequence where William Munney (Eastwood) gets his revenge for Ned in Greely’s bar in **Unforgiven**. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/35 "2003-06-04T22:38:50Z")
\*\*Goldeneye[/b, specifically, the tank chase scene. Also, the hang glider scene in **Escape from LA**. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/36 "2003-06-04T22:40:10Z")
Oops, damn coding error. ---
**Author:** ![Tommyturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Tommyturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommyturtle)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/37 "2003-06-04T23:11:08Z")
My favorite one was from a movie with alot of unlikely action scenes( **The Long Kiss Goodbye** …I think that’s what it’s called…anyway the one with Geena Davis and Samuel jackson in it) It’s Christmas…Davis is trapped on a bridge on the US and Canadian border with her little girl and a giant bomb There is bad guys above her in a helicopter shooting at her to keep her there and all she has is a small hand gun She shoots one of the bad guys out of the helicopter and he gets caught in a string of Christmas lights…she cuts the line and hangs on…the weight of his body pulls her up and as he passes her on the way down she grabs his automatic weapon…once she gets to the top she shoots the main bad guy and he falls out of the helicopter onto the bomb She then slides back down and Jackson who had been shot many times earlier bursts out of a semi in a car and rescues her and her little girl…as they are driving away the bomb goes off and they have to dodge falling cars and such Whew ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/38 "2003-06-04T23:54:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Winston Bongo \* > \*\*Although **Raiders Of The Lost Ark** has been mentioned, I can’t believe no one has brought up the single greatest action scene in the film, and possibly any film: the truck chase. \*\* Absolutely, hands down without question the best ever made. I mean, I liked “Crouching Tiger” too, but come ON. Indy’s truck chase absolutely defines action sequences; it is the shining, perfect moment in a movie that represents the absolute pinnacle of action on film. It’s never been surpassed. Best. Action. Scene. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/39 "2003-06-05T00:17:36Z")
The chariot race in the 1925 Ben Hur with the full orchestral score written for it. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475/40 "2003-06-05T02:08:56Z")
How about the last scene in **The Gauntlet** where Clint Eastwood drives the bus past all the troopers who are shooting at him to bring the witness to court to testify against the crooked mayor/police chief? No? Yeah. Not that good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-action-sequences-ever-spoilers-within/179475.md?page=3)