Top 11 Opening Scenes in Movies

By CJ Tiernan

The opening scene of a movie can be used in so many different ways. It can be used to drop you into a new world, introduce an important character in an impactful way, or sometimes it's just B-roll with the credits rolling by. I love being transported into a world to see or feel something different from what I know. Most of the movies I have on the list below establish a tone or tension that carries well past the opening scene. The beginning establishes a tone that carries throughout the rest of the picture. Here are my 11 favorite opening scenes in movies that I've ever seen.

1. Up (2009) - Montage

Pixar is notorious for churning out banger after banger. They have created a great number of animated movies that impacted adults just as much as they did kids. "Up" is the story of an old man attempting to save his home from being demolished and ending up in a retirement home. To establish who this man is, and why the home is of so much importance to him, we get an opening montage of his relationship with his late wife. In less than 5 minutes, we are left so teary-eyed and heart broken by the monumental loss that this man has suffered, we feel like we understand his every action. The adventure that follows feels true to both characters, and builds off the relationship established at the beginning. Plus, that Russell kid is hilarious as an accidental stowaway.

2. The Dark Knight (2012) - Bank Heist

From the one-note score of Hans Zimmer, to the what-is-going-to-happen-next nature of guys in clown masks on the same team offing each other one after another, this movie starts with a bang. The opening scene is a bank heist introducing us to the crown prince of crime: The Joker. A delightful, tone setting scene to set up not only one of the greatest villains in cinema history, but the best Christopher Nolan movie period.

3. Inglourious Basterds (2009) - Interrogation

This entire scene is a masterclass in tension-building. Christoph Waltz, as Colonel Hans Landa, is relentless in his pursuit of Jewish people during World War II. His character is literally nicknamed "The Jew Hunter." The sprawling, wide-shot landscapes create an impression of isolation and a sense that there will be no escape. The interior shots, alternating between the people hiding under the floor and the interaction between Landa and the farmer, further heighten the sense of claustrophobia. The scene feels like it lasts forever and leaves your stomach tied in knots, perfectly establishing the villain and the stakes of the film. It works so well even though we all know coming in that Nazi = bad guy. Waltz's performance is one of my very favorites of all time. Also, Quentin Tarantino crushed it as the writer/director of this one.

4. The Lion King (1994) - Circle of Life

I won't pretend I know how to pronounce the opening lyrics to this song, but that doesn't stop me from singing along. The movie opens on the African plains as baby Simba is introduced to the pride, and the rest of the food chain, as the heir to Mufasa. He is hoisted aloft by Rafiki right as the music crescendos. It is such a powerful moment, a perfect balance of animation and music, that kicks off the film and establishes the hierarchy in the animal kingdom. The movie sets up the world and some of the characters all at once. 'Tis beautiful cinema.

5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - Coconuts

This movie is ridiculous. If you're not into a ridiculous tale set against the backdrop of Arthurian legend, you are provided a very early exit ramp. The movie opens in a foggy countryside, with Arthur, King of the Britons, riding in on a horse. Only he is not actually on a horse, he is pretending he is riding on a horse while his trusty servant, Patsy, bangs two coconut halves together behind him. Arthur is in search of the Holy Grail (you read the title, you probably knew that) and he is moving across the land asking various tenants if they have any information on its location. The opening scene devolves quickly into speculation on where they could have possibly gotten the coconuts, as they're not indigenous to the area. Every scene in this movie is dynamite, as would be expected from my favorite movie of all time. Watch it! Rewatch it! It's so funny!

6. The Devil's Rejects (2005) - Shootout/Midnight Rider

This is the second film in a trilogy, following Rob Zombie's 2003 film "House of 1000 Corpses." It is also the second of three films on this list that are the middle film in a trilogy. If you haven't seen the movie, it is a fairly graphic horror movie with a smattering of comedic elements sprinkled in. The opening scene starts with a disfigured member of the titular villains dragging a dead woman naked through the woods. He is bringing the body back to this ramshackle farm where the rest of the crew is asleep. It is revealed that they are believed to have killed like 75 people and a whole mess of law enforcement officers descend upon the farm they are staying at early in the morning. There is an incredibly exciting shootout between the two sides and not everyone makes it. However, a couple of the crime family members escape and steal a car and initiate a dramatic car chase. The opening credits begin, with the The Allman Brothers' Midnight Rider blasting. Every time there is a gap in the guitar part, the screen freezes. It is how the opening credits begin. It is really cinematic and a joy to watch. In my opinion, the beginning and ending scenes are the two best in the whole movie.

7. Baby Driver (2017) - Get Away

Music is such a fun part of so many of these opening scenes. This particular one is an all-timer. The opening scene features the titular character as the getaway driver for a bank heist. The song BellBottoms by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion blares diegetically throughout the scene, courtesy of Baby's iPod earphones. Writer/director Edgar Wright, of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead fame, perfectly synchs the music with several action points throughout the scene. It is tense, dramatic, exciting, and offers insight in to the title character. We se him as smart, talented, and unflappable, while also getting a slight peek at his vulnerability. It is a chase scene for the ages.

8. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017) - Dance/Fight

This is one of the funniest and most joyous opening scenes I've ever seen in a movie. The title characters are in a dramatic fight for their lives with characters being thrown all over and the "big bad" villain creating a real struggle. However, the camera is focused on Baby Groot, the tiny version of Groot (whom we last saw dancing in a pot at the end of the first installment). He is rocking out to Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra while the rest of his crew is battling to the death out of focus in the background. Am I out over my skis in saying it's one of the most fun fight scenes ever?

9. Drive (2011) - Car Chase

Another car chase! What a brilliant way to start a movie. In this one, Ryan Gosling plays a getaway driver for a robbery in LA. He oozes a cool/aloof hybrid every second he is on screen, a man of very few words and a sick jacket. The opening scene sees him opt for a stealthy attempt at a getaway. We hear the Clippers game on the radio and at first it seems the tension of a close finish is just matching the tension of whether or not he is going to successfully evade the police pursuit. Then we see him pull into a parking garage right as the Clippers game ends and exit the car and get lost in the crowd. It is a level of cunning that feels so calculated. The rest of the movie is a little slow for my taste but this opening scene is perf.

10. The Suicide Squad (2021) - Beach Fight/Team 1 & Team 2

This is the second James Gunn movie on the list. Does this guy know how to kick off a movie or what? Technically there is a little bit of movie before this scene, but I couldn't leave this one off the list. If you haven't seen it, STOP! Spoilers Ahead! There is a nighttime beach invasion with a clearly defined A-team and a clearly defined, sacrificial, Team 2. However, due to a slight case of betrayal, the roles quickly become reversed. Not only is this scene both hilarious and extremely violent, it also creates a beautiful misdirect. I love this one so much.

11. The Player (1992) - Long Take

I had to shout out a single-take scene here. I am a sucker for a long, unbroken shot. The so-called "oner." Robert Altman opens his movie dropping us in on the hustle and bustle of a Hollywood studio lot. In The Player, Tim Robbins stars as a film studio executive who is in fear for his life because he is being sent death threats. He ends up confronting, and sorta kinda accidentally killing, the man he believes to be behind the threats. The scene is like 8 straight minutes of just people pitching ideas. It even has a couple of characters commenting on opening a movie with a long, unbroken shot. The vibe is very Aaron Sorkin-esque (the first movie he wrote, "A Few Good Men," was released this same year). I like how this just completely drops you into the life of the main character, and you get a sense of not only how many people he interacts with (or fends off) in a day, but also how many people may want a piece of him. This movie is worth the watch and also has like 60+ celebrities make cameos as themselves throughout the movie.

Final Thoughts

While I feel the ending of a movie can make or break the whole thing more than the beginning, the opening scene is so exciting. So pivotal. It can be tension-filled, a laugh riot, or just paint a vivid picture of the world in which you're about to spend 2 hours. Based on my list, it seems the key to good opener is a lot of tension, violence, a car chase, or make it musical. The opening scene of "The Usual Suspects" (where the titular suspects are in a police lineup) and the opening scene in "Children of Men" (where you find out the youngest person in the world was both 18 years old and just killed) are the two movies that just missed my list. Please let me know if I left any of your favorite movie beginnings off of my list in the comments below. Thanks!