Top 30 Most Epic Modern Movie Moments

“Oppenheimer” (2023)

Few things are as terrifying as an atomic explosion. The depiction of the first test of one in “Oppenheimer” is no exception. Much of the film has built up to this point. The scientists, members of the military, and other members of Los Alamos gather to observe the Trinity test. The anticipation is nerve wracking, an impression reinforced by the music. At last, the countdown ends, and all we can hear is J. Robert Oppenheimer’s breath as the fiery light explodes into existence. As awe-inspiring as it is horrifying, the Trinity test scene hits like the shockwave that follows the explosion.

“Pacific Rim” (2013)

Giant mechs fighting giant monsters is pretty epic by definition. And while this film is full of battles featuring these combatants, the Hong Kong battle is easily the highlight. After all the Jaegers sent are destroyed by the two Kaiju, Gipsy Danger is sent in. The enormous mech and its pilots first take on the muscular Leatherback at the harbor. Then, the Jaeger takes on a second Kaiju, Otachi, in the city. The neon-lit atmosphere and city destruction gives the fight a great sense of scale. Meanwhile, Gipsy Danger’s use of the environment for weaponry, from shipping containers to boats, is awesome! There’s even a few sight gags. Much like Gipsy Danger’s final strike against Otachi, this giant robot/monster battle is a cut above!

“RRR” (2022)

This Indian period action film is loaded with grandiose set pieces worthy of discussion, but all the drama and emotion peaks with this fight between best friends. Komaram Bheem has risked everything to attack the governor’s mansion to rescue a little girl. But his bestie, A. Rama Raju, or Ram for short, stands in his way because of his own mission working undercover with the British. Their clash is as over-the-top as it is emotional! Punches are exchanged, they use grapples, and they destroy nearby water fixtures. Ram and Bheem even attack each other with fire and water! As much as it hurts to see their bromance tested, the fight is undeniably awesome.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014)

Fast-paced action is the name of the game in “Kingsman,” and this fight goes for broke! Harry Hart is a Kingsman agent investigating a church in Kentucky. To kill him, villain Richmond Valentine activates a pulse that inspires a murderous urge in Harry and the church members. The resulting action scene goes to 11! As Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” plays, Harry kills his way through the churchgoers with ruthless efficiency. Harry uses guns, gadgets, knives, flagpoles, and anything else he can lay his hands on until he’s the only one left standing. This scene alone packs more creative and frenetic action that other movies have in their entire running time.

“Gladiator” (2000)

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and “Gladiator” isn’t an epic built on just one incredible moment. While “Are you not entertained?!” is quite iconic, we just couldn’t give it to any moment but this one. After general turned slave gladiator Maximus and his comrades win their colosseum battle, Emperor Commodus goes down to meet him. When Commodus insists that he reveal himself, Maximus does so, letting his betrayer feel the fire of his hatred in an epic speech. And the best part, is that, despite how much Commodus wants to kill him, the crowd won’t allow it! A slave exceeds an emperor in this moment!

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” (2011)

The “Harry Potter” franchise features plenty of standout moments, but all of them lead up to this on as Harry confronts Tom “Voldemort” Riddle at Hogwarts. Their duel takes them throughout the castle grounds (and even above them). Finally, the two wizards come crashing down into a ruined courtyard. As they exchange spells, moldy Voldy’s snake Nagini is finally killed, robbing him of the last thing tying the immortal to life. When his killing curse rebounds on him, the snake-faced man is killed, his body dissolving into nothing. Not only is it the end of a thoroughly despicable villain, it’s also a grand climax for an iconic fantasy film series.

“Aliens” (1986)

Just when it seems like Ellen Ripley, Newt, and Bishop have escaped the vicious aliens, the alien queen pops out, having stowed away on their ship, to ruin their day…well, ruin it more. After tearing Bishop in two (he’s an android, he’s fine...mostly), the queen goes after Newt. Enter Ripley, driving an exosuit cargo loader. And like so many xenomorphs before and after her, the queen gets tossed into space. It’s immensely satisfying to see Ripley go toe to toe with the biggest, baddest alien of them all after how helpless the humans have been all movie, using the future equivalent of a forklift!

“John Wick: Chapter 4” (2023)

The “John Wick” films contain some of the most incredible action scenes on the silver screen. Choosing just one is difficult, but our choice goes to this fiery scene. In a dilapidated building, John is attacked by hordes of men armed with incendiary rounds, called Dragon’s Breath. After taking one for himself, Mr. Wick sets his foes ablaze as he makes his way through the building. He also does battle with an assassin named Mr. Nobody, saves his opponent’s dog, and falls onto a van! The action throughout is fantastic, though the obvious highlight is several extended crane shots that film everything from above with no cuts. The scene is, in a word - fire!

“Godzilla vs. Kong” (2021)

What is it about Hong Kong that attracts Kaijus? The two most famous giant beasts of them all clash in the city in a titanic match-up for the ages. Kong is armed with an axe made from one of Godzilla’s scales, which, along with the city terrain, gives him an early edge. Kong’s mobility and POV shots are incredible throughout. However, as more of the city gets destroyed, and Godzilla sinks his claws into the greatest of apes, he ultimately proves the superior Kaiju. A King may be no match for a god, but we (and Godzilla) have to respect the hustle!

“300” (2006)

With more slow-motion than you can throw a spear at, “300” has no shortage of larger-than-life moments. But right from the trailer, this scene stood out. A Persian messenger and his entourage arrive in Sparta to persuade - or threaten - the Spartans to bend the knee to Xerxes, king of Persia. However, while King Leonidas was unlikely to submit anyway, the messenger’s attitude and his insults to the queen cause him to draw his sword on the man. After delivering an epic speech, Leonidas proceeds to kick the messenger into a nearby well…or bottomless pit. The scene has been a meme for decades, but it remains a gloriously badass piece of cinema.

“Logan” (2017)

Talk about going down swinging! Wolverine’s 2017 swansong, “Logan,” fittingly sees the renegade X-Man go out in a final animalistic rage of epic proportions! In a climactic scene, he needs to save his newly discovered daughter, Laura. With his mutant body all but deteriorating, Logan injects himself with a dangerous serum to elevate his weakened powers. This gives him the necessary fury to take on the pursuing mercenaries and his lethal clone. Wolverine and Laura are able to slice, dice, and shoot their way to a brutal victory. Of course, it’s not without a cost. Let’s just say we’re glad Logan got in this last bit of beast mode bonding before meeting his ultimate end.

“1917” (2019)

A harrowing achievement in filmmaking, Sam Mendes’ “1917” offers up quite the awe-inspiring addition to the wartime genre of movies. To enhance the plot’s ticking-clock of suspense, Mendes uses a “real-time” approach to the proceedings. He makes the film look and feel like one continuous shot. It’s this bit of technical ingenuity that makes the film’s climax all the more epic. When British lance-corporal Schofield has to run across a volatile battlefield in a desperate attempt to deliver a lifesaving message, he must dodge everything from incoming explosions to charging soldiers. After months of rehearsals and two days of filming, the results speak for themselves. Even an unintentional tumble from the actor only adds to the remarkable impact of the scene!

“The Shining” (1980)

By the end of Stanley Kubrick’s chilling adaptation of “The Shining,” writer Jack Torrance has a seriously bad case of “all work and no play.” Driven to madness by the supernatural-infested Overlook hotel, the disturbed daddy dearest goes on a terrifying hunt… with his very family serving as his prey. Wielding a menacing fire axe, Jack tracks his wife to a locked bathroom. With a series of forceful strikes and a peek through the resulting hole, the family patriarch lets out a twisted take on a phrase straight from the pop culture lexicon. But he's not exactly playing a talk show host welcoming a guest to his stage. Jack’s greeting led to an epic moment full of sinister intentions!

“Spider-Man 2” (2004)

Within his tangled web of reboots and sequels, Peter’s version of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has spun out his fair share of memorable onscreen occurrences. One of his most epic moments takes place in the wall crawler’s second big-screen outing. Spidey engages in a daring battle atop a moving train with his mentor-gone-mad, Doctor Octopus. During the fight, Peter learns the demented doc has destroyed the vehicle’s brakes. Spider-Man gallantly puts himself in front of the runaway automotive and uses everything he has to bring it to a halt. His draining heroics don’t go unappreciated. Not only do the saved passengers carry our collapsed hero to safety, but they restore his anonymity. We think a certain Uncle Ben would be proud!

“Kill Bill: Volume 1” (2003)

As the saying goes – “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Let Quentin Tarnation’s “Kill Bill” serve as the ultimate example. Four years after being double-crossed and left for dead, Uma Therman’s “The Bride” awakens from a coma and sets out on a violent journey of revenge. The reborn assassin quickly tracks her first target, O’Ren Ishii, to the House of the Blue Leaves. But the Bride discovers that the entirety of O’Ren’s personal army, The Crazy 88, stands in her way! What follows is an epic battle featuring one woman cutting down waves of opponents. By the end of the battle, our victorious heroine lets what’s left of the survivors go home before she heads to another epic fight.

“Back to the Future” (1985)

Movie climaxes don’t get much more electrifying than this one! In the beloved sci-fi blockbuster “Back to the Future,” Doc Brown’s time-traveling experiment sends California teen, Marty McFly, into the bygone 1950s. Not only does he have to preserve his very existence in the past by ensuring his teenage parents fall in love, but he must travel back to the present to save Doc. The key to his return is a documented lightning strike set to take place at the local courthouse clock tower. Since a blast from the storm is the only way to power the DeLorean time machine, this scene becomes the ultimate race against time in order to catch cinemas' most EPIC bolt of lightning!

“Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005)

Ok, we admit George Lucas’ trio of Star Wars prequels is rather divisive. But there’s no denying that they featured a handful of standout moments. The most epic of them all takes place when Anakin Skywalker, the newly apprenticed Sith Lord clashes with his former Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Surrounded by lava on the planet Mustafar, the fight between former friends gets intense rather quickly. When Obi-Wan managed to get the high ground, it looked like the duel was over. But the future Dark Lord attempts to continue the duel. This leads to Anakin suffering a major defeat at Obi-Wan’s hands. Fortunately for us, this battle paved the way for an epic Darth Vader moment in another prequel film, “Rogue One.”

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018)

Tom Cruise has A LOT of amazing stunts under his belt. But he arguably topped them all in "Mission: Impossible – Fallout." The epic sequence occurs after Cruise’s Ethan Hunt decides to enter Paris undetected by performing a HALO jump out of a plane. You know, just your average high-altitude/free fall/low-open skydive! The jump looks questionable when Hunt spots an incoming lightning storm. But his CIA associate August Walker insists on jumping despite the warning. When he takes the leap, Ethan has no choice but to go after him. From there, we get a spectacular free fall that gets more dangerous when the two are struck by lightning. Knowing Cruise actually jumped out of a plane makes the scene even more epic.

“Inception” (2010)

If there is one director you can count on to consistently leave you awestruck, it’s Christopher Nolan. His 2010 sci-fi offering, “Inception,” is definitely no exception. The most astonishing sequence in the film comes in the form of a particular hallway fight. During an elaborate attempt to infiltrate a powerful businessman’s subconscious in a multi-layered dream, things go sideways for a team of cerebral thieves. A man named Arthur gets stuck in a dream layer that loses its gravity. This paves the way for a highly mesmerizing skirmish in a rotating hotel corridor. It’s an incredibly twisty sight, made all the more impressive knowing it was entirely accomplished by practical means. Our brains haven’t been the same since!

“Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)

With near non-stop motorized mayhem throughout, “Mad Max: Fury Road” stands as quite the adrenaline-fueled spectacle. Thirty years after the last film, the post-apocalyptic action franchise got a welcome shot in the arm with George Miller’s follow-up film. The best moment in this cornucopia of full-throttle thrills arrives when an ominous wasteland storm blows in. It’s here that our hero, chained to the hood of a car, is taken on a wild ride in pursuit of the large War Rig. Once in the blinding red sandstorm, Max does everything he can to stay alive. The vehicle he’s chained to is utterly wrecked during the mayhem. We guess you can say the intensity in this sequence was turned up to the max!

“Saving Private Ryan” (1998)

Unflinching, and utterly horrifying, “Saving Private Ryan’s” opening battle scene at Omaha Beach was praised for its epic authenticity immediately upon its release. The scene would go on to influence just about every wartime film that succeeded it. From the moment the infamous beachside storming begins, we bear witness to an up-close and personal blitzkrieg of devastation. Seen from the point of view of Tom Hanks’ Captain John H. Miller, the scene serves as a sobering reminder of the horrors of war. It’s one thing to read about such things in a history textbook, but another to bear witness to the devastation by way of sheer unrelenting realism!

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)

The opening moments of Indiana Jones’ inaugural franchise film introduces audiences to one of cinema’s most iconic characters while enthralling them in the process. It’s here that our archeologist/adventurer extraordinaire attempts to steal a Golden Idol artifact. While doing so, he unwittingly triggers a set of booby-traps. The most threatening of them all is a giant boulder made for the purposes of rolling destruction. This, of course, leads to the near fedora-flattening chase we are all so very familiar with. It’s one that other films would go on to spoof profusely. If this wasn’t the most epic way to present Indy to the world, then we don’t know what is!

“Pulp Fiction” (1994)

How do you make the dialogue in a Quentin Tarantino movie more epic? You just make sure it’s delivered by Samuel L. Jackson. And there’s no better example of this than in the pop culture touchstone that is “Pulp Fiction.” The film, which tells interweaving stories of different Los Angeles residents, features a pair of unlawful hitmen portrayed by John Travolta and Sam Jackson. When the duo runs roughshod over a helpless victim in search of information, a truly memorable exchange goes down. After his questions are met with a series of “what” replies, Jackson’s character snaps and dares his victim to say the word one more time. Jackson’s brash delivery turned this interrogation into a legendary scene and a reliable meme.

“Jurassic Park” (1993)

“Jurassic Park” will forever be the film that made us wish dinosaurs could truly be resurrected… only to have us quickly change our minds immediately. The dino-destruction in this Steven Spielberg franchise-starter was more than enough proof of how dangerous such a colossal act could be. It all starts when the film’s traitorous computer programmer deactivates the park’s security system in order to gain access to an off-limits embryo storage room. In doing so, he also cuts power to the outside tour vehicles and the dinosaur’s electrified barriers. This dough-brained act allows a Tyrannosaurus rex to escape and inflict all manner of havoc on the trapped humans. But it also creates one of cinema's most heart-pounding sequences in the process.

“The Dark Knight” (2008)

When Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” fans were skeptical. But all doubt was quickly erased thanks to an epic opening sequence. During the scene, we learn that Joker convinced his masked cronies to off one another throughout a daring robbery at a mob bank. In the end, it’s revealed that he’s the last thief standing. Ledger’s Joker proved just how insanely fearless and cunning he was. Expertly shot by Nolan, the scene perfectly laid the groundwork for the unpredictability that was to follow. As for Joker, his ruthlessness would only grow stronger and stranger thanks to a series of exceedingly disturbing acts. Need we remind you of the many storytimes dedicated to how he got his scars?

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)

Thanks to an abundance of high-octane action, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” still stands as a seminal sci-fi blockbuster! Among the abundance of explosive scenes, the daring chase through the San Fernando Valley proves to be particularly intense. With John Connor in his crosshairs, the T-1000 uses a semi-truck to plow his way towards his dirt-bike riding target. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s terminator trails the predator and prey in a Harley Davidson. With metal crunching destruction, a breathtaking motorcycle jump, and one heck of a fiery finish, it’s safe to say this scene delivered an adrenaline rush. T2’s epic-ness wasn’t limited to action scenes though. The film concludes with a surprisingly touching self-sacrifice from Arnie’s cybernetic android. Thumbs up indeed!

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019

In “Avengers: Infinity War,” Thanos delivered an unthinkable universe-altering snap. This left fans waiting with bated breath to see if the countless “dusted” victims, including many of our favorite heroes, would have their fates reversed. We’d get our answer around 12 agonizing months later when “Avengers: Endgame” produced a record-breaking finale of epic proportions. It’s here that audiences witnessed such ground-breaking occurrences as Captain America doing the impossible and actually wielding the mighty Mjolnir! But it was the sheer epic-ness of seeing the portals open and our beloved heroes return to fight Thanos that sent many theaters into raucous applause. Movie moments just don’t get more crowd-pleasing than this!

“The Matrix” (1999)

When the Wachowskis unleashed “The Matrix” upon the world at the close of the ’90s, not only did it leave a big impression on audiences, but it also influenced the entire movie industry! A big part of that impact, of course, stemmed from the epic on-screen display of the “bullet time” technique. This technique would later be copied in a barrage of future Hollywood films. Without question, the most notable example of this legendary action sequence takes place when Keanu Reeves’s Neo faces down the Agent on a building rooftop. Neo stunningly dodges an onslaught of bullets by bending his body in unnatural ways in slow motion. It’s the type of sequence that makes you sit up and say “whoa!”

“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002)

When it comes to Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, there is certainly a lot to like: fantastical settings, larger-than-life characters, and, of course, those epic battles! While all of the franchise film’s combat sequences delivered exceptional pulse-pounding action, there are a few that truly stand out. The great charge of the Rohirrim was a crowd favorite that saw King Théoden and his Rohan troops epically aid Gondor against the Mordor armies! But the Battle of Helm’s Deep is truly the grand-scale clash that rules them all. The first battle in the “War of the Rings,” became a tremendous showdown between good and evil. From the first arrow fired, to the total destruction of the Wizard Saruman’s forces, this battle did not disappoint!

“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)

Could it be that pop culture’s most infamous paternity reveal doesn’t include Maury Povich reading out DNA results? Well, believe it, because the fatherhood revelation in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” is so immense that it’s not likely to be topped any time soon. It all goes down in the long-awaited confrontation between the newly trained Jedi, Luke Skywalker, and the Dark Lord himself, Darth Vader. And while the lightsaber duel between the two did not disappoint, it was what Lord Vader let slip during the encounter that left jaws on the floor. Surprising absolutely everyone, the staggering revelation has gone down in the annals of cinema history as one of the most ground-breaking and epic plot twists ever.