The opening scene of a film or television show is a delicate art form. It sets the tone, establishes the world, and grabs the audience’s attention, pulling them into the story before they have a chance to look away. A great opening scene is a promise, a glimpse of the journey ahead, and a hook that ensures viewers are invested from the first frame. Below, we explore ten iconic opening scenes from film and television that exemplify this craft, each one a masterclass in storytelling, pacing, and emotional resonance. These scenes are diverse in genre and style, but they share a common thread: they captivate instantly, leaving audiences eager for more.
1. The Matrix (1999) – Trinity’s Escape
The Wachowskis’ The Matrix begins with a pulse-pounding sequence that throws viewers into a world of mystery and danger. The scene opens with a group of police officers closing in on Trinity, a leather-clad figure hunched over a computer in a dilapidated building. What seems like a routine arrest quickly escalates into a showcase of superhuman agility as Trinity defies gravity, fighting off her pursuers with impossible martial arts moves. The sequence ends with her daring escape from the Agents, enigmatic figures with unnatural speed and precision, as she dives into a phone booth just before a truck obliterates it.
This opening is a perfect blend of action, intrigue, and world-building. The audience is given no exposition, only raw visual storytelling that raises questions: Who is Trinity? What are the rules of this world? Why are the Agents so relentless? The kinetic energy and groundbreaking visual effects (the now-iconic “bullet time”) ensure viewers are hooked, eager to unravel the mysteries of the Matrix.
2. Jaws (1975) – The Beach Party Attack
Steven Spielberg’s Jaws wastes no time establishing its primal terror. The opening scene unfolds at a beach campfire, where carefree teenagers drink and flirt under the stars. A young woman, Chrissie, runs off with a boy, stripping down for a midnight swim. As she dives into the ocean, the camera shifts to an underwater perspective, accompanied by John Williams’ ominous score. Suddenly, she’s yanked underwater, thrashing and screaming in a horrifying struggle against an unseen force. The scene ends with her disappearance beneath the waves, leaving only silence.
This sequence is a masterclass in suspense. Spielberg uses the contrast between the carefree party and the sudden violence to jolt the audience. The underwater camera, paired with the iconic score, creates a visceral sense of dread. By withholding a clear view of the shark, Spielberg taps into the fear of the unknown, ensuring viewers are both terrified and curious about what lurks beneath.
3. Pulp Fiction (1994) – The Diner Hold-Up
Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction opens with a deceptively casual conversation in a diner between Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, a couple discussing the merits of robbing banks versus liquor stores. Their banter is witty, laced with Tarantino’s signature dialogue, but it takes a sharp turn when they decide to rob the diner itself. In a flash, they leap onto the table, guns drawn, shouting at the stunned patrons as the screen cuts to black and the film’s title appears, accompanied by a blast of rock music.
This scene hooks viewers with its blend of humor, tension, and unpredictability. The dialogue feels real, grounding the audience in the characters’ quirky relationship, while the sudden shift to violence shocks them. It also sets up the film’s nonlinear structure, as the diner scene bookends the narrative, promising a wild, unconventional ride.
4. The Dark Knight (2008) – The Bank Heist
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight begins with a meticulously choreographed bank heist led by a group of masked criminals. The camera swoops over Gotham City before zeroing in on the robbers, each wearing a clown mask, as they execute their plan with ruthless efficiency. As the heist unfolds, the criminals betray one another, revealing a chilling hierarchy. The final twist comes when the last robber removes his mask, revealing the Joker, who delivers his iconic line: “Whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you… stranger.”
This opening is a perfect introduction to the film’s themes of chaos and control. The precision of the heist contrasts with the Joker’s anarchic presence, creating a sense of unease. Heath Ledger’s magnetic performance, even in these early moments, ensures the audience is riveted, eager to see how this unpredictable villain will challenge Batman.
5. Breaking Bad (2008) – The Desert Crash
The pilot episode of Breaking Bad opens with a man in a gas mask driving an RV through the desert, two bodies sliding across the floor and another man in a gas mask slumped in the passenger seat. As sirens wail in the distance, the driver, revealed as Walter White, crashes the RV, steps out, and records a frantic video confession to his family before preparing to confront the approaching police with a gun. The screen cuts to black, and the story flashes back to explain how he ended up in this dire situation.
This opening is a masterstroke of in medias res storytelling. It throws viewers into a high-stakes scenario with no context, creating immediate questions: Who is this man? Why is he in this situation? The juxtaposition of Walter’s ordinary appearance with his desperate actions hooks the audience, setting the stage for his transformation into a criminal mastermind.
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998) – The D-Day Invasion
Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan opens with one of the most harrowing depictions of war ever filmed: the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The scene begins with soldiers in landing craft, visibly terrified, as they approach Omaha Beach. What follows is a relentless, 24-minute sequence of chaos, with bullets ripping through water, soldiers drowning under the weight of their gear, and explosions tearing through the ranks. The camera stays close to Captain Miller, grounding the audience in his perspective as he navigates the carnage.
This opening is immersive and unflinching, using realistic sound design and handheld camerawork to place viewers in the heart of the battle. It establishes the film’s themes of sacrifice and survival while hooking the audience with its raw intensity. Few scenes are as viscerally gripping, ensuring viewers are emotionally invested from the start.
7. Inglourious Basterds (2009) – The Farmhouse Interrogation
Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds begins with a tense, dialogue-driven scene that showcases his mastery of suspense. A French farmer, Perrier LaPadite, welcomes a Nazi officer, Hans Landa, into his home. What starts as a polite conversation over milk gradually becomes a chilling interrogation as Landa, with disarming charm, probes whether LaPadite is hiding Jews. The scene’s climax, where Landa’s true nature is revealed, is both shocking and inevitable, setting the tone for the film’s blend of wit and violence.
This opening hooks viewers through its slow-burn tension and Christoph Waltz’s mesmerizing performance as Landa. Every word feels like a chess move, building dread until the devastating payoff. It establishes the high stakes of the film’s World War II setting while promising a story of cunning and retribution.
8. Up (2009) – Carl and Ellie’s Love Story
Pixar’s Up takes a different approach, hooking viewers with an emotional gut-punch rather than action or suspense. The opening is a dialogue-free montage chronicling the lives of Carl and Ellie Fredricksen, from their childhood meeting to their marriage, dreams, and heartbreaks. Set to Michael Giacchino’s poignant score, the sequence captures the joy of their love and the pain of their unfulfilled dreams, culminating in Ellie’s death and Carl’s loneliness.
This scene is a storytelling marvel, conveying a lifetime of emotion in just four minutes. It hooks the audience by creating an immediate emotional connection to Carl, making his later journey in the film deeply personal. Few openings are as moving, proving that a great hook can be built on heart rather than spectacle.
9. The Social Network (2010) – The Breakup Conversation
David Fincher’s The Social Network opens with a rapid-fire conversation in a crowded bar between Mark Zuckerberg and his girlfriend, Erica Albright. The dialogue, written by Aaron Sorkin, is sharp and relentless, revealing Mark’s brilliance, arrogance, and social awkwardness. As Erica grows frustrated with Mark’s self-absorption, she breaks up with him, delivering a cutting line: “You’re going to go through life thinking that girls don’t like you because you’re a nerd. And I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that that won’t be true. It’ll be because you’re an asshole.”
This scene hooks viewers with its verbal sparring and character-driven drama. It establishes Mark’s motivations, setting up his creation of Facebook as an act of defiance and insecurity. The dialogue’s pace and wit draw the audience in, promising a story of ambition and betrayal.
10. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – The Temple Trap
Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark opens with one of the most iconic action sequences in film history. Indiana Jones navigates a booby-trapped temple in Peru, dodging spikes, darts, and a massive rolling boulder to retrieve a golden idol. The sequence is a whirlwind of danger and ingenuity, showcasing Indy’s resourcefulness and vulnerability as he barely escapes with his life, only to face a betrayal by a rival archaeologist.
This opening is a textbook example of an action-driven hook. It establishes Indy as a daring, charismatic hero while immersing viewers in a world of adventure and peril. The pacing, combined with John Williams’ rousing score, ensures the audience is gripped, eager for the globe-trotting quest to come.
The Craft of the Opening Scene
What makes these opening scenes so effective? Each one, whether through action, dialogue, or emotion, serves as a microcosm of the story to come. They introduce key characters, establish the tone, and raise questions that compel the audience to keep watching. Some rely on spectacle, like Saving Private Ryan or Raiders of the Lost Ark, while others, like Up or The Social Network, hook through character and emotion. Yet all share a clarity of purpose: they make the audience need to know what happens next.
Great opening scenes also balance familiarity and surprise audition. They ground viewers in a recognizable world while hinting at something extraordinary, whether it’s the surreal physics of The Matrix or the wartime stakes of Inglourious Basterds. They use specific details, like the clinking of milk glasses in Inglourious Basterds or the flickering campfire in Jaws, to make the world feel alive and immersive.
Ultimately, the art of the opening scene lies in its ability to captivate instantly, whether through a jolt of adrenaline, a spark of curiosity, or a tug at the heartstrings. These ten scenes are timeless examples, each one a reminder of the power of a story well begun.