One of the obligatory scenes in any good action movie is a car chase, but the action genre isn’t the only time where these iconic achievements of intense cinematography appear. Many genres include good chases. Horror films are known for the slasher killer or monster chasing a helpless victim, fighting for their life. Action movies are known for their epic car chases. Thrillers also include car chases that often turn into some sort of intense fight.
Needless to say, a good chase scene can build tension, raise the stakes of the story, and show off plenty of practical effects, special effects, and stunts. There are thousands of incredible chase scenes throughout cinema history, so it can be difficult to narrow things down. John Wick, Fast and Furious, Mad Max, Mission Impossibleand many other franchises are known for their intense chase sequences.
Fast Five’s Vault Heist beats every other Fast & Furious movie
A list of epic car chases simply wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Fast and Furious franchise at least once. Certainly, there are many Fast and Furious films, enough to make a whole list of chase scenes in the franchise, but the best comes out of Quick five (2011). The chase for the vault robbery is the best car chase in the entire franchise and one of the best chases in cinematic history. This scene shows Dom and Brian strapping a huge safe to the back of their cars and dragging it through the city behind them at high speed.
Dom and his team decide to steal the safe from a Brazilian baron. The safe contains $100 million and attracts all the crooked cops in town to come after them. The safe is huge and causes huge damage when it crashes into the road, cars and buildings. This scene also requires a lot of teamwork and coordination from the crew. Not only do Dom and Brian have to drive side by side, as if they are moving as one unit, but they also have to rely on the instructions of the crew who guide them through the city in the safest way possible. Dom and Brian also have to improvise on the fly, making this one of the most nerve-wracking and dangerous car chases in the last 15 years.
Matrix Reloaded’s Highway Chase is the film’s redemptive scene
The matrix (1999) may be a groundbreaking cyberpunk sci-fi action film, but its sequels have a more mixed reputation. The Matrix Reloaded (2003) may not be the best or most beloved film in the series, but it does contain one of the most creative and intense chase scenes. The highway chase follows Morpheus and Trinity as they try to protect the Keymaker. At first, they are only pursued by the Twins, who shoot at them aggressively during the chase. Eventually, law enforcement gets involved, forcing Morpheus and Trinity to take the highway.
Previously, Morpheus had warned against straying from the highway, insisting that such a route would be suicide. His earlier warning proves true, as the Twins shoot at surrounding cars, making driving on the highway dangerous. As their pursuit attracts more attention, various officers begin to take control of drivers near Morpheus and Trinity. This chase features plenty of creative imagery, from clever slow-motion segments to scenes of drivers being picked over by officers. He also doesn’t care about collateral damage, as the chase takes out many innocent drivers and cars.
The opening scene of Baby Driver is a musical masterpiece
Baby driver (2017) takes a unique approach to action film. The main character, Baby, suffers from tinnitus, a fairly common condition in which people hear constant ringing in their ears. To deal with his tinnitus, Baby often uses music to drown out the ringing. This sets the tone for the entire film, as Baby driver often syncs its action scenes to the soundtrack, emphasizing Baby’s reliance on music to get through the day.
There are many examples of this technique throughout the film, but Baby driver the opening scene is the first example and arguably the best. Baby is the getaway driver for a bank robbery. While he waits in the car, he listens to music, and once his co-workers return with the money, he hits reverse and drives away, driving to the tune of “Bellbottoms” by Jon Spencer’s Blues Explosion. The car almost seems to move to the beat of the song, making the whole chase scene feel like it was straight out of an MTV music video. It has all the flair of a great high-speed chase with all the style of rock n roll.
Bullitt is the grandfather of modern movie car chases
A list like this could not exist without mentioning Bullitt (1968). This action thriller revolutionized many aspects of the action genre, including the car chase. Without Bullittmany films today might not even feature what seems like a mandatory inclusion of any good action, thriller, sci-fi, or horror film. Bullitt focuses on Detective Frank Bullitt, who investigates the mob after the death of a key witness. His investigation attracts a lot of unwanted attention, which ultimately leads to a few hitmen coming after him.
What’s incredible about this specific chase scene is that Bullitt begins as the target of two hitmen, making him the victim running for his life. However, he easily outwits the hitmen, turning the chase to his advantage. The sight of Bullitt’s Ford Mustang GT racing through the streets of San Francisco is a timeless masterpiece where all the stunts are real. Nor does the scene shy away from the realistic elements of such a pursuit. Bullitt wasn’t afraid to let the scene be messy. Cars didn’t always look perfect because that wouldn’t make sense.
The Bourne Supremacy puts the audience in a state of panic
Bourne’s Supremacy (2004) is the second film in the Bourne film franchise and arguably one of Matt Damon’s most infamous roles. The entire franchise features a flimsy camera style of filming, which gives the audience the feeling that the cameraman is right in the middle of the action alongside the stars. There are lots of amazing fight and chase scenes in the Bourne franchise, but the best has to be the taxi scene in Bourne’s Supremacy.
Jason is seriously injured by Kirill, an assassin who is chasing him. Jason immediately goes into fight or flight mode and looks for the nearest escape route. To escape his attacker, Jason steals a taxi and flees at full speed through the streets of Moscow. Kirill chases after him, forcing Jason to move away while trying to treat his wound. Soon, the police also join the chase, raising the stakes considerably. The shaky camera and the way the chase bounces from scene to scene in rapid succession make the audience feel like they’re experiencing the danger alongside Jason.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day pits young John Connor against the terrifying T-1000
that of James Cameron Terminator has been a staple sci-fi action franchise for decades. Even though most of the new releases missed their mark, the first two films are masterpieces. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) features the best chase scene in the entire franchise. Notably, this film also included the T-1000, the first ever CGI character to appear in a Hollywood blockbuster. This advancement in CGI technology is a revolutionary achievement, but it only works because the T-1000 is surrounded by incredible practical effects. These practical effects helped alleviate the eerie valley feel of the T-1000, but some of the unsettling vibrations also helped the T-1000 feel inhuman.
The chase scene in question occurs when the T-1000 attacks a young John Connor at the mall. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s legendary Terminator interrupts the attack and John narrowly escapes the awesome power of the T-1000. With nothing but a dirt bike, John flees, but the T-1000, determined to complete his mission, pursues him by stealing a huge truck. The size difference between John on his small bike and the T-1000 in a truck smashing the structure highlighted the difference between the two, making John feel like the mouse in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
French Connection’s Car Chase Improves This Crime Thriller Masterpiece
The French connection (1971) is a classic crime thriller that follows two NYPD detectives as they attempt to stop a French drug lord who is smuggling heroin into the city. This movie is incredibly famous for several reasons. One of the key characteristics that make The French connection What makes the film so incredible is how it draws many parallels between law enforcement and the criminals they track. For its time, this was a bold narrative choice, and the conversation has only become more relevant today.
That said, this list is not about what makes The French Connection the story is so good. It’s the chase scene that elevates this crime thriller even higher. Director William Friedkin took a lot of risks shooting this scene. Not only did he not get the necessary permits, meaning actual accidents happened during filming, but he also decided to install a camera in the front of the car. This really helped put the audience at the heart of the action. Friedkin may have taken many shortcuts and made some questionable decisions to bring this chase scene to life, but the end result was well worth it.
Mad Max: Fury Road is a massive chase
Mad Max: Road to Fury (2015) is one of the most beloved films of the last decade for many reasons. There is a strong narrative with admirable feminist themes, but it goes without saying that Fury Road absolutely deserves to be on this list. Most of the film is one giant chase sequence, where Furiosa hijacks a War Rig full of Immortan Joe’s wives. Furiosa plans to take the women to freedom, but Immortan Joe, not wanting to lose his harem, sends his forces after them.
Fury Roadas the title suggests, is more or less an elongated chase with fierce combat, intense acrobatics between vehicles and incessant attacks on Furiosa’s war vehicle. Not to mention the man standing on one of the chasing vehicles, blowing fire while playing his guitar to give the chase an epic soundtrack to boot. Choosing just one scene from this movie is almost impossible because the entire movie is non-stop action and road rage disaster.
Ronin offers a car chase to end all car chases
Ronin (1998) is another action thriller that features several car chases. This amazing film was directed by John Frankenheimer, who openly stated that if he included a car chase in his film, he would make sure it was so spectacular that it would make all future filmmakers wonder if they wanted to include their own chase. If the new chase scenes didn’t live up to what Frankenheimer achieved Roninthey would disappear into the darkness. At least that was the goal.
That was a pretty big statement, but Ronin features one of the best car chases ever put on the big screen. Frankenheimer may not have removed car chases from the menu of future action films, but it’s incredibly difficult to live up to. The final chase is arguably the best, when mercenary Sam pursues IRA agent Deirdre through the streets of Paris. No area of Paris is off-limits, even the complex tunnels. This scene is really smooth and shows no signs of slowing down. Frankenheimer also manages to film the chase from multiple angles, giving the audience a 360-degree view of everything that happens during the chase. It’s pure perfection.
The Blues Brothers Gave the World the Most Infamous Car Chase Ever
Although many top contenders could have made this list, the top spot goes to The Blues Brothers (1980). This is the only film on this list that isn’t a raw action film or thriller. The Blues Brothers is actually a musical with plenty of action elements that only fuel how hilarious the film is. The clever mix of genres and incredible music make this classic film one of the best films of the ’80s, and to this day, it features one of the most memorable car chases in history.
There are several iconic chase scenes throughout the film as the Blues Brothers attempt to outrun several groups of people, including the cops, but the final chase is arguably the best. The film built dozens of cars for filming, some of which were destroyed in a massive overkill pileup, and others were created for the sole purpose of performing various jumps. The final chase sees a massive chase through Chicago, giving the scene a sense of complexity and impressive scale. No one will ever forget the way the Blues Brothers nearly drove off an unfinished bridge, backed up, managed to flip the car into the air above their pursuers, landed, and drove away as the police went over the edge of the bridge. It makes absolutely no sense, but that’s what makes it so iconic.