Top 30 Most Rewatched Movie Scenes EVER

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the movie scenes fans have watched again and again. We won’t be considering moments that are paused the most, as those have a list of their own.
#30: “You Can’t Handle the Truth”
“A Few Good Men” (1992)
This military legal drama is gripping from start to finish, but this scene truly stands out. Tom Cruise’s Lieutenant Kaffee questions Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Jessep about an unsanctioned beating, or “code red,” carried out on Private William Santiago, which resulted in his death. Kaffee’s intense questioning famously sees him demand the truth from Jessep. The colonel’s reply is among cinema’s most famous movie quotes. He goes on to deliver a villainous tirade, in which he alludes to the need for illegal acts to uphold the law. Kaffee’s persistence even prompts Jessep to own up to ordering the beating. It’s a phenomenal scene with acting so impressive from Nicholson that we have to watch it repeatedly.
#29: Infiltrating the Vault
“Mission: Impossible” (1996)
Even people who haven’t seen this scene have probably seen something referencing it. IMF agent Ethan Hunt has to recover a list of undercover agents from a secure computer at CIA headquarters. However, to do so, he needs to dangle from a pair of wires into a room with heat, sound, and pressure sensors. The scene is dripping with tension throughout, sometimes literally, as one wrong move could mean discovery. It’s one of the most masterfully nail-biting suspense scenes out there. Resisting the urge to watch it again is a truly impossible mission!
#28: Church Fight
“Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014)
This scene tends to end up on our lists a lot. Probably because it’s amazing! Kingsman agent Harry Hart ends up in the church of a religious hate group while investigating villain Richmond Valentine. Valentine uses the occasion to test out a frequency in everyone’s phones which turns everyone there hyper violent, including Harry. The ensuing action scene is filmed in several continuous takes that see Harry mowing through the churchgoers with gadgets, guns, and any other improvised weapon he can lay to hand. Rewatching this scene is practically essential, if only to catch all the little details in the action. Oh, and it’s an excuse to rock out to “Free Bird.” Not that you need one, of course.
#27: Dance-Off
“RRR” (2022)
This Indian historical buddy action movie has many incredible scenes, but none of them blew up like this one. The two lead characters, Alluri Sitarama “Ram” Raju and Komaram Bheem[a] attend a fancy party, where a snobby Englishman ridicules Bheem through dance. However, Ram steps in to defend his bro, launching into a dance number where he is soon joined by Bheem and eventually the rest of the guests. Quite apart from having a toe-tappingly catchy song, the dance itself is phenomenal! The choreography is incredible and has to be seen multiple times to be believed! Ram throws the contest to help Bheem, but the competition to see who can view this scene the most is still ongoing - and has hundreds of millions of players!
#26: The Black Knight
“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975)
An all-time classic British comedy, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” has more rewatchable moments than you can shake a coconut at. And yet, it’s this scene that arguably keeps us coming back the most. King Arthur stumbles across a lone knight in black guarding a small bridge. When the knight refuses to move, Arthur engages him in battle. After cutting off one of his arms, Arthur believes he’s won. However, the Black Knight isn’t finished. In fact, even losing several more of his limbs doesn’t deter him. The cartoonish violence and back-and-forth between the knight and Arthur is comedic gold! Call us a looney for loving it, but we can’t stop rewatching this scene.
#25: Bank Robbery Shootout
“Heat” (1995)
Like the film itself, this sequence is straight FIRE. Neil McCauley and his gang have just robbed a bank and believe they’ve gotten away clean. However, the police are waiting for them and a gun battle soon erupts on the streets of Los Angeles. What follows is one of the most visceral and suspenseful shootouts in movie history. There’s no music. The gunshots aren’t muffled. It’s uncomfortably realistic, yet powerfully magnetic. Most of McCauley’s men and many policemen and bystanders are killed. As terrifying as this would be to experience in real life, it’s a scene we can’t help but be gripped by.
#24: The Crazy 88
“Kill Bill: Volume 1” (2003)
Quentin Tarantino movies have no shortage of rewatchable scenes. Our pick for the most rewatched one goes to the Bride’s battle against the yakuza bodyguards, the Crazy 88. The Bride faces dozens of gang members in a teahouse. The wirework style and over-the-top gore pay tribute to martial arts films of the past. But it also feels distinctly Tarantino, with touches like the eclectic soundtrack and what can only be described as “breakdancing with katanas.” It’s filmed brilliantly too, alternating between color and black-and-white, while also featuring an entire section filmed with silhouettes against blue light. This fight is nearly 10 minutes of nonstop bloody action, and we have a rip roaring good time every time we watch it!
#23: Andy’s Escape
“The Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
Prisoner Andy Dufresne looks to be at his lowest point. Yet, when the audience is expecting him to be dead in his cell, he’s nowhere to be found. Instead, the warden’s angry tantrum exposes that Andy escaped his cell by chiseling through a hole hidden behind a poster. Morgan Freeman’s iconic narration takes us through Andy’s entire escape process which takes years. Andy’s escape through a sewage pipe may make us gag at the thought. But when he raises his hands in triumph as the thunder and lightning crash and the music swells, we can’t help but cheer him on every time we rewatch!
#22: Opening Adventure
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
The beginning of the “Indiana Jones” series sees the titular character in search of a golden idol in Peru. Indy must overcome deadly traps, creepy animals, and treachery from his guide to recover the prized artifact. Practically every part of this opening scene is iconic. Each one of the traps, from the spikes to the darts to the giant boulder, have all become staples of pop culture. And that shot of him switching the idol lives in our heads rent free! It’s beautifully filmed, funny, and exciting. Indy’s first adventure is pulpy action distilled to its very essence, and we can’t get enough of it. This scene belongs in a museum, it’s that good!
#21: Ride of the Rohirrim[b]
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003)
“The Lord of the Rings” films are loaded with rewatchable scenes. But this is one fans return to again and again. Just as things look their darkest during the Siege of Gondor, horns sound in the distance. The cavalry has arrived! The Riders of Rohan crest the hill and see the massive orc army surrounding the city before them. King Theoden delivers an epic speech that is somehow both grim and uplifting, rattling his men’s spears as he goes. And then they all charge, screaming “death!” at the top of their lungs! The music, incredible scope, performances, and effects all culminate in a legendary scene that gives us chills every time we see it!
#20: Jack’s Death
“Titanic” (1997)
Given how much the movie made at the box office, it’s probably fair to say that “Titanic” is one of the most rewatched movies of all time, regardless of specific scenes. But, when it does come to specific scenes, that one at the end with Leonardo DiCaprio hanging on to the door has got to be one of them. And sure, there are many of us who’ll rewatch it for the emotional impact of Jack giving his life to save Rose. But if we’re being honest, most of us have gone back to that scene in order to determine if we think both parties could have survived on the floating piece of wreckage. Especially after the “MythBusters” did it.
#19: “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend”
“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (1953)
While there may be some debate as to whether gentlemen really prefer blondes or not, there’s no question that gentlemen prefer Marilyn Monroe. One of the greatest movie stars of all time, Monroe continues to be a cultural phenomenon today, over six decades since her passing. One of her most iconic movie moments - along with the subway grate scene in “The Seven Year Itch” - is her rendition of “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend” in the 1953 “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Madonna seemed to think so too, and even paid homage to the scene in her 1985 video for her song, “Material Girl.”
#18: Jimmy Buffett
“Jurassic World” (2015)
When “Jurassic World” came out in 2015, those of us who missed the franchise so dearly were excited to have it back in our lives. This excitement is what likely made most of us miss some of the small details and Easter eggs when they came across the screen. Or, in this case, ran across the screen holding a couple margaritas. In the years since the film’s release, we’ll admit to returning frequently enough to watch the Main Street dino attack just to see if the cocktail guy is, in fact, Jimmy Buffett. And, just in case you haven’t already gotten confirmation, it is indeed.
#17: “O Captain! My Captain”
“Dead Poets Society” (1989)
As one of the great comedic geniuses of his generation, there are plenty of moments from Robin Williams’ career we can turn to if we need a good laugh. But Williams proved throughout his career that he could also make us cry. One of his first forays into drama was the great 1989 film “Dead Poets Society,” where he played the enthusiastic and unconventional English teacher, John Keating. Who saw that film and didn’t come out of it wishing they had a teacher like Keating? Williams’ ability to make us care so deeply for his character was what made that final scene that much more powerful. When those students get up on their desks and declare “O Captain! My Captain”... We’re tearing up already.
#16: Anti-Gravity Fighting
“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)
While the wuxia genre of martial arts film has a long history in China, North American audiences in the year 2000 had never really seen anything like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” Instead of big explosions and bloody fist fights, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” was a ballet of beautifully choreographed anti-gravitational action. Two of the most notable scenes are the nighttime rooftop chase and the amazing battle above the bamboo forest. The wire-work movement was, and still is, eminently rewatchable and was highly influential on the next generation of action movies.
#15: Heather’s Terrified Close-up
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
It might seem hard to believe these days, but back in 1999 when “The Blair Witch Project” was released, many thought the movie was made with actual “found footage.” The promotion around the film when it premiered listed the actors as "missing" or "deceased," and the heavy internet marketing was highlighted by one very memorable scene. Heather’s terrified and teary-eyed close-up was the key to the entire film. The internet and trailer-watching audience needed to buy into it for the movie to succeed. And boy did it ever! As much as this scene was rewatched following the film’s release, it was probably rewatched just as much online leading up to the movie being in theaters.
#14: Skull Overlay
“Psycho” (1960)
One of the most influential horror films of all time, Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” has many memorable moments, with maybe the most obvious being the shower scene. A moment that’s been rewatched for decades by, not only fans, but filmmakers and film historians analyzing and breaking down every edit and angle of the iconic scene. And then there’s the moment at the end of the movie just as the scene fades from Norman Bates at the police station to Marion’s car being pulled out of the swamp. Look closely and you’ll see the image of a skull overlaid on Bate’s face during the transition. If you haven’t rewatched this one yet, you probably will now!
13: The Cue Cards
"Love Actually" (2003)
The cue cards scene from "Love Actually" is easily one of the most rewatched movie scenes ever. But, what's interesting about it is the evolution of its rewatchability. Originally, it was generally referenced as one of the most romantic moments in a movie packed to the brim with romance. Mark's declaration of love for Juliet - his best friend's wife - was a guy putting himself out there and willing to get hurt for love. However, in the last decade or so, the prevailing view of this scene has changed, with many pointing out that Mark’s a bad friend, not to mention the borderline stalker vibes of it all. Still, whether you, like Raj, see it as the height of romance or want to cancel it - we're all still rewatching it.
#12: Keyser Söze Reveal
“The Usual Suspects” (1995)
Spoiler Alert! The movie came out in 1995 but, if somehow you’ve managed to avoid knowing the ending of “The Usual Suspects” for almost 30 years now, you might wanna skip this one… and go watch the movie! Okay, now can the rest of us talk about how awesome that twist was? Along with the revelation of Roger "Verbal" Kint comes the reveal of all the random items around the LAPD office that he used when crafting his story and the characters therein. The first time you see it, it’s amazing; but it also begs to be rewatched with eyes wide open in an effort to even better connect all the dots.
#11: The Spinning Top
“Inception” (2010)
Is Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in the real world or in a dream at the end of “Inception”? Well, the only way to know for sure is to see if that spinning top stops or continues to spin indefinitely. But the problem is that the movie cuts out before we can see it fall or not… Or does it? Given the importance of that moment, many have gone back and watched and rewatched those final seconds in an effort to determine the top’s fate. Is it leaning just a little as if about to hit the table? There are those that swear this is the case, while others aren’t as convinced. Guess we’ll have to watch it again.
#10: Final Battle
"Avengers: Endgame" (2019)
The Avengers spend most of “Endgame” assembling the Infinity Stones to bring their friends back. Right as they do so, however, Thanos attacks them and sets off a brawl involving numerous fighters from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The returning heroes provide a lot of blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearances, along with a satisfying 'Assemble' battle cry. Captain Marvel's entrance is also spectacularly explosive, and her fistfight with Thanos has some gasp-inducing hits too. Though Iron Man and Captain America had a much more emotionally-charged bout in “Captain America: Civil War,” shots like Cap lifting Thor's hammer left us even more amazed. Plus, the excessive amounts of jokes and Easter eggs in this scene require multiple views just to catch them all.
#9: Electric Slide
"Police Story" (1985)
An evil crime lord sends his goons into a mall to attack Selina, so Jackie Chan's character, Ka-Kui, runs in to save her. To shoot this scene, Chan has to free-run through stores and across multiple levels to chase the bad guys down. But when he suddenly has to get from the top floor to the ground, Jackie leaps onto a pole to slide all the way down. The mesmerizing drop plays out in one take, as you watch Chan crash through dozens of light bulbs. It's the stunt's insane danger factor, however, that has us replaying it so much. And considering Jackie Chan's burns and injuries from the shoot, it only seems fair that this fall plays three times in the movie itself.
#8: Satellite Drop
"Cloverfield" (2008)
After a monster terrorizes New York City, “Cloverfield” shows us footage from long before the attack. As our hero Rob enjoys a date at Coney Island, a mysterious black dot zooms to the water in time with a digital beep. Though it requires repeat viewings to properly spot this quick Easter egg, fans developed theories that it was a satellite. J.J. Abrams actually confirmed this idea, as part of a tie-in with the movie's viral marketing campaign. However, Abrams also left the door open for the theory that the dot was potentially the escape pod from the end of “The Cloverfield Paradox.” J.J. Abrams and his fans have inadvertently encouraged even more replays of this shot too, thanks to the arguments they've built around it.
#7: Pop Culture Extravaganza
"Ready Player One" (2018)
In an effort to stop Innovative Online Industries from taking over the virtual reality world of OASIS, Parzival leads an army of players to stop them. Since players customize their avatars after other famous icons, their fight has more iconic pop culture characters than you can spot in one try. While fighters from “Overwatch” and “Halo” appear right in front of the camera, it's easy to miss Battletoads, Gremlins and even He-Man in the chaos. The fast camera movements and wide shots make it hard to notice the likes of Sonic or the mech from “Aliens” too. And despite plenty of overt “Terminator” and “Child's Play” references, this scene is also subtle enough to warrant dozens of watches.
#6: The Closing Whisper
"Lost in Translation" (2003)
Charlotte and Bob's overlapping trips to Japan spark a magical friendship that helps them both enjoy themselves. As he gets ready to head back to America, however, Bob chases after Charlotte to say a proper goodbye. After a tear-jerking hug, he mumbles into her ear. Since only their 'Okays' can be heard amongst the street noise, the whisper teases viewers to rewind the scene over and over. Some fans actually play with the movie's audio to try and hear it too. Though people have different ideas of what's said, director Sofia Coppola insists it's only meant for Bob and Charlotte to know. Nevertheless, this quiet farewell still has fans perplexed to this day.
#5: Head Explosion
"Scanners" (1981)
Leave it to David Cronenberg to shock and fascinate audiences at the same time. In his supernatural thriller, a company named ConSec is demonstrating their new psychic 'Scanner' agents with a live mind-reading. Surprisingly, the volunteer is actually a much stronger 'Scanner' who gives the presenter a fatal headache. The brutal carnage of the effect looks so real that you really have to see it a few times to be sure that it's fake. Plus, the blast and music cap off the scene so intensely that you'll likely go back again just to appreciate how amazingly this violent moment plays out.
#4: Lobby Shootout
"The Matrix" (1999)
The digital world of “The Matrix” is meant to trap humans, so Morpheus is kidnapped when he tries to fight against it. As Neo and Trinity head into a building to save him, they send the whole ground floor into a flurry of bullets and gymnastics. The flips and kicks are stunning to watch, especially with the debris flying around everyone. The Propellerheads' song “Spybreak!” truly amps up the energy as well. Neo's back-bending dodges are certainly visually striking, but the clever blend of film speeds enhances the action more. The slow-motion also means you won't miss much in this scene, but it's such a high-octane moment that you'll want to rewatch it anyways.
#3: Pool Fantasy
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982)
Brad's last year at Ridgemont High School sees him losing his job and girlfriend just when things are looking good. He does, however, get obsessed with Linda, who he catches swimming in a bikini one fateful day at his house. Brad's mind wanders in spectacular fashion, as he imagines her coming out of the water like a supermodel. The over-the-top posing from actress Phoebe Cates and some mist enhance the sexual fantasy aspect of this dream, appealing to viewers just as much as Brad. While the lesbian pool scene in “Wild Things” is progressive and steamy, “Fast Times” ups the ante with a bikini drop. And frankly, it's difficult not to revisit Cates' slow-motion strutting thanks to the sensual filmmaking behind it.
#2: Truck Chase
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991)
The second time an evil Terminator comes to kill John Connor, we find out there's also a friendly Terminator trying to save him. But when the malevolent robot hunts down John in a truck, our young hero drives into a flood control channel just to escape it. The machine doesn't hesitate, however, and drops right down to ram John's bike. The scene is packed with unbelievable moments to enrich repeat viewings, especially the massive jumps into the channel. Arnold Schwarzenegger's gun flipping and the explosive finale add some badass imagery to the moment as well. With the tense music tying all these awesome moments together, there's a lot of reasons to take in this chase again and again.
#1: Trooper Hits His Head
"Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" (1977)
With the Galactic Empire chasing Luke and his Rebel friends through space, they hide away on the Death Star. As C-3PO tries to help Luke from a control room, however, he's rushed by a group of noticeably clumsy Stormtroopers. One soldier's hilarious blunder happens just fast enough to miss at first. Second viewing on the other hand shows the hit and the actor comically fixing his mask as well. Director George Lucas even nods to the blooper in the re-release of the film, by giving the hit a loud sound effect. With the charm that this goof adds to the movie, it's no wonder that fans still rewatch this hilarious cinematic accident.
Is there a movie scene you’ve watched to death that we forgot? Charge down to the comments to tell us your favorites!
[a]aw-LOO-ree SEE_tah rawmma RAW-joo https://youtu.be/2_BkCz3OnlY?t=55
COMOO-rum Beam / COH-MOO-rum beem https://youtu.be/RtzBTTiZjjw?si=N2sdGflO9oRw8jp7&t=38
[b]roh-HEER-im https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/6e923138-0cb0-40a0-bfc1-c44451522182
ROH=han https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/c7db3ff3-d984-498b-a639-32d9118ce368
THAY-OH-den https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/80fe059f-5f80-40eb-b78b-c6170c17c0e7
