First impressions matter, and as such, a character’s introduction is perhaps the most important scene that they can have. It’s the sequence that defines how the audience will think of them for the rest of the runtime, as well as the one that establishes the general tone of the film. Thankfully, there have been plenty of exceptional character introductions throughout film history—several of them in the action genre.
Whether it’s a hero, a villain, or an antihero, the introduction of an action movie character can make them seem badass, mysterious, or even like an absolutely unstoppable force of nature. These introduction scenes are pivotal pillars of the narrative, and when done right by a talented filmmaker, they can be absolutely unforgettable.
10
The Prisoners (Nick Chinlund, Ving Rhames, and John Malkovich)
‘Con Air’ (1997)
The middle chapter in Nicolas Cage‘s Holy Trinity of action classics, Con Air is one of the most iconic and entertaining action extravaganzas of the 1990s. It’s one of Cage’s most essential films, an exhilarating parade of cheese, cartoonish exaggeration, and delightfully self-aware parody of classic bad action flicks.
The movie’s villains are threefold: Nick Chinlund‘s Billy Bedlam, Ving Rhames‘ Nathan Jones, and John Malkovich‘s chilling Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom. They’re three gleefully evil and genuinely intimidating antagonists, and their introduction perfectly sets up both their backstory and the self-referential campy tone of the movie. Malkovich is especially captivating in the scene, but all three work in perfect chaos to deliver something memorable.
9
Darth Vader (James Earl Jones)
‘Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope’ (1977)
Star Wars needs no introduction. As soon as those two ships flew into the screen back in 1977, people knew they were in for something special—and even more so when the terrifying Darth Vader in his now-iconic attire boarded the Rebel Ship in Episode IV — A New Hope. Portrayed by James Earl Jones‘ intense voice and David Prowse‘s intimidating stature, Vader is one of the greatest movie villains ever.
Vader’s first moment on screen is a masterclass in introducing a sci-fi villain. Shrouded in smoke, he enters the ship and strolls over the bodies of the defeated rebels around him, his black suit standing in stark contrast to the Tantive IV’s destroyed white interior. His instantly recognizable breathing and Jones’ sound are the cherry on top. If Vader is as iconic as he is, it’s largely because his introduction scene is so masterful.
8
Léon (Jean Reno)
‘Léon: The Professional’ (1994)
Luc Besson is one of the most important voices in the history of modern French cinema, one of the main proponents of the Cinéma du Look movement. Usually considered one of the last entries in the movement, Léon: The Professional is perhaps Besson’s most popular movie. It stars the legendary Jean Reno in the titular role of an assassin who develops an unusual relationship with his protégée.
The Professional is an exceptional film full of exceptional scenes held together by some exceptional directing, and the introduction of the main character is no exception. Besson makes flawless use of shadows, sound, mysterious close-ups, and little dialogue to introduce Léon as a fascinating yet terrifying force of nature. Coupled with Reno’s timeless performance, it’s a highly effective scene that sets the tone for what’s to come.
7
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp)
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl wasn’t the first time that Disney made a movie based on one of their theme park rides, but it was the first time that they did it with so much success and mainstream appeal. It’s one of the best swashbuckler movies of all time, with one of the most iconic protagonists of any Disney movie: the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow, portrayed in an Oscar-nominated performance by Johnny Depp.
Over two virtually dialogue-less minutes, director Gore Verbinski gives the audience a perfectly rounded-out idea of who Jack is, what makes him tick, and why he’s so gleefully eccentric. His hilariously small boat slowly sinks while he pretends nothing is happening. He’s all posture and fake bravado, and the scene is as humorous as it is perfectly written and directed.
6
Kambei (Takashi Shimura)
‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)
Akira Kurosawa isn’t just the greatest and most important Japanese filmmaker in history: he’s also one of the biggest filmmakers of all time, period. The question of what his biggest masterpiece is tends to bring up one answer in particular: the 3-and-a-half-hour-long samurai epic Seven Samurai, one of the most entertaining arthouse action films in history.
The action genre would simply not be what it is today without Seven Samurai. It’s an artistic achievement of historic proportions, full of memorable characters, the best-written of which is perhaps the war-weary rōnin Kambei. The way Kurosawa frames and paces the character’s intro sequence, showing him rescuing a young boy from a thief, is the perfect introduction to this timeless hero and one of the movie’s most powerful scenes.
5
The Joker (Heath Ledger)
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Many people still refer to Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight as the single greatest comic book film in history, and it’s hard to blame them. It is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of the most engrossing action thrillers of the 2000s, transcending the boundaries of typical superhero genre tropes. The Joker has always been the most notable member of Batman’s rogue gallery, but the things that Nolan and Heath Ledger were able to do with him in this film completely revolutionized the character.
The whole sequence is a story in itself, full of twists and jaw-dropping moments.
It all starts with the introduction, a bank heist where the Joker starts killing off his team one by one so he can run away with the cash by himself in the end. The whole sequence is a story in itself, full of twists and jaw-dropping moments. When Ledger’s face and performance are finally revealed at the end of the sequence, it’s one of the most memorable moments in the entire superhero movie genre.
4
Han Solo (Harrison Ford)
‘Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope’ (1977)
Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader may be the best characters in the whole Star Wars franchise, but one thing is certain: Han Solo’s introduction is the best in the franchise by far. Whether Han shot first or not is irrelevant (although it isn’t, really, but that’s a different can of worms), since this is nevertheless one of the most famous and celebrated scenes in movie history.
Indeed, Han is one of the most badass Star Wars characters, and it all started here. It’s not just a cool moment, though: It’s a genuinely perfectly written and perfectly directed scene, with Harrison Ford perfectly selling Han’s distinct personality and George Lucas perfectly introducing what makes him tick and why the audience should care about him. There’s just the right amount of mystique, just the right amount of humanity, and more than enough toughness to get around.
3
Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss)
‘The Matrix’ (1999)
Action cinema is full of aura-farming moments, but very few films have as high a concentration of these kinds of scenes as The Wachowski Sisters‘ The Matrix does. One of the most fun, groundbreaking, and influential sci-fi action movies ever made, it’s a quintessential ’90s classic with the perfect balance of originality, intelligent storytelling and world-building, and butt-kicking action.
Speaking of butt-kicking action in the genre is never complete without mentioning Carrie-Anne Moss‘s Trinity, who’s right up there with Neo as one of the coolest action movie heroes of all time. Her introduction in the movie’s opening scene was unlike anything 1999 audiences had ever seen before. Everything, from her outfit to the choreography to the now-legendary shot of her frozen mid-air before she throws a furious kick, is emblematic of cinema. Today, it is still just as fun and awesome-looking as it was back then.
2
Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford)
‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
If the adventure movie genre had a face and a name, then it would have Harrison Ford’s face and be called Indiana Jones. There is no action-adventure movie quite like Raiders of the Lost Ark, and that’s largely due to how cool and interesting a character Indy is. Portrayed perfectly by Ford and what might just be his most iconic performance, he’s one of the greatest action heroes in film history.
Raiders has outstanding visuals, exceptional John Williams music, and some of the best fight choreography of the ’80s, as well as one of the greatest character introduction scenes in film history. A shining example of the “show, don’t tell” rule being applied to characterization, the film’s opening scene reveals everything that the audience needs to know about Indy before he even opens his mouth.
1
James Bond (Sean Connery)
‘Dr. No’ (1962)
The 007 franchise has provided several of the most important spy movies ever, and there is perhaps none more game-changing than the one that started it all: Dr. No, Sean Connery‘s first spin in the suit. To this day, it remains one of the best Bond films and one of the most entertaining action movies of the 1960s, and calling Bond an “iconic” character nowadays feels like the understatement of the century.
Dr. No is a blast of fun throughout, but its most culturally ubiquitous scene is far and away the introduction of the legendary Bond, James Bond. The setting is perfect, the elegant visuals boost the tone of the scene tremendously, and Connery’s effortlessly charming line delivery is the cherry on top. Very few character introductions in movie history are even half as cool as 007’s.