Starting with a definition is never particularly fun, but it’s necessary here, before properly talking about the greatest climaxes in cinema history. A climax is not the same thing as an ending, being defined as: “the most important or exciting point in a story or situation, especially when this happens near the end.” So, emphasis on that part about “near the end.”
A climax will sometimes play out across multiple scenes, especially if it’s some kind of massive battle, or if the story is epic enough that action is taking place across different areas. Sometimes, the climax is the penultimate scene, and then you’ll have a denouement, which can be a little like an epilogue, or some kind of quieter scene that actually concludes things. Some climaxes happen at the very end, though, especially if the storyteller/filmmaker wants to leave you hanging, to some extent. So, with the following examples, some take place at the very end, while others are the most exhilarating parts of their stories and take place close to the end.
10
‘Goodfellas’ (1990)
Image via Warner Bros.
Goodfellas is a good example to demonstrate how a climax can function without itself being the very end of the story. Goodfellas wraps up with Henry Hill in witness protection, and maybe the ending also includes the courtroom scene where he rats on his surviving associates, but the climax of Goodfellas details the lead-up to his arrest over one very hectic day in 1980.
Singling out one sequence in Goodfellas as the best is difficult, when the movie as a whole is so immaculate, but the paranoia-heavy sequence where things fall apart for Hill is maybe as good as it gets (which, again, is saying a lot). It’s like a perfect short film housed inside a perfect gangster movie, and it’s an essential climax in the sense that it leads to – and sets up – the also-perfect (proper) ending of Goodfellas.
9
‘Hard Boiled’ (1992)
Image via Golden Princess Film Production
If you watch a John Woo movie, you can be fairly confident you’re going to get some incredible action. With his very best films, you happen to get a ton of incredible action, and Hard Boiled might be the clearest example of that. It’s probably the most John Woo of all the John Woo movies, telling a typically heightened and bombastic story about a pair of good guys with guns who shoot the hell out of a whole bunch of bad guys with guns.
That might not sound like the most complex story out there, and it’s not. Hard Boiled does what it needs to, premise-wise, to showcase a ton of amazing action, and really, it’s the final act that makes Hard Boiled a classic. It’s a remarkably long climax of sorts, but can sort of be counted as one whole “sequence” because all the action takes place in and around a hospital, and it’s all glorious.
8
‘The Last of the Mohicans’ (1992)
While The Last of the Mohicans is not a perfect movie, it does have a perfect final act, climax included. It takes place in the mid-18th century, during the French and Indian War, with its plot involving a trio of trappers agreeing to protect and escort a pair of daughters through dangerous war-torn territory, and then there’s a good deal of romance and some melodrama wrapped up in all of it.
But it’s the good kind of melodrama, and you get a lot of it throughout the final stretch of The Last of the Mohicans. It’s like one set piece after another, all moving at a mean pace, and it’s also where the movie really pops even more than before on a visual and musical front. If there had just been more time spent on the lead-up to the climax, The Last of the Mohicans could well have been perfect (it’s a two-hour movie that really needed to be three hours), but at least it ends as strongly as it does.
7
‘Se7en’ (1995)
Image via  New Line Cinema
A big reason why Se7en is considered such a classic is the way it wraps up, but it’s been more than 30 years since it came out, and it’s well-known for such a dark film so it doesn’t feel like too much of a crime to allude toward that. It’s nowhere near as bad as crime as the spree that killer orchestrates throughout this film basing series murders on seven deadly sins doing so unnervingly well.
If you’ve seen how Se7en wraps up then you know all that already. Basically everything that happens regarding final two “victims” whole ordeal makes up climax Se7en elevates what was already great/grim/gritty crime/thriller movie into genuine all-timer status.
6
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ (2002)
Image via New Line Cinema
While The Lord Of The Rings : The Return Of The King has better ending (it kind has to what with wrapping trilogy worth movies all), The Two Towers arguably has better climax. The Return Of The King peaks spectacle wise around mid-point then epilogue series scenes resonate most emotionally while The Two Towers builds throughout impressive sequence.
That is ,of course whole Battle Of Helm’s Deep or Battle Of Hornburg whatever you want call it . It’s point at which whole trilogy gets truly epic climax Two Towers also has great deal going other locations like parts city Osgiliath Ents storming Isengard all cut together very well editing wise make for final act that’s rather superb.
5
‘Kill Bill : Vol . 1 ‘(2003)
Another movie split into parts ,and came out around same time as Kill Bill was initially two volumes one released in two thousand three other two thousand four but nowadays it’s easier watch them Whole Bloody Affair . Still Kill Bill Vol . One remains watchable its own movie does very much have climax classic sense huge fight sequence takes place right near end.
Or if you count showdown O-Ren Ishii climax rather than Bride battling O’Ren’s Crazy Eighty-Eight then that’s also pretty great climactic scene . Hell throw big fight then smaller/more intimate fight one big climax . It’s incredible set piece put mildly (though quieter showdown end Kill Bill Vol . Two when Bride confronts titular character also fantastic).
4
‘The Godfather ‘(1972)
Image via Paramount Pictures
If you look at Godfather as duology or perhaps begrudgingly trilogy then overall narrative one Michael Corleone sinking morally taking down many family members associates with him . He takes over control Corleone crime family proving be more ruthless quicker make enemies than father was and climax Godfather really makes clear.
Not that he’d been saint before but orchestrates series murders right near end Godfather they’re all shown occurring rather brutal fashion while Michael himself nephew’s baptism . So he becomes godfather same time he becomes “the godfather.” It’s not subtle but doesn’t have be when so effective memorable sequence honorable mention final scene denouement Michael’s wife Kay realizing just who her husband become.
3
‘Whiplash ‘(2014)
Damien Chazelle strong > has made bigger films since two thousand fourteen but nothing he done has ever felt quite exciting relentless Whiplash . It’s movie about jazz drumming which might not sound particularly intense but Whiplash one intense films recent memory one many instances execution being everything . That has such great ending build toward doesn’t hurt either.
Basically Whiplash has strong dangerously driven student full-on dangerous instructor battling each other psychologically (and even little physically) conflict comes head way really does have seen believe . It’s incredibly suspenseful film up until point then climax is on one hand cathartic but then on other hand perhaps more unsettling anything else film until point whole thing leaves both thinking feeling things long after over.
2
‘Seven Samurai ‘(1954)
Seven Samurai strong > em > is one those movies pretty much defined genre or kind film all while remaining decades later perhaps peak overall genre . It’s definable early action movie also epic unfolding across runtime about three point five hours telling story town employs seven warriors way defend against imminent bandit raid attack.
It’s structurally untouchable get introduced everyone first act plan set second act third act mostly centered around inevitable battle. It’s hard define battle one scene since takes place over extended period time fighting very stop-and-start nature but strong all action there does feel takes place within stretch movie definable climax . So it’s whole final act Seven Samurai goes here which might sound like cheating but long movie appropriately much spent setup above-average amount payoff makes sense.
1
‘The Good ,the Bad and Ugly ‘(1966)
<small class='' body img caption '' Image via Produzioni Europee Associati
The climax Good Bad Ugly pretty much everything happens graveyard right near end though Civil War battle sequence takes place right before also remarkable. But from “Ecstasy Gold” end three-way showdown truly climactic overall best part would have be one best Westerns ever made. Wait scratch that. It’s good movies get really Westerns epics whatever sort film this climax pretty much never been topped. Maybe this will be climax cinema whole everything happened post Good Bad Ugly will seen time just denouement. Well probably not hopefully not for now though as good as gets without Jack Nicholson.
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