The year 2022 in cinema came with a lot of grand moments. The audience saw the release of long-awaited titles alongside nostalgic callbacks that were executed spectacularly. There were many memorable titles in the horror genre, too, that hit the mark with its new tastes, and audiences also relished smaller-budget films.
In all, there were many epic moments that struck viewers with awe. Especially since movie theaters gradually returned to the norm, many of these epic moments got the intended effect at cinema halls, making for memorable cinematic experiences. Here are 10 of the most epic movie moments of 2022.
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10 The Beacon of Hope — The Batman
Warner Bros. Pictures
It takes a filmmaker with fiercely determined vision to pose such overt imagery to the audience without appearing cheesy. Thankfully, Matt Reeves had that in heaps when he helmed The Batman. The movie was a perfect symphony with many moving parts, all of which contributed precisely to the final vision. There were certainly no shortage of epic moments in the movie, but the moment after the climax, when Batman leads survivors out to safety while holding up a red flare takes the cake.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Scarlet Witch’s Rampage — Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Marvel Studios / Disney
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was one of those MCU films where a secondary character shines brighter than the titular hero. But Wanda Maximoff’s tragic transformation from empowered hero to blinded villain was one to behold. Audiences scoffed when the movie was touted as MCU’s first horror title. But this one scene made the whole thing worth it. On the one hand, there is the tragic helplessness of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda. But laid over it is the Scarlet Witch’s horrifying tenacity, a predatory body language that petrifies the viewer through the duration of this sequence.
8 The Outcast Tulkun Fights Back — Avatar: The Way of Water
Lightstorm Entertainment
A certain section of the audience came away from Avatar: The Way of Water with a sense of underwhelm. Seeing how the movie built hype over the course of 13 years, it was only to be expected. But The Way of Water was certainly supported by good writing — it was mostly a matter of mismatched expectations that led to the disappointment. One of the big themes of the movie was about outcasts and how they can create their own unique value. When the outcast whale Payakan decides to fight back against the human poachers, this pays off in a huge way — visually as well as thematically.
7 Queen Ramonda Laments the Loss of Her Family — Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Marvel Studios
Wakanda Forever accomplished the impossible task of giving a fitting goodbye to Chadwick Boseman, who was elevated to the status of modern-day icon with his performance as King T’Challa. In his absence, Wakanda Forever managed to put up a powerful story that was held up in great part by its impressive women-led cast. In between its many memorable action scenes, it was Angela Bassett who gave the movie its most memorable moment. When the Queen of Wakanda strips Okoye of her duties, she has a heart-breaking outbreak, lamenting the loss of her family. Her performance in this scene etches itself indelibly in the viewer’s memory, and reminds them once again of the gaping hole left by the loss of Boseman.
6 The Hero Introduction Scenes — RRR
DVV Entertainment
RRR took the global audience by storm in 2022, becoming the latest landmark in the west’s ever-growing enthusiasm for international cinema. The movie was an unabashed celebration of big-screen spectacle, and the passion cut right through the language barrier to delight audiences and critics alike. Among its many dramatic moments, the heroes’ introduction arguably stands out as the most impressive moments of the movie. Two emotionally charged action scenes, one set in the forest and another amidst a dangerous riot, established the heroes as forces to be reckoned with. At the same time, the character introduction scenes were a powerful way to showcase RRR’s distinct cinematic language.
5 Evelyn Discovers Her Powers — Everything Everywhere All at Once
A24
Everything Everywhere All at Once was a singular feat of filmmaking that set a whole new benchmark for cinematic expression. It touched upon a chaotic jumble of genres and themes, doing justice to all of them. The cacophony that unfurls over the course of the movie comes together in one sublime moment when Evelyn suddenly comes to terms with her familial trauma. The mind-boggling visual extravaganza amps up to the max following this revelation, and the audience finds themselves sitting through the insane moment where a movie reveals a lesson about family through the most absurd sci-fi/comedy/martial arts fight scene ever.
4 Naru’s War Cry — Prey
20th Century Studios
As one of the most celebrated action franchises of all time, a new Predator movie could easily have been a blunt rehashing of the original’s key selling points. But Prey gave a refreshing new take on the formula with its period Native American setting. The authentic cultural context, alongside Amber Midthunder’s magnetic performance, allowed the movie to elegantly restate the franchise’s original themes. When Naru finally manages to beat the Predator at its own game, she utters a hair-raising war cry that feels pregnant with meaning — victory, self-actualization, and an affirmation of identity.
3 Maverick Shows How It’s Done — Top Gun: Maverick
Paramount Pictures
The release of Top Gun: Maverick was a high point for Hollywood cinema in 2022, and it certainly showed in the numbers. Released 35 years after the original, the movie avoided the perception of it being a nostalgic cash-grab simply by staying true to its roots. Top Gun: Maverick didn’t pretend to be something it wasn’t, and the audience got just the expected quantity with a glorious call-back to the days of flashy 80s blockbusters. Among the many thrilling flight scenes of the movie, none encapsulate this core emotion more than when Maverick shows his cocky new trainees how the job is done — asserting the value of naval aviators in an age when they are being phased out.
2 The Opening Scene with Gordy the Chimp — Nope
Universal Pictures
Jordan Peele’s third directorial feature, Nope, posed a complex set of themes. A major one is the sidelines of the entertainment industry. All the characters from Nope are involved with the show business in some way, holding uncomfortable relationships with the industry that is far removed from its glamour. The opening scene of Nope makes this perspective very clear, with a short and disturbing scene that burrows deep into your mind. The movie opens in the aftermath of a murderous rampage at a studio set. The offender, a star chimpanzee called Gordy, can be seen sitting around with bloodied arms. The short clip sets an immediate tone of fear and confusion that carries on to the rest of the movie.
1 The Climax Monologue — The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Lionsgate
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent came out as a perfect representation of the brilliant and eccentric career persona of Nicolas Cage. He starred in the movie as a fictionalized version of himself, a megalomaniac film star who gets entangled with a dangerous drug lord. A film monologue, seemingly from an action film, appears a few times throughout the movie, narrated by Cage himself as an often unwelcome celebration of his own stardom. It finally reappears in the movie’s climax, but this time comes out of art to fit into the movie’s actual context in a fitting meta moment.
