20 movie scenes that will gives you goosebumps

The Battle of Helm’s Deep remains one of the most powerful and chilling moments in the history of epic cinema, a testament to Peter Jackson’s skills as a filmmaker. It’s really the arrival of Gandalf, however, that sends a chill racing down the spine. The return of the White Wizard, along with Éomer and his band of warriors, is what spells the difference between victory and defeat. Even though this is but the beginning of the great battle for Middle-earth, it is still a moment that sears itself into the mind of the viewer, never to be dislodged.

Avengers: Endgame is arguably one of the best films of the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe. Who could forget, for example, the moment when the Avengers finally assemble to defeat Thanos, leading to the climactic battle that costs so much but still leads to the ultimate defeat of this genocidal Titan? The moment is spine-tingling in no small part because it reminds the viewer that, no matter how dark and terrible matters might seem, there is always hope that good will triumph against evil. 

The Star Wars prequel trilogy has some major flaws, but it does have some powerful story beats, particularly the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mustafar. This is the moment when their fates are irreparably sundered, and it’s wrenchingly tragic to see these two friends turned against one another. There is so much heartbreak in Ewan McGregor’s performance, and even the most cynical viewer can’t help but feel a rush of emotion at witnessing this pivotal moment in the history of the Galaxy and the Force itself.

The late Kirk Douglas gave many stirring performances throughout his career, but arguably his crowning achievement was as Spartacus in the film of the same name. He brings a searing humanity to this gladiator who rebelled against Rome. In the end, the rebels are defeated, and the film’s most recognizable moment is born. It’s hard not to be moved when the various rebels all declare that they are Spartacus, signifying that they are all willing to suffer Rome’s justice rather than give up the man who has led them.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes serves as a backstory for the original film. Andy Serkis fully inhabits the mind and body of the chimp Caesar, who gains advanced intelligence due to an Alzheimer’s drug. After ensuring that his fellow apes are similarly gifted, he strikes back at Dodge, one of the humans who has been tormenting, screaming the simple word, “No!” The moment sends chills down the spine, in no small part because it clearly shocks the other apes as much as it does Dodge (and the viewer). This marks the moment of no return for Caesar and all of ape kind.

The ending of The Planet of the Apes has been parodied and imitated many times since the film’s release, but it still has the power to chill the viewer. After all, this is when Charlton Heston’s astronaut Taylor and the audience realize he has been on Earth all along. The sight of the Statue of Liberty buried in the sand stands as a mute but powerful testament to humanity’s relentless and seemingly inexhaustible desire to destroy itself. It’s also a reminder that, all too often, there is no escaping the inevitability of death itself.

2001: A Space Odyssey is rightly regarded as one of the best science fiction films ever made, and it shows just how brave and daring Stanley Kubrick was as a director. This type of film challenges the viewer to think anew about humanity and its place in the cosmos. The last moments of the film are a particularly potent phantasmagoria, and, though they can be confusing, there is also something sublime about them. In the end, the viewer, like the astronaut Bowman, is on the cusp of a new age of understanding. 

If there is one moment in Jurassic Park that can be said to capture the magic and wonder of the movies, it would have to be the instant when Ellie, Dr. Grant, and the others see the grazing Brachiosaurus.  While CGI has certainly come a long way since the release of this film, this is still a powerful moment, a testament to what movies can achieve when technology is wedded to the visionary mind of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg. No other film in the franchise has yet come close to this moment’s raw power.

Melancholia is one of those thought-provoking films that asks the viewer to think about what it would be like to live in a world that’s doomed. In the film’s shattering finale, the main characters perish in fire when a rogue planet collides with Earth, destroying everything and everyone. It’s a moment that is chilling in its raw power, as well as its deeper philosophical implications. When it comes down to it, there may be nothing that can avert the apocalypse, and that is truly horrifying to contemplate.

Anyone who grew up in the 1990s well remembers the trauma of seeing the stampede scene in The Lion King. Even though the viewer knows that Mufasa is doomed, it’s impossible not to wish that it could be otherwise, and watching Scar throw his brother to his demise is guaranteed to give one the chills. Just as chilling in its way is Scar’s successful attempt to brainwash the young Simba into believing he was responsible for his father’s death, and the terror of this scene makes Scar’s eventual defeat all the more satisfying.  

Wicked, the adaptation of the hugely popular musical of the same name, has many powerful moments, but there’s no question that Elphaba’s climactic song “Defying Gravity” is the best of them all. Taking place during the film’s climax, it’s the moment when Elphaba finally asserts her absolute right to self-determination and her desire to fight back against the Wizard’s cruelty and oppression of Animals. Cynthia Erivo’s powerhouse vocals give this number a rousing power that brings the film to a triumphant close, even as it paves the way for the next film.

Spider-Man: No Way Home might be filled with a lot of fan service, but it also features some truly spine-tingling moments. Arguably, the most notable of these is the moment when the three versions of the title character — played by Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire — all end up meeting. It’s a reminder of just how much these characters have been through in his different iterations and how, despite the heartbreak he’s endured, he has always found a way to persevere and do the right thing.

Until Titanic came along, Ben-Hur had the distinction of being the film with the most Oscar wins. Even today, there is much to admire about this film, but the chariot race remains a powerful piece of filmmaking. It’s not only an important part of the narrative, marking the moment when Judah Ben-Hur finally gets to have revenge against the nefarious Messala, but it’s also a true technical achievement and a marvel of camerawork. To this day, the viewer can’t help but be caught up in the action, on the edge of their seat, waiting to see what will happen.

The sci-fi/horror film Annihilation has many moments that appear to have sprung from the mind of H.P. Lovecraft. However, the most terrifying and unsettling moment occurs when a bear-human hybrid appears and terrorizes the scientists who have entered the strange zone known as the Shimmer. The entire sequence is like something out of a nightmare, and the fact that the bear has absorbed part of the DNA of one of the other scientists is something that no one who has ever seen the film is likely to forget.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is arguably one of the best films the franchise has ever produced. It also has no shortage of goosebump-inducing scenes, including when Darth Vader appears and kills many of the soldiers of the Rebellion. Even after so many years, this character still has the power to instill fear in the hearts of both characters and audiences alike. For all of his power, though, he fails to regain the plans to the Death Star, and the sacrifice of the characters engenders its own goosebumps.

Peter Jackson’s The Return of the King has many moments that create goosebumps, but none are quite as extraordinary as the scene near the end when Aragorn, though now King of Gondor, nevertheless bows to the hobbits. This leads the entire gathered crowd to do the same. It’s a powerful moment in no small part because the viewer knows just how much these little people have sacrificed in the effort to destroy the One Ring. Aragorn’s obeisance reminds everyone that here, indeed, are the greatest heroes of Middle-earth.

The Ten Commandments might be more than a little cheesy to today’s viewers, but some parts of the film still manage to evoke chills. When Charlton Heston’s Moses parts the Red Sea, for example, it’s hard not to feel a shiver of fear at this sight of God’s will made manifest in the real world. Furthermore, as Bible readers know, this also marks the moment Rameses’ army is doomed, for they will never be able to cross the exposed land before Moses brings the waves crashing down again. Special effects have come a long way since the film was released, but it’s hard to deny that Cecil B. DeMille remains one of the true maestros in cinematic spectacle. 

Russell Crowe gives what is arguably his best performance in Gladiator, and his Maximus has come to be seen as synonymous with a particular form of epic masculinity. One of the most powerful and terrifying moments in the whole film is when Maximus finally reveals his true identity to Commodus, revealing that he is not dead but is instead bent on vengeance. It’s the moment at which he shows everyone that nothing is going to stand in the way of destroying those who killed his emperor and his family. 

The Empire Strikes Back is often regarded as the best of the original Star Wars films, and it’s easy to see why. It’s hard to top the moment when Luke finally has to confront the reality that Darth Vader isn’t just his enemy; he’s his father. This is one of those moments that was seemingly fated to go down in cinematic history, and though it has been often imitated and parodied, it still retains its power to shock the viewer. It's no wonder that Star Wars became a true global phenomenon. 

Stephen Spielberg is undeniably one of his generation’s greatest filmmakers, and in Saving Private Ryan, he gave viewers a truly astounding cinematic experience. The opening sequence focusing on the storming of the beaches of Normandy is particularly powerful, capturing the bloodshed, the terror, and the grandeur of battle. Even now, it has the power to induce goosebumps, and it’s easy to see why so many World War II veterans praised the film for its sincerity and its verisimilitude.