The greatest opening scene in movie history changed everything about how films are made. The opening scene of a movie is essentially focused on setting the tone and pace of the story. An opening scene could make or break a film, and a lackluster opening could cause fans to turn it off before giving it a chance.

That is why Raiders of the Lost Ark has arguably the best opening scene of any movie. The film opens with Indiana Jones searching for an artifact, and there is no explanation of who he is or what is happening. The action masterpiece throws fans into the mix and lets the scene speak for itself.

Indiana Jones finds the artifact and races through the cave as a giant boulder rolls after him. When it seems he has succeeded, he finds himself at the mercy of René Belloq and his mercenaries. Indy then runs for his life and barely makes it out alive. It is one of the most exciting opening scenes in movie history.

What Makes The Raiders Of The Lost Ark The Greatest Opening Scene Ever

While no one knows who Indiana Jones is or why he is searching for this artifact, the Raiders of the Lost Ark opening scene perfectly establishes Indy’s character. In the movie, Steven Spielberg trusted the audience to follow this incredible action scene without any prior knowledge. He succeeded on a mᴀssive level.

Indiana Jones was shown to be a brave and intelligent treasure hunter, and it was evident from the start that this was an action movie with plenty of adventure. Spielberg always said he was influenced by the classic adventure movies from Hollywood’s Golden Age, and he went all in to deliver that excitement in this opening.

It also showed that Indiana Jones was willing to put his life on the line to get the artifacts, and this was proven when all his allies fled early in the scene. The opening scene revealed something that played into his character, as it showed his fear of snakes, getting that out of the way as well.

Finally, the opening scene establishes that Indiana Jones is heroic, while his enemies are cowardly and devious. Indy risked his life to get the artifact, while René Belloq took the easy way out by waiting outside to steal it. This quickly sets up the hero in Raiders of the Lost Ark as superior to his enemy in every way.

The opening also had Indiana Jones fail. He did everything right and got out alive with the artifact. However, René Belloq was waiting and left with the treasure while Indy ran for his life. This set up his story, where he had to redeem himself with his next treasure hunt for the Ark of the Covenant.

How Indiana Jones’ Introduction Fundamentally Changed Hollywood

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a movie that changed how Hollywood opened its films, specifically its action releases. While many films opened with action scenes, they usually showed how great the hero was and prepared the fans to see more of the same throughout the movie.

Raiders of the Lost Ark did that, but it revealed that the opening scenes need to do so much more. This opening scene showcases Indiana Jones at his best, only to cut back to him as a boring teacher in the next scene. The opening showed him fighting hard and failing, making his later adventure take on an increased importance.

Look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe to see how movies have formatted their opening scenes in a similar manner to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Guardians of the Galaxy is a perfect example of following the template, with Peter Quill in an exact replica of the Raiders opening, although he escaped with the artifact.

This also influenced horror movies, as the openings of those films began to go further in their attempts to show the characters, situation, possible weaknesses, and more in an intense opening sequence of events. Raiders proved that the opening scenes are the most important ones in a movie, and nothing has done it better.

How The Raiders Of The Lost Ark’s Opening Scene Lands In 2025

The best thing about the Raiders of the Lost Ark opening scene is that it remains just as effective today as it was when it was released in 1981. Action movies have copied this template in the years following Indy’s introduction, but watching the start of this action film delivers as exciting an experience as ever.

Indiana Jones getting through the cave’s traps and escaping with the artifact is as exciting, if not more so, than anything Hollywood put into a film since. The introduction of one of cinema’s best characters was perfectly set up in the Raiders of the Lost Ark opening, and it remains a masterpiece over four decades later.