https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1j7mccd/what_movie_shocked_you_with_their_first_act/
created by Big_Accident494 on 10/03/2025 at 00:41 UTC
184 upvotes, 104 top-level comments (showing 25)
Just Saw Executive Decision with my Father last night.
I was expecting the run of the mill action movie with Steven Segal killing bad guys with ease until he gets to the final boss.
But, I was shocked when he died in the first act. This actually made the movie more suspenseful, and entertaining.
Comment by barefoot_baby at 10/03/2025 at 00:52 UTC
208 upvotes, 7 direct replies
Saving Private Ryan. I saw this in theatres, some people left.
Comment by Joekruel01 at 10/03/2025 at 00:47 UTC
93 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Teenage me at the theatre watching the opening of Scream, brings back great theatre memories...
Comment by RecoveringGunBunny at 10/03/2025 at 02:57 UTC
78 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The Other Guys. "Aim for the bushes."
Comment by TheBadSpy at 10/03/2025 at 00:48 UTC
132 upvotes, 4 direct replies
Scream came with the shock with ol’ Drew B in about 12 mins.
Comment by Darklord_Bravo at 10/03/2025 at 01:25 UTC*
171 upvotes, 3 direct replies
The Matrix. Starts with some cryptic shit, Trinity does some superhuman stuff, as do the Agents chasing her. Nothing is really explained until Neo gets jacked back into his body and wakes up. The Act ends with Morpheus saying "Welcome to the real world."
Mind blowing in the theater at the time.
Comment by Serious_Specter at 10/03/2025 at 00:42 UTC
190 upvotes, 6 direct replies
Barbarian
Comment by welshdude1983 at 10/03/2025 at 01:10 UTC
36 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Cube at the time. The first guy, will never forget it.
Comment by surlyandsweet at 10/03/2025 at 00:47 UTC
66 upvotes, 4 direct replies
When Segal got knocked off, I liked the movie even more.
Comment by EntropicDismay at 10/03/2025 at 00:59 UTC
62 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Ghost Ship
Comment by ShaunTrek at 10/03/2025 at 00:42 UTC
113 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Hereditary. The end to act one just completely floored me.
Comment by MaskedBandit77 at 10/03/2025 at 00:49 UTC
27 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Wild Things surprised me when the end of act one wrapped up what I expected to be the main storyline of the whole movie.
Comment by AmbVer96 at 10/03/2025 at 01:37 UTC
28 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Midsommar. Dani’s scream when she call’s Christian will be forever engraved in my ears
Comment by Letywolf at 10/03/2025 at 01:26 UTC
69 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Mad Max Fury Road. The first 41 minutes are non-stop high-octane action and the soundtrack doesn’t fall behind either.
It isn’t until the storm passes that we finally have a break to catch our breath.
Comment by compluto at 10/03/2025 at 01:19 UTC
24 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The Hudsucker Proxy, its first act is just perfect. And then literally, jumps out the window and dies.
Comment by Helmett-13 at 10/03/2025 at 02:30 UTC
23 upvotes, 1 direct replies
It’s going to sound crazy, but I was working two retail jobs and going to community college when Terminator 2 came out and didn’t see one damned promo or trailer.
There was a black and white ad in the Style section of the local paper and the tagline was, “It’s nothing personal”.
I assumed the T-800 was back again to kill Sarah or John.
Two of my buddies met me at the theater on July 4th weekend opening night.
There was a big cardboard cutout of Arnie in the lobby. Again the tagline, “It’s nothing personal.”
I had no freaking clue the T-800 was the bad guy.
I was flabbergasted when the exchange of gunfire in the mall hallway resulted in the…cop…what the f-
It was like the floor dropped out on me. I was completely surprised.
After the fact I found out James Cameron had advertised the T-800 was the good guy but I hadn’t seen *anything*.
I wish I could forget and experience it again.
Comment by cbelt3 at 10/03/2025 at 02:55 UTC
22 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Up. I was expecting a Pixar cartoon adventure. I don’t expect to be crying.
Comment by ZorroMeansFox at 10/03/2025 at 00:53 UTC*
17 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I'll say the ultimately tame **MaXXXine**, Ti West's worst film.
The amazingly shocking naked exploding nut stomp in the first act made me think the movie was going to be six times more grindhouse-horrific/audacious than it turned out to dare be.
Comment by CosmicOwl47 at 10/03/2025 at 01:47 UTC
64 upvotes, 3 direct replies
In Avengers Endgame >!when they find and kill Thanos in the first act. I was not expecting that at all!<
Comment by kg_francis at 10/03/2025 at 01:48 UTC
14 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Children of Men.
Comment by sicaluffa at 10/03/2025 at 01:08 UTC
28 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Inglorious Bastards
Comment by pos1al at 10/03/2025 at 01:10 UTC
29 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Star Trek (2009). Wrath of Kahn was the only time I rolled tears at a Star Trek film. Really didn’t foresee ever doing it again until the first act of this movie.
Comment by Confident-Court2171 at 10/03/2025 at 02:21 UTC
10 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Jaws. Despite the promotional poster tease, no one expected the open scene to play out on film the way it did.
Comment by dsvengalis at 10/03/2025 at 01:41 UTC
10 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Full Metal Jacket
Comment by brunnock at 10/03/2025 at 01:04 UTC
9 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Three Days of the Condor[1].
1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Days_of_the_Condor
I was shocked that they...Well, see for yourself.
Comment by Redkris73 at 10/03/2025 at 01:29 UTC*
9 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula, went full tilt even before the opening credits!