Dating right back to the James Bond franchise and its signature pre-title action sequence, Hollywood blockbusters have always had a penchant for kicking off with a bang to instantly engage audiences and let them know that they’re in for a nonstop thrill-ride. That’s continued right through to the current slate of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, but Kevin Feige’s outfit has yet to top the comic book company’s finest opening scene ever.
It doesn’t always have to be a white-knuckle set piece, either, with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever leaving multiplexes in a state of silence following its heartbreaking beginning, but when it comes to sheer entertainment value, style, verve, and a perfect introduction to a brand new hero; the legendary “Blood Rave” that introduced us to Blade simply can’t be beaten.
Even though the MCU was but a twinkle in Kevin Feige’s eye at the time of Blade‘s 1998 unveiling, and he hadn’t even segued into Marvel content yet, the all-powerful producer is still searching for a first few minutes of big screen excellence that can even enter the same stratosphere as Wesley Snipes strolling into an underground club full of vampires and turning them into nothing but smoldering piles of ash.
Not only is it an awesome display for the leading man’s brooding charisma and martial arts prowess, it also accomplishes a huge amount of world-building in a short space of time by revealing the vampiric underworld, how they congregate, the methods they use to entice unwitting humans as their next meal, and the overpowering sense of dread that takes over when a leather-clad badass armed to the teeth descends upon their dance floor. It’s been almost 25 years, and Blade still ain’t been beat.