10 of the Most Exciting Movie Car Chases

by Kevin Faber

Nothing compares to a suspenseful movie car chase. Watching this chase unfold keeps you on the edge of your seat, eagerly wanting to know what will happen next. Will the protagonist make it out alive? Will the villain be captured? You are afraid to blink an eye because you don't want to miss a single second. Here are 10 of the most memorable car chases in movie history.     

1. The Fast and the Furious (2001)

The final chase from the movie that started an entire series shows the main characters, Brian and Dom, racing when they come to a train crossing. They both speed across the tracks just before the train comes flying by, only for Dom to crash into a truck. As normal movie crash protocol calls for, Dom's car flies into the air and flips over Brian's car.

2. McQ (1974)

John Wayne's beach car chase scene ends with the first air cannon car rollover in movie history. The first stunt person was badly injured by using too many explosives, which shot the car up 30 feet into the air. Luckily, the producer did not need a Seattle criminal defense lawyer as no charges were filed. Another stunt person learned from the mistake and got the job done.

3. The Blue Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers has an unforgettable, lighthearted mall chase scene. Cops are attempting to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license, which begins the iconic chase. At the time the movie came out, it had the most destroyed cop cars than any movie prior, with 60 cruisers laid to rest. 

4. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

In this movie, Darville leads a high-speed chase in his Trans Am. He decides that trying to jump the Mulberry Bridge, which has been disassembled, is a better idea than meeting with the police. The producer performed the stunt by attaching a booster rocket to the car.

5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Picture this: John Connor, riding a motorcycle, is being pursued by T-1000 in a big rig. Suddenly, the Terminator joins the chase on a Harley with a shotgun. To top off the scene, the truck explodes just as the Terminator and John make it to safety. It doesn't get much more exciting than that!

6. Duel (1971)

This TV movie is a giant chase scene in its entirety. It is a game of cat and mouse, which is brought on by the main character passing a tanker truck. This cautionary tale gives an insight into road rage.

7. Wanted (2008)

Angelina Jolie plays the ultimate tough girl assassin in this film. After being in a grocery store shootout, she leads a high-speed chase, where she multitasks by laying on the windshield, shooting at the bad guys and steering with her foot.

8. John Wick (2014)

John, played by Keanu Reeves, seeks revenge, mostly with amazing gun handling skills. However, he does engage in a climatic chase scene where his Charger annihilates several larger vehicles. The scene is even more legendary because he wields his weapon in the midst of erratic driving, bringing death to many.  

9. The Italian Job (2003)

If you're interested in seeing Mini Coopers, motorcycles, and boats all involved in chases, then this is the movie for you. One of the best scenes shows the Mini Coopers racing through subway tunnels, just barely squeezing by people and in front of oncoming subway cars.

10. Ronin

The final chase in Ronin keeps you nervously entertained the whole time. The movie has a realistic and honest feel to it because not every crash results in an explosion, and it doesn't have background music meant to play on your emotions. The chase is exciting because it takes you in and out of tunnels and through traffic, with the vehicles traveling up to 120 mph. 

Car chases remain a timeless, and even expected, part of action movies. As technology continues to grow, the special effects become better and more believable. Watching a great car chase successfully creates an uneasiness, and, although you want to look away, you just can't take your eyes off of the screen. This mental dichotomy that you're feeling is essential for a car chase to be considered a masterpiece. While many movies have strived to create this thrill, only a few have succeeded, and these movies continue to impress movie buffs today.