The Cosmic Watchdog

Keanu Reeves’ iconic bullet-dodging scene in The Matrix has been voted the greatest movie stunt of all time.

In a survey of 2,000 film enthusiasts, Neo’s remarkable bending manoeuvre in the 1999 sci-fi blockbuster was ranked higher than Tom Cruise’s daring plane-side cling in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation.

Daniel Craig‘s fight scene as Bond from Skyfall also made it into the top five, with Craig, Reeves, and Cruise all appearing more than once in the top 20.

The study was commissioned by Samsung, who partnered with stunt director Tony Christian from Spectrum Stunts to shed light on the meticulous planning behind some of cinema’s most memorable scenes, captured in stunning slow-mo, following the release of its Galaxy S24 FE.

Tony commented: “We’re all captivated by big-movie action stunts, and it is undeniable that the detail looks epic in slow motion.”

“The research reveals some utterly iconic stunts we’ve been able to enjoy through the years in film. They can be the main moments you remember from an action film and there’s so much incredibly detailed work that goes into making them a reality.”

“For a stunt to truly impress, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the most challenging manoeuvre, but something that genuinely captivates the audience. This top 20 list showcases a real variety of such moments,” the expert commented.

When it comes to actors performing their own stunts, Tom Cruise is the name that resonates the most, followed by Jackie Chan, Jason Statham and Keanu Reeves.

Cruise also topped the list for being the least reliant on a stunt-double, with 67% of respondents believing that actors who perform their own stunts are more committed to their roles.

According to data from OnePoll.com, nearly half of viewers are more attracted to a film if it features a major stunt. High falls, fight scenes and vehicle-related stunts were considered some of the most awe-inspiring.

The survey also revealed that the choreography and complexity involved in executing these stunts are what set them apart from the rest. Interestingly, 58% of respondents said they would value film stunts even more if they could get a glimpse behind the scenes.

A representative for the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, a device that boasts cinema-quality video recording capabilities at your fingertips, commented: “It goes without saying that stunts should be left to the professionals. But one thing people can enjoy is giving their own content a cinematic feel with slow-mo.”