This Magic Moment: Offbeat Heroes at Their Finest

This Magic Moment is Sam Watermeier’s commentary in which he analyzes a signature scene from a film — one of those indelible, awe-inspiring moments that define a movie (e.g. the shower stabbing in “Psycho,” the moon-bound bike ride in “E.T.”) — and writes about why it is so memorable.

In honor of "Guardians of the Galaxy" coming to theaters this weekend, let's take a look at some other offbeat superheroes and their finest moments.

"Blade" (1998)

A wickedly fun opening scene starts with notorious ex-porn star Traci Lords luring a horny hooligan into a meat locker. Dread lingers in the frigid air as they weave through rows of hanging carcasses. They stop at a frosty door that appears to open up to another meat container but actually leads to a seedy nightclub. A remix of the New Order song "Confusion" pulsates in the darkness.

The horndog we're following squeezes through a sea of leather-clad scenesters gyrating to the ominous music. The club's flashing lights hit the back wall to reveal the word "bloodbath" written behind the DJ. And that's precisely what the scene becomes, as blood sprays from the sprinklers on the ceiling. This isn't a rave; it's a vampire feeding.

The slow buildup to that revelation is incredibly effective. When viewers discover that the dancing scenesters are vampires, they'll feel like the theater carpet has been swept out from under them.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHBhKbF2xMA&w=515&h=315]

This is a darkly dazzling opening scene. And just when you think it couldn't get more exciting, the titular character shows up. Dressed from head to toe in tough black leather, Blade (Wesley Snipes) exudes as much menace as the vampires baring their teeth at him. He then proceeds to pulverize them with the arsenal strapped to him. As you'll see below, this slaughter is vivid, not like so many of the chaotic messes masquerading as action scenes these days (I'm looking at you, "Man of Steel.")

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd6UtMo3JDw&w=515&h=315]

Blade makes an indelible first impression here, proving to be even more dangerous and seductive than his enemy. This is a stunning setpiece, a sequence that defines the film and plays a large part in making it memorable.

"Spawn" (1997) (Released exactly 17 years ago today, on Aug. 1)

Like the scene from "Blade," this sequence is also surprisingly lucid despite its dark, chaotic setting. It finds government assassin-turned-demon Spawn (Michael Jai White) battling a demonic monster in the dark, narrow, rain-swept alleys of Hell. As Spawn's eyes glow green in the misty darkness, this scene will send a stirring shiver up your spine. You will practically feel the rainwater and mud beneath your feet soiling your shoes.

I remember walking out of “Spawn” when I was around seven years old, and feeling like I was still in its world. The sky was turning a dark gray and the buildings surrounding the theater suddenly appeared damp and dreary — exactly like the grungy, gothic world in which the film takes place. Those buildings didn’t always look that way. It’s as if they transformed after I saw the film, like they were in tune with my feelings. I remember walking home with my brother, thinking hellish creatures were about to chase us down, and that excited me. It was magical.

Ideally, the excitement of an action sequence should last long after the lights come up in the theater. A superhero fight scene shouldn't be an incomprehensible explosion of chaos but rather an indelible, defining moment. It should drop viewers' jaws to the floor, sweep the rug out from under their feet. In short, a superhero action scene should be like these sequences from "Blade" and "Spawn."