The word ‘riot’ has some very negative connotations. Yet, it’s worth remembering that in cinema, rioting scenes are more likely to depict some kind of necessary social uprising than they are a totally malign disturbance. Crowd violence and large scale insurrections are a common trope in Hollywood movies, and they often signify a moment of transition.
They represent a moment of awareness. That unique moment when a community or a nation realizes where the true power lies. While this isn’t always the case, it is interesting that Hollywood regularly equates rioting with liberation. Whether it’s tearing down a school, a government, or just the local convenience store, being bad has never felt so good.
Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic rioting scenes in movie history. These epic moments are big, bad, loud, and dangerous, so be warned.
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
This first scene is oddly sinister considering it’s taken from The Simpsons Movie. Then again, Homer does poison the Springfield Lake with pig dung, so they have a good reason to be angry. Early on in the film, the entire community descends on the Simpson home with pitchforks and ‘Kill, Kill, Kill’ chants. The neat thing about it is that it visually zips through all of our favorite characters, so you get a good look at the familiar faces.
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V for Vendetta (2006)
V for Vendetta very skillfully combines real life footage of riots with a big finale which sees freedom fighter ‘V’ finally start a revolution. This dystopian epic follows the story of Evey, a young woman who lives under oppressive rule in a dictatorial version of Great Britain. The country is controlled by a fascist police state, and the mysterious V plots revenge and a nationwide uprising. The closing act is powerful, emotive, and truly one of a kind.
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Children of Men (2006)
Children of Men is another dystopian movie, which imagines what life would be like under the control of a totalitarian government. In this case, however, there is an added trauma. For an unknown reason, human beings can no longer reproduce. So, when a miracle happens and the main character Theo finds himself caring for the only pregnant woman in the world, things get messy. The uprising scene, where abused refugees and freedom fighters finally stand up to the government forces, is nothing short of incredible.
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Gangs of New York (2002)
It’s hard to find a riot scene more devastating or poignant than the finale of Gangs of New York. This is primarily because it was based on a very real event, in which more than one hundred people died. The movie provides a dramatized depiction of the 1863 New York City Draft Riots. They developed because the Irish immigrants flooding into the city were almost immediately forced into the army. Those with more money could pay to stay out, and the poorer communities eventually rose up to fight the authorities.
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Do the Right Thing (1989)
Though this movie was released almost thirty years ago, it couldn’t have a more timely and current message. In Do the Right Thing, two American communities clash. The owner of an Italian restaurant gets into a conflict with his black neighbors when they demand that he put up some pictures of black celebrities on his wall. When the police are called, things quickly spiral out of hand, and one of the black characters dies in a choke hold. This sparks a full scale riot as the community reacts with anger and violence.
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And don’t worry, we realize that Police Academy had a hell of a riot scene as well.
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