Over the years, we have been treated to some truly spectacular, gob-smacking fight sequences that took our breath away. These are the kind of fights that keep you glued to the screens, and let’s admit it, you don’t really want them to end once you’re in the zone.
These mind-blowing acts of superhuman athleticism deserve to be celebrated. Today we will be looking at 15 intensely pulse-pounding fight scenes that redefined action choreography as we know it.
15. Neo vs Agent Smith(s) – The Matrix Reloaded
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14. Bathroom Brawl – Bourne Ultimatum
Now where do we start with the Bourne series of films? Truth be told, we could be doing a whole list just featuring Jason Bourne and his brutally claustrophobic but expertly executed fight sequences. The above fight scene may be one of the most creative ones that Bourne has done. He uses a book (among other things) as a deadly weapon!
13. Elevator Fight – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Superhero movies are crammed with over-the-top action sequences, but this one from Captain American: The Winter Soldier has got to be one of the most legendary brawls ever. Here we are reminded how much of a fighter Cap is (spoiler: he’s a fighter all right).
12. Home Invasion Fight – John Wick
Keanu Reeves continues to redefine action movies during these last few years. We loved him as Neo but John Wick is where he absolutely showcases his one-man army acrobatics, with some firearms thrown in. This is what happens when you kill a guy’s dog.
11. Opera Fight – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Action movies and Tom Cruise go hand in hand, and this opera fight scene showcases why. The Mission Impossible dude is known for executing his own death-defying stunts, and shows no signs of calling it quits.
10. Maximus vs Tigris – Gladiator
This is one of those fights that keep you at the edge of your seats. Russell Crowe is absolutely cornered between a ferocious animal and a Roman gladiator who will stop at nothing to vanquish him. A potent reminder of why Gladiator remains a modern classic.
9. Batman vs Superman – BvS: Dawn of Justice
No other movie has polarized geekdom as much as BvS: Dawn of Justice did. Its complaints over storytelling notwithstanding, it did however give us that amazing duel between two powerhouse characters.
8. Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan vs Darth Maul – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Well how about some lightsaber duels now? The first of the Star Wars prequels was widely panned by critics when it debuted. But this scene from the movie still holds up as well as ever. Liam Nesson and Ewan McGregor go all out with legendary fight choreographer (and actor) Ray Park.
7. Jackie Chan Does It Again – First Strike
When we talk about fight choreography, Jackie Chan’s name is not too far off. Its hard to choose the ‘best’ fight when it comes to him. The Chinese superstar continues to demonstrate why his ingenious fighting style is renowned the world over. Here we see him using his trademark fighting style with a lot of props and objects thrown in for good measure in First Strike.
6. Dojo Fight – Fist of Legend
Fist of Legend is a remake of the classic Bruce Lee flick Fists of Fury. It stars Jet Li, who was in his prime with some game-changing fight choreography. Here we see him showcasing his lightning-fast yet graceful fighting style.
5. Boxer vs Kung-fu Master – Ip Man 3
Someone in Hollywood must’ve thought, ‘Hey why don’t we put punching machine Mike Tyson with the disciplined and graceful Donnie Yun in one scene?’ That’s exactly what happens in Ip Man 3, which is loosely based on the life of the man who trained Bruce Lee. This fight scene showcases two masters at their best, and it’s a real East-meets-West battle of wills.
4. The Rock vs Vin Diesel – Fast Five
For a time, these two macho men had a real life feud going on. Thankfully, no exchange of fists were involved, unless you include this battle of the hulks from Fast Five. It’s like watching King Kong go against Godzilla, with Dwayne Johnson (6’4”) and Vin Diesel (6’0”) going all out on each other.
3. Rocky vs Clubber Lang – Rocky III
Most cinema-goers in the late 80s may have identified with Sylvester Stallone as the gun-totting soldier from Rambo, but it’s Rocky where he established himself as a fighter par excellence. This memorable fight from Rocky III has him go toe-to-toe against Clubber Lang, who was portrayed by none other than Mr. T. You can actually feel the tension as the two step into the ring and fight on.
2. Frank Dux Goes Ninja – Bloodsport
Jean Claude Van Damme goes against Bolo Yeung in this classic 80s pit fighting flick Bloodsport. Van Damme’s Frank Dux competes in a Kumite tournament, and manages to reach the final round. The last fight against Yeung’s Chong Li is a memorable one as Dux employs everything from ninjutsu to his trademark slow-motion jumps (and kicks) to defeat his opponent.
1. The Bride vs The Crazy 88s – Kill Bill Vol 1
Taking inspiration from Japanese samurai flicks, Uma Thurman in Kill Bill Vol 1 leaves none standing in her quest for vengeance. This iconic fight scene is brutal, bloody and quite simply, poetry in motion.
Which one of these remains a favorite? Did we forget to mention any memorable fight scene here? Let us know in the comments below!
