Published: April 29, 2021 | Last Updated: June 27, 2024
I’ve always loved a good movie brawl and martial arts. So, I decided to revisit, analyze, and rank some of cinema history’s most bone-crunching martial arts fight scenes.
From classic kung fu to modern mayhem, each battle delivers a feast of choreographed chaos, some of which redefined how martial arts scenes should be done forever.
20. The Bourne Supremacy (2004). Munich Newspaper vs. Knife Fight.
In this second chapter of the Bourne series, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) fights the assassin Jarda (Marton Csokas) with a newspaper.
I like the creativity and dirty fighting in the Bourne movies. The choreographed fight has some Krav Maga mixed with Escrima to it. It looks efficient, and the sound design is excellent!
The problem I have with the fights in the Bourne movies is the camera work and quick cuts. The camera is too shaky and moves around a lot, confusing the fights.
Maybe that’s intentional – fights are chaotic. But at the same time, choreographed fights have a narrative, and the narrative in the Bourne movie fights is hard to follow.
That doesn’t take away from the fact that this fight deserves a place on this list.
19. No Retreat, No Surrender (1986). Jason vs. Ivan’s final fight.
If you’re unfamiliar with this cult classic, you should watch it. If nothing else, just for the sheer amount of 1980s culture and movie cliches, many of which would be considered politically incorrect today.
This movie has everything: the mandatory training montage, BMX bikes, breakdance dance-offs, the black and funny sidekick with a ghettoblaster, the annoying fat guy, and the xenophobic remarks towards the Russian (granted—Ivan IS bad!). Yup, the 1980s, here we come.
And then, of course, we have some great martial arts by Jason Stillwell (Kurt McKinney) and Ivan Kraschinsky the Russian (Jean-Claude Van Damme).
In this final battle between Jason and Ivan, Jason gets revenge after Ivan beat up his father earlier in the movie.
It’s easy to see why Van Damme moved on to become a huge martial arts movie star. His charisma, amazing kicks, and martial arts skills shine through despite the over-acting.
No Retreat, No Surrender put Van Damme into the spotlight for bigger productions such as Bloodsport, which made him a movie star, and for that, this fight scene deserves a spot on this list.
Plus, it’s rare to see Van Damme being the one to lose a fight.
18. Watchmen (2009) Rorschach Prison Canteen Scene
This scene from Watchmen (2009), directed by Zack Snyder, is a good example of a fight scene that doesn’t necessarily have to be very long and flashy to be effective.
Jackie Earle Haley does a fantastic job as Rorschach, who has been imprisoned with some of the criminals he has helped put away in this scene.
Two blows and a bit of hot frying oil later, everyone knows not to mess with him, and to make sure everyone gets it, he delivers one of the coolest lines ever:
None of you seem to understand! I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me!
17. The Matrix (1999). Trinity’s first fight scene
I clearly remember seeing the bullet-time effect for the first time at the opening of The Matrix in 1999 and thinking, “What the hell was that?”.
The Matrix brought so much new technology and creativity to fight scenes that it deserves a place on this list.
And since it was Trinity’s (Carrie-Anne Moss) cool bullet-time flying kick that introduced us to a whole new way of seeing fight choreography, I think the opening fight of The Matrix deserves a space on this list.
16. The Karate Kid (1984). The Final Fight vs. Daniel and Johnny.
The bad martial arts performances, dated choreography, and camera work don’t take from the emotional impact of this showdown between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) in The Karate Kid from 1984.
Plus, to create a kick that everyone knows but no one would ever use in a real fight – that’s something.
In this showdown, Daniel finally gets payback for all his humiliations throughout the movie.
The success of the spin-off series Cobra Kai is a testament to the historical impact this scene and the Karate Kid series has had on martial arts in popular culture.
For that, this scene has earned a spot on this list.
15. Crying Freeman (1995). Yo vs. Netah and Kimie and her henchmen.
In this final fight from the 1995 movie Crying Freeman, we see Yo Hinomura, aka Crying Freeman (Mark Dacascos), battling Netah (Tcheky Karyo), Kimie (Yoko Shimada), and her henchmen.
I remember seeing this scene in my local drive-in theater, and I was blown away by Dacascos’s martial arts and flipping skills.
It was also the first time I saw his famous ‘Butterfly Kick’ (near the end, where he flips between two swords).
Dacascos was the first to perform that particular move on the screen in Only The Strong (1993). Since then, this kick and variations have been copied and shown in multiple martial arts films.
14. Million Dollar Baby (2004). The Final Fight Scene
The final fight scene from Million Dollar Baby is one of those that leaves a deep and long-lasting emotional impact on you.
Hilary Swank does a fantastic job as the hard-working boxer Maggie Fitzgerald, who slowly works her way up the ranks until this pivotal moment.
Sure, you can find more flashy boxing choreography and camera moves in other fight scenes – like the one-take boxing fight from CREED – but it’s hard to find a more emotional beating than this.
I loved this movie, but I never want to see it again!
13. Man of Tai Chi (2013). Job Interview Fight Scene
Man of Tai Chi (2013) is directed by Keanu Reeves, who also plays the villain Donaka Mark.
This scene shows Tiger Chen Lin Hun (Tiger Hu Chen) attending his first job interview at Donaka Marks company.
The following surprising fight shows many great martial skills from Chen and his opponent (Jeremy Marinas). It’s a nice mix of traditional flashy kung-fu moves and ground-style MMA fighting.
I hope I’ll never have to do that for a job interview!
12. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Bar Fight Scene.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee, popularized wire kung fu (Wire Fighting) with epic fight scenes. Until this movie, wire fighting wasn’t seen much in action films.
There are so many great fight scenes in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. And the supporting cast – not at least Hong Kong actors Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-fat – all have great fight scenes.
But the bar fight scene where the young rebellious Jen (Ziyi Zhang) picks a fight with seasoned kung-fu masters is probably my favorite.
Jen not only tears the place apart physically, but she also tears apart the ego of all the proud masters while simultaneously making her name known everywhere.
The flow and choreography, the fantastic performance by Ziyi Zhang, and the humor earn this scene a well-deserved place.
11. Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003). The Bride vs. The Crazy 88
This list wouldn’t be complete without this scene from Kill Bill: Vol. 1.
We see The Bride, aka Beatrix Kiddo, aka Black Mamba (Uma Thurman), dish out some severe punishment to the Crazy 88, aka the private army of O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu).
This climactic battle is so over-the-top that it’s almost cartoonish, but I love its coolness, fantastic cinematography, and use of colors.
10. John Wick (2014). Red Circle Night Club
The John Wick movies starring Keanu Reeves have combined cool Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu moves with armed combat, making for some brutal fight scenes.
Granted, Reeves isn’t as fast as he was in The Matrix. Instead, he understands how to channel a seasoned hitman, who is less flashy but highly efficient in hand-to-hand combat movements and firefights.
In the scene, Wick methodically and cynically hunts Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen). The fluidity of the mix of hand weapons and martial arts earns this scene a place on this list.
9. The Transporter 3 (2008). The Garage Scene.
In this scene from the action movie Transporter 3, we see Frank Martin (Jason Statham) beating the crap out of Johnson’s (Robert Knepper) men while a mechanic tries to disarm the device on the car.
Statham always creates fight scenes showing quick and efficient skills with a few flashy kicks. It’s easy to see why he’s become such a big action hero.
In this particular scene, I especially enjoy his fight with “the big one.”
8. Ip Man (2008). Ip Man vs. Jin Shan Zhao
Ip Man from 2008 tells the story of Bruce Lee’s famous teacher and master of Wing Chun.
In this scene, we see Ip Man (Donnie Yen) challenged by Jin (Siu-Wong Fan) in Ip Man’s home.
It’s a great and fun scene, and I like how we see Ip Man’s calmness in stark contrast to Jin’s aggressiveness. At the same time, it’s a battle between Northern Kung-Fu (Jin) and Southern Kung-Fu (Ip Man).
Yen and Fan’s great performances and martial arts skills earned this fight a natural place on this list.
7. Sherlock Holmes (2009). Boxing Match
In this awesome scene from the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film starring Robert Downey Jr., we see some great slow-motion shots as Holmes uses his analytical brain to plan his next moves. Then, we see it carried out in real-time.
I think this was a great and creative idea, and Downey Jr. does an amazing job of coupling his Wing Chun training with traditional old-school western bare-knuckle boxing moves and stances.
I also love the open-handed slapping techniques and throws, as these were the preferred techniques so that you wouldn’t hurt your hands before the invention of the boxing gloves we know today.
The result speaks for itself, which is why this good fight scene is on the list.
6. Enter The Dragon (1973)—Lee vs. Oharra fight.
Enter the Dragon from 1973 is probably the most famous film by Bruce Lee.
It’s easy to see why since it has incredible fight scenes. The hidden mirror room fight scene at the end is probably the best-known of Bruce Lee’s fight scenes.
However, my favorite scene is when Lee battles the crime lord Han’s bodyguard, Oharra (Robert Wall). It’s a great display of Bruce Lee’s fast one-inch punch and Wing Chun roots.
Lee manages to impose fear and respect on Han (Kien Shih), Bolo (Bolo Yeung), and the other martial artists attending Han’s private island competition for the best fighters in the world.
And, of course, the “boards don’t hit back” line seals the deal.
You can see that Lee was not only an incredibly gifted martial artist in real life but also why he was ahead of his fellow fight choreographers at the time as he reinvented how fight sequences should look in movies.
Bruce Lee’s showdown at the Colosseum with Chuck Norris in Way of the Dragon (1972) is another testimony to this. However, my favorite remains the one above from Enter the Dragon.
Did you know that his son Brandon Lee was also an accomplished martial artist and actor who died on set while filming the 1994 movie The Crow?
5. Unleashed (2005). Danny The Dog gets unleashed – first fight scene
Li has starred in many cool fight scenes showcasing his Wushu skills.
This scene from Unleashed, aka Danny the Dog, is a bit different. It’s less flashy kung fu and dirtier and more aggressive than we usually see from Li.
Unleashed is underrated compared to other Jet Li movies, but I like it and its fighting style.
The scene has some cool moves, and it’s easy to follow despite being gritty and dark.
That’s why I think it deserves a spot on this list.
4. Oldboy (2003). Hallway fight scene
This scene from Oldboy is so cool on so many levels.
First, there’s the fighting itself. It’s dirty, chaotic, and non-flashy. We don’t get the impression that our hero, Dae-su Oh (Choi Min-sik), has superhuman fighting skills, like in many other movies.
Oh gets beaten down several times and even gets a knife in his back. But he keeps fighting.
The cinematography is also impressive. I love the colors and the lighting, which adds to the grittiness of the scene.
And then, of course, is the fact that the whole fighting sequence is a one-take where the camera slowly and steadily follows the chaotic action down the hallway.
And I’m pretty sure that this scene inspired another cool one-take scene from the Netflix series Daredevil, which you can watch below:
3. Ong-Bak (2003). Fight Club Scene
Chinese kung fu dominates martial arts movies, so it’s nice to see some excellent Muay Thai on the big screen. And no one represents Muay Thai better on film than Tony Jaa.
In this fight scene from the first Ong-Bak film, we see Ting (Tony Jaa) battling multiple opponents in an underground fight club. I love how Jaa deals with the first opponent – one kick – and the reaction from the crowd.
But it’s the second fight that stands out, I think. It has a lot of great choreography and cool moves, and it is easy to follow the action. Jaa manages to use signature knees and elbows from Muay Thai creatively.
If you like flying knees and elbows to the head, you should check out the movies with Tony Jaa.
2. Rumble in the Bronx (1995). Jackie Chan vs. Tony and his gang
Picking the best Jackie Chan fight scene was hard. The man is a legend, and his fight scenes are so great and creative that it is hard to choose.
I settled on this scene from Rumble in the Bronx, which also happens to be one of my favorite Jackie Chan movies. In it, Keung (Jackie Chan) teaches Tony (Marc Akerstream) and his very 1990s gang a lesson.
This scene embodies everything the audience has come to love about Jackie Chan: excellent martial arts skills combined with comedic elements and creative genius.
The action is clear and easy to follow without using shaky-cam like in the Bourne movies. Plus, no one understands how to utilize the different props in a scene to his advantage and make it seem easy as Jackie Chan does.
1. Undisputed 2 (2006). Final Fight Scene
Okay, admitted, I’m a huge fan of Scott Adkins. I think his fighting skills on-screen are unmatched.
In this scene from Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing, Yuri Boyka (Adkins) battles against George Chambers (Michael Jai White). We rarely see such two huge martial arts movie stars battling each other on-screen.
As always, Adkins’s kicks are out of this world (fx check out his move at 2:40). The action is easy to follow, and the sound design is great! You can feel those heavy punches landing.
That’s why this fight scene has earned the number one spot on this list.
Honorable mentions
After writing this article, I remembered a few other fight scenes that I think deserve mentioning.
Captain America: Winter Soldier – Elevator Fight Scene
The first one is the elevator fight scene from Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).
I love the build-up to the fight in this scene as the elevator slowly gets packed full of bad guys.
Of course, the Captain (Chris Evans) is on to them and offers them a way out: “Before we get started, does anyone wanna get out?”
Talk about commanding the respect of the bad guys.
The great battle that follows is well choreographed, and the build-up and the use of the enclosed space in the crowded elevator make this a creative and memorable scene. I felt it needed to be on this list as well.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999)
The second honorable mention is the climactic fight between Darth Maul (Ray Park), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), and Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.
We have seen great lightsaber fights before – I’m especially fond of the fight between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode 5 from the original trilogy, where Darth Vader cuts off Luke’s hand.
But the old lightsaber battle scenes immediately seemed a bit dated when we saw Darth Maul wielding a double-bladed lightsaber and battling two Jedi simultaneously.
And it doesn’t hurt, either, that Ray Park is an amazing martial artist.
Conclusion
I’ve always loved a good movie fistfight, from Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan and Jet Lee, and Ip Man to John Wick. I still think martial arts movies are some of the best fighting movies ever.
That said, martial arts in films are just as challenging to get right as car chases or sex scenes. If the choreography or camera movements in an action sequence are not extremely well done, it will confuse us as viewers – or even worse – make us bored.
Other times, it’s not as much the choreography itself but the build-up or the context of the fight that gets us emotionally engaged in the fight.
Good fight scenes will stay long in our memory and become masterpieces in their own right. Fight scenes don’t necessarily have to be long or flashy to have an emotional impact. Sometimes, a single-timed kick can seal the deal.
Long fight scenes with a lot of flashy moves risk being boring and suffer the same fate as so many car chase scenes or action scenes, especially if you can’t follow the narrative in the scene due to shaky camera movements or bad choreography.
But that was harder than I thought. Picking out the best fight scene of all time is no easy task, with so many great scenes and martial artists to choose from.
So that’s my take on the 20 best fight scenes ever. Do you agree? Disagree? Which ones did I miss? Let me know in the comment section below.
