The 36 greatest movie fight scenes
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When it comes right down to it, all stories of good versus evil can essentially be boiled down to which one can punch the hardest. Across decades of action cinema, from big budget blockbusters to transgressive B-movie fare, there exist the greatest fight scenes ever in movie history. But which ones actually deserve that recognition?
The history of fight scenes in movies pretty much starts at the dawn of cinema. The 1894 film The Boxing Cat was a 22-second short in which Henry Welton's touring cat circus paid a visit to Thomas Edison's studios in New Jersey and had two of his cats "box" in a little boxing arena. (It would have been a huge hit on TikTok.) That same year, professional boxers Mike Leonard and Jack Cushing squared off in a match that was held for the express purpose of being filmed on camera. Much later, cinematic specimen Charlie Chaplin began experimenting with choreographed "fights" in his movies like the 1927 film College and the 1931 film City Lights.
The ensuing decades saw the rise of cowboy Westerns where brawny men throw haymakers and Hong Kong studios like the Shaw Brothers popularize cinematic kung fu. The late 20th century gave rise to the modern action hero, with icons like Bruce Lee, Jean Claude Van-Damme, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Dwayne Johnson, and so many more.
In celebration of the ongoing history of action cinema, let's knuckle up and run down the 36 greatest movie fight scenes.
36. Danny vs. The Stranger, in Unleashed (2005)
The woefully underrated Unleashed stars Jet Li in maybe his greatest dramatic performance of his career, as the feral bodyguard and "attack dog" for a Scottish gangster (Bob Hoskins). But the movie has no shortage of butt-kickin' fight scenes courtesy of legendary choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. One of the movie's final fights pits Li's Danny against "The Stranger," an eerie, ethereal hitman in white robes played by Mike Ian Lambert. Li and Lambert crank up the dial in an elegant and expansive clash where they make a mess of Glasgow apartments, including scaring a poor woman in her own shower. It may not be Jet Li's single greatest fight scene. But given how much Unleashed flies under people's radars, this technically well-executed fight scene deserves more recognition.
35. Creed vs. Anderson II, in Creed III (2023)
Ryan Coogler's Creed from 2015 received proper recognition for its immersive and technically sound cinematic boxing. With the 2023 sequel Creed III, star Michael B. Jordan (also in his directing debut) sourced from his lifelong fandom for shonen anime in its climactic title bout that doubled down in stylistic expressionism over realism. As the roaring crowd surrounding these bitter pugilists disappear, Creed (Jordan) and childhood friend turned rival Anderson (Jonathan Majors) are left alone to square off in an empty arena, the sound of their punches and heaving grunts echoing like cannon fire. It's here where Creed III shifts into a gear never before seen in the Rocky franchise to emphasize the intimacy and intensity of a decades-long grudge match. The end result is nothing short of spectacular.
34. Gordon Liu vs. Lo Lieh, in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is without question one of the most influential martial arts movies of all time, inspiring everything from video games to hip-hop music; the supergroup Wu-Tang Clan named their acclaimed debut album after the movie. A movie of such repute naturally boasts some of the greatest kung fu choreography ever put to film. The movie's climactic fight between Gordon Liu's noble monk San Te and Lo Lieh's ruthless General Tien Ta is classic good versus evil, with Liu moving like a graceful gazelle in contrast to Lieh's sturdy power stances. Their choice in weapons also reveal a strong contrast in both physical styles and philosophical ideals; the evil general is all about masculine might and tradition, whilst San Te and his "invention" of the three-sectional staff represents harmony and innovation.
33. Terry Tsurugi vs. Yakuza Killers, in The Street Fighter (1974)
Japan's answer to icons like Charles Bronson and Clint Eastwood is the late Sonny Chiba, an actual Kyokushin Karate black belt who became a matinee idol in the 1970s and a favorite of directors like Quentin Tarantino. In his breakout hit film The Street Fighter, Sonny Chiba stars as the anti-hero Terry Tsurugi, a mercenary who gets involved in a kidnapping plot hatched by the yakuza. In one of its most memorable fight scenes, Terry's grueling workout is interrupted by yakuza assassins. Their strength in numbers are no match, however, as Terry makes mincemeat out of meatbags. While the scene is nothing more than a showcase for Sonny Chiba to flex his muscles, you don't see anyone complaining about it.
32. Scott Adkins vs. Kane Kosugi, in Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013)
As big budget superhero tentpoles went mainstream in the 2010s, Scott Adkins kept the spirit of B-movie action alive with modestly budgeted direct-to-DVD and VOD fare. In 2013, Adkins starred in Ninja: Shadow of a Tear, an impeccable sequel to Adkins' cult 2009 film Ninja. We'll refrain from spoilers, but Shadow of a Tear's climactic fight scene involves a third act twist that pits Adkins against Kane Kosugi, himself an underrated martial arts actor with legit expertise in ninjutsu. (Not to mention: son of the famed Sho Kosugi.) Their onscreen brawl is all thrills and no frills, a pure martial arts exhibition featuring two icons of the underground whose best work lies in the shadows of Hollywood.
31. The Bar Fight, in The Book of Eli (2010)
Props to Denzel Washington, a dramatic actor unafraid of putting in the sweat of a true action hero. For the post-apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli, Washington spent months studying the Filipino martial art Arnis under Jeff Imada and Dan Inosanto, two legends whose expertise descends from Bruce Lee. The result of Wahsington's efforts speaks for itself, as the Oscar-winner lights up the screen as a cool-as-ice nomad who defends himself with machetes and knives. One of the movie's best fight scenes is when Eli takes out temperamental bikers at a wasteland saloon; in concert with Washington's stunning physicality is novel camera work by cinematographer Don Burgess, encircling the action and adding visual depth with moving bodies, dynamic lighting, and objects like tables and chairs. The scene exists in the tradition of old Westerns and kung fu movies, but synthesizes them all to make something totally new.
30. Dom vs. Hobbs, in Fast Five (2011)
When Dwayne Johnson was cast as Luke Hobbs for Fast Five, fans knew instantly what was in store: A fight with Vin Diesel. Justin Lin's Fast & Furious sequel makes good on its promise, with an exhilarating no holds barred match-up between Diesel's evasive but provoking Dominic Toretto and Johnson's determined lawman Hobbs. Both are beefy bald dudes who value cooperation and loyalty from their chosen "families," so it's quite something to see the men tussle in what was, and still is, one of the purest scraps in Fast Saga history. (Spot Johnson holding Diesel in a kimura submission; that's when you know he means business.) More than anything though is the scene's punctuating conclusion, which calls to mind an important piece of lore told in the original The Fast & the Furious. Never forget fight scenes are still meant to tell a story.
29. Tony Jaa vs. Lateef Crowder, in The Protector (2006)
It's hard to single out just one great fight from The Protector. The Tony Jaa barnburner from 2006 is loaded with some of the most limb-shattering fights ever on camera, from Jaa's one-take rampage to the animalistic destruction of an entire mafia bone by bone. But one scene stands above the rest: Jaa's one-on-one battle with Lateef Crowder. The latter appears halfway through the movie as one of three nameless assassins tasked with taking Jaa down. Like their scenery's contrasting elements of fire and water, the combatants' chosen styles - Jaa's Muay Thai and Crowder's Capoeira - seeds an air of imbalance until they tear up with dazzling chemistry. Two more fights featuring Jon Foo and Nathan Jones follow, but the excitement here peaks early.
28. Steve Rogers vs. Winter Soldier, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
At the zenith of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s acclaim, the Russo Brothers make their Marvel debut with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Though spiritually inspired by Cold War era spy thrillers - its casting of Robert Redford as a shady S.H.I.E.L.D. figurehead is practically a cheat code to achieve that vibe - the movie’s physical action reflects its contemporary post-John Wick moment. At the film's midpoint, Sebastian Stan returns as his Bucky Barnes, now brainwashed into the lethal assassin dubbed the Winter Soldier. His first fight with Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), with memorable choreography involving combat knives and the iconic Captain America shield, remains one of the finest bits in the entire MCU.
27. Jackie Chan vs. Brad Allan, in Gorgeous (1999)
You could make a whole list of all-time great fight scenes with just Jackie Chan. A true artist who synthesized martial arts action with clever comic filmmaking, his name is practically synonymous with the action movie genre. But while Chan has an embarrassment of riches under his belt, his one-on-one fight scenes in the action romantic-comedy Gorgeous against protege Brad Allan (the first person of non-Chinese descent to join Chan's fabled stunt team) are singular. With an orientation towards competitive kickboxing over typical Jackie Chan set-pieces - which mostly use traditional kung fu and improvised weapons - this underrated Chan feature is worth seeking out.
26. The Bathroom Fight, in Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
Originally, a big name actor (who remains unidentified) was to be the third in this hard-hitting fight scene with Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill. But in rehearsals, the actor just couldn't keep pace with either Cruise and Cavill, so the job went to veteran stuntman Liang Yang. It's a good thing it did, because this pulse-pounding fight inside a luxurious club bathroom is not just a stunner across the entire Mission: Impossible series but in all of action movies period. For all the times the series dangles Cruise off skyscrapers and jet planes, a brutal fistfight still knocks him - and the franchise's dedicated audience - completely off their feet. (Fun fact: Cavill's now iconic "arm pump" was completely improvised, with Cavill trying to ease muscle soreness after several weeks of filming.)
25. Ip Man vs Frank, AKA Donnie Yen vs. Mike Tyson in Ip Man 3 (2016)
Not since The Hangover has Mike Tyson hit so hard on the big screen. In Ip Man 3 from 2016, the champion boxer formerly known as the "Baddest Man on the Planet" steps up to face down Donnie Yen, who returns in his career-defining role as Ip Man. While Tyson is playing the part of a ruthless foreign landlord named Frank, he's really just playing himself, a brawny boxer who challenges Yen to a three-minute "round" inside his office. What follows is an especially beautiful and brutal fight scene that memorably showcases a clash of international martial arts disciplines. The round "ends" without a proper winner between the two, but it doesn't matter, because we all win with a clash of titans that still sounds too good to be real.
24. The Kitchen Fight, in The Raid 2 (2014)
With The Raid 2, the idea of topping the breakout 2012 indie darling The Raid: Redemption seemed like an impossible task. But director Gareth Edwards and star Iko Uwais were clearly prepared for the challenge, as they reunited for one of the most gorgeous and violent action movie sequels of all time. One scene in particular stands out: The Kitchen Fight. Clocking in at an almost exhausting seven minutes, Uwais and his opponent - actor Cecep Arif Rahman, playing "The Assassin" - paint an entire stainless steel kitchen red with blood. Utilizing practically everything in said kitchen (besides the sink, strangely), The Raid 2 proves that some sequels actually hit harder than before.
23. Zhang Ziyi vs. Zhang Jin, in The Grandmaster (2013)
Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster might seem incongruous to the rest of his filmography. But his epic 2013 biopic chronicling the life of martial arts master Ip Man (played by Hong Kong heartthrob Tony Leung) boasts plentiful reminders of his romantic sensibilities. A climactic fight scene between Ip Man's love interest Gong Er (Zhang Ziyi) and antagonist Ma San (Zhang Jin) is illustrative of Wong Kar-wai playing in a different field on his own terms, with breathtaking snowfall and the textured smoke of steamrollers adding pizzazz to balletic choreography. When Wong Kar-wai is behind the camera, fight scenes aren't fight scenes - they're dances of destruction.
22. Jet Li vs. Chin Siu-ho, in Fist of Legend (1994)
In this seismic remake of Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury, Jet Li and Chin Siu-ho conduct an all-time banger of a fight scene that abstractly adheres to Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do philosophies. Li stars as Chen Zhen (previously played by Lee), a Chinese man who returns from studying abroad in Japan after the death of his master by occupying forces. His friend Huo Ting'en (Chin Siu-ho) expresses disgust at Chen's relationship with a Japanese woman and challenges him to a fight. During their match, Chen switches up his style to incorporate Western boxing techniques (and a general imitation of Bruce Lee) to gain the upper hand. This is Jeet Kune Do, Lee's discipline that stresses adaptation and efficiency over strict forms and absorbing all advantageous ideas in the pursuit of improvement. But even if you don't get all that, the scene is still just Jet Li doing what he does best: kick butt in the coolest way anyone can.
21. Sammo Hung vs. Yuen Biao in Millionaires Express (1986)
Sammo Hung's Millionaires Express is a rollicking good time, a martial arts Western comedy where cowboy bandits, Japanese samurai, and kung fu masters collide like cross-cultural dynamite. Late in the movie, Sammo Hung - who writes, directs, and stars as hapless outlaw Ching Fong-tin - confronts fire chief Tsao Cheuk-kin (fellow Seven Little Fortunes member Yuen Biao) in a one-on-one match up at a village train station. While it's a short fight scene, the choreography is as magnificent as it looks risky, with lucha libre-style takedowns that involve the actors hitting their heads on solid cement. Few fight scenes ever make us ask, "How did they do it?" Millionaires Express has us banging our own heads wondering how they did.
20. Bruce Lee vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in Game of Death (1978)
Bruce Lee shot about 11 minutes of what he intended to be his magnum opus Game of Death before he died of a cerebral edema at age 32. It so happens the surviving footage places Lee's character deep in his primary challenge: surviving a five-story pagoda inhabited by different masters. The last of them is "Mantis," an enigmatic warrior played by NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (a real-life friend and student of Lee's) who fights with a fluid style that mimics Lee's own. Everything about Bruce Lee is iconic, but his fight scene with Abdul-Jabbar is especially emblematic of Lee's enduring image, from the iconic banana jumpsuit to his lifelong role as the eternal underdog to even his friendship across racial lines. It's unfortunate Lee died so young and so early, but we should be so thankful that what he left behind is so unforgettable.
19. Iko Uwais vs. the Machete Gang, in The Raid: Redemption (2012)
When you convince a friend to check out The Raid and they make it to this scene, chances are good that you've made them a true disciple of The Raid. Exceptionally violent but visually mesmerizing, this "hallway fight" from Gareth Edwards' breakout Indonesian action-thriller The Raid: Redemption easily goes toe-to-toe with so many other hallway fight scenes of other movies. Iko Uwais, in his first acting role, shines as a gritty police officer who stands alone against an entire criminal gang who wield machetes and other sharp instruments. But thanks to his expertise in the Indonesian fighting style Pencak silat, Uwais survives by the skin of his teeth and blood on his brow, using his enemies' momentum against them and making use of every sharp edge in their environment to his advantage.
18. Jet Li vs. Donnie Yen, in Once Upon a Time in China Part II (1992)
Two undisputed heavyweights of the game, Jet Li and Donnie Yen, have shared the screen several times throughout their careers. But their greatest match-up was and still is in the climactic scene of Once Upon a Time in China Part II, in which Li returns as the folk hero Wong Fei-hung and Yen co-stars as a rival military officer. While Li and Yen trade blows twice in the movie, their climatic fight at a market is a technically perfect achievement. It's two bonafide legends at the very top of their physical prime performing in an elaborate and visually dynamic stage that features multiple sight lines and elements like cracking bamboo, smashed stones, and even whipping laundry. This is simply Chinese wuxia at its finest.
17. The Second Fire Fight, in Five Element Ninjas (1982)
Five Element Ninjas is a cult kung fu banger from the legendary Shaw Brothers Studio that cultivated its mythic reputation among western audiences via low-rent theaters and bootleg videos. The movie centers around Tian Hao (Cheng Tien Chi), a Chinese kung fu master and lone survivor of a massacre who seeks revenge against Japanese ninjas who weaponize the elements - hence, "Five Element Ninjas." After learning their ways and assembling his own squad, Tian Hao leads his crew to the final "Fire Ninjas." Now armed with the right tools and knowledge of their tactics, this triumphant fight scene illustrates the virtues of good old fashioned preparation and practice. No amount of money or magic can ever substitute that.
16. Keanu Reeves vs. Donnie Yen, in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Elevating the art of the fight scene to breathtaking new heights, Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen square up in undoubtedly one of the greatest single fight scenes in 2020s action cinema. In the fourth John Wick movie starring Keanu Reeves, Wick meets his true match in Yen's Caine, a blind assassin whose disability seems to be the only thing keeping a level playing field with John Wick. While the character exists in homage to characters like Zatoichi, Yen's sharp-dressed killer is his own person as evidenced in a fight that demonstrates Caine's equal measurements of grit and ingenuity, as well as his own limitations. Pulsating LED lights and a clean stage decorated with ancient samurai armor and plenty of sight lines all add to the scene's lethal aura.
15. Ip Man vs. Ten Black Belts, in Ip Man (2008)
Grandmaster Ip Man was the man who taught Bruce Lee. So it’s appropriate the hit 2008 biopic Ip Man, starring Donnie Yen in the title role, echoes one of Bruce Lee’s most iconic scenes from Fist of Fury. In Ip Man, the Chinese master of Wing Chun is desperate to feed his family amid the Sino-Japanese War, so he takes up an open challenge by a Japanese general to take on three karate masters; Ip Man ups the ante by requesting to fight ten. Underscored by Ip Man’s desperation to survive and resentment towards imperialist forces, Ip Man features one of the most emotionally-charged fight scenes in all of modern martial arts cinema. Tone is an underrated element of any given fight scene, and this one proves that not every fight scene in movies are made for empty thrills.
14. The Bride vs. The Crazy 88, in Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill, Quentin Tarantino’s rip-roaring homage to '60s and '70s martial arts cinema and revenge thrillers, slices its own blood-soaked path to infamy in the rousing one-versus-many set piece seen in Volume 1. As the vengeful "Bride" in Tarantino's duology, Uma Thurman shows she’s a cut above the rest in an elaborate third act sequence where Thurman takes her custom Hanzo Hattori katana to dice up masked yakuza like veggies. You know a movie is gangster when it also knows it’s too violent and instantly turns to black and white to soften the bloodletting and keep an R-rating. Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.
13. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon vs. Darth Maul, in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
While the Star Wars prequel trilogy has its many faults, the climactic 2v1 lightsaber battle between Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) against Darth Maul (Ray Park) in 1999's The Phantom Menace still ranks as one of the coolest fight scenes in all of Hollywood history. From its wuxia-inspired swordplay to Park using his extensive martial arts expertise to John Williams cooking with gas on "Duel of the Fates," The Phantom Menace asserts that Star Wars stands at the dawn of the 21st century and that things will never be the same. There have been many other great lightsaber battles since Phantom Menace, but you'd be hard-pressed to name one better.
12. Donnie Yen vs. Collin Chou, in Flash Point (2007)
The popularity of mixed martial arts in the late 2000s was evident across all of popular culture, and especially in movies. Donnie Yen, an avowed UFC fan, incorporated MMA techniques like submission holds and jiu-jitsu grapples in his breakneck fight scene with Collin Chou in the climax of his hit 2007 film Flash Point. While the plot is boilerplate Hong Kong action - Yen plays a hard-hitting cop seeking to take down a Chinese triad - Flash Point stands head and shoulders above typical action movie slop with its inventive choreography that seamlessly and masterfully blends Chinese kung fu with MMA. You can't help but wonder how Donnie Yen would fare in the Octagon.
11. Michelle Yeoh vs. Zhang Ziyi, in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
You had to be there when the world was caught in the vice grip of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Ang Lee's epic wuxia romance - a movie spoken entirely in Mandarin Chinese - not only succeeded as a box office juggernaut but was a contender for the prestigious Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards in 2001. Of its many iconic fight scenes, you won't hear too much arguing that the elegant sword fight between Michelle Yeoh (as Yu Shu Lien) and Zhang Ziyi (as Jen Yu) isn't its best. As always, its merits are more than the sum of its mise en scene; it comes down to story. Yeoh knows her weapon is no match for Ziyi's Green Destiny, so she depends on her own weapon breaking to win. Because real warriors don't rely on weapons to win for them.
10. Mad Max vs. Furiosa, in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
If you think having technically perfect kung fu is a pre-requisite for an all-time great fight scene, think again. In the wastelands of George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, Tom Hardy's Mad Max goes to the mat (or sand, rather) with Charlize Theron's Furiosa in a fast-paced wrestling match that Miller and DP John Seale brilliantly capture with center framing in mind. With unique elements like Mad Max's iron face mask being connected to a long chain, a shotgun that just won't fire, and other unusual objects within reach, Mad Max and Furiosa have a one-of-a-kind fight that almost makes you believe their actors actually hated each other. Oh wait. They did.
9. The Duel Against the House of Iyi, in Harakiri (1962)
We mustn't forget that cinema is a visual medium. A fight scene can still amaze when it successfully tells its story without complex choreography. Enter: Harakiri, Masaki Kobayashi's brilliant jidaigeki masterpiece from 1962. Tatsuya Nakadai plays a ronin who, before committing seppuku in front of a feudal lord, recounts the events of how he got to that point. His unforgettable duel with House of Iyi's master swordsman Omodaka Hikokuro (played by Tetsurō Tamba) comes alive with intense winds that kick up sand and blow through blades of grass that imbue the scene with an atmosphere that Ghost of Tsushima fans may find familiar. Harakiri has one of the most picturesque sword fights in movie history, never mind how little their swords actually clash. (Which, by the way, was due to how terrified the actors were because they were using real swords during filming, a practice that is now banned in the Japanese movie industry.)
8. The Hallway Fight, in Oldboy (2003)
One-take fight sequences were all the rage in the 2010s, but that's because everyone was trying to capture the magic of Chan Wook-park's unforgettable revenge tale Oldboy. While not strictly an action movie, its lead protagonist Oh Dae-su, played by Choi Min-sik, throws hands after he's suddenly released following 15 years of solitary confinement. Returning to his prison, Oh Dae-su beats up the guards one by one. Chan Wook-park shoots the whole thing in one take, creating the feel of a retro video game. (Composer Jo Yeong-wook also picks up slack with a pulsating track that mimics heartbeats.) Its realistic choreography is not only rooted in character - Oh Dae-su is far from a martial arts master - but an artistic choice that grounds the world of Oldboy before stunning audiences with its pitch black twist.
7. Jackie Chan vs Ken Lo, in Legend of the Drunken Master (1994)
Even action heroes need a bodyguard, and for several years Jackie Chan hired taekwondo champion Ken Lo as his own. The two grew close and eventually, not only did Ken Lo join the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, but he showed off his lightning kicks as the main villain in Chan's 1994 comic extravaganza Legend of the Drunken Master. The movie's climax pits Chan against Lo, with Chan getting his noggin rocked by a blazing taekwondo master until he imbibes just the right amount of booze to get in the zone. This fight scene is simply one of Chan's best ever, a feverish rhythmic pace and intricate choreography that asserts Chan as one of the true GOATs.
6. Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock in Yes, Madam! (1985)
True genre obsessives know Cynthia Rothrock. Born in Delaware and raised in Pennsylvania, Rothrock grew up into a champion martial artist with certifications in taekwondo, karate, Tang Soo Do, and Shaolin kung fu. In 1985, she made her acting debut with future Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh in the Hong Kong action flick Yes, Madam! - the first in the In the Line of Duty series. Rothrock plays an investigator from Scotland Yard who teams up with Yeoh's Inspector Ng to track down a microfilm containing intel on a crooked businessman. The first scene where Yeoh and Rothrock team up to take on a horde of bad guys is an all-timer, a majestic melee where the two heroines ooze style and swagger with every swing of a roundhouse kick. They just don't make them like they used to.
5. Neo Spars Morpheus, in The Matrix (1999)
"Morpheus is fighting Neo!" Cue everyone scrambling to get a front-row seat. The Matrix was a dropkick to the senses when it hit theaters in 1999, being a seminal sci-fi blockbuster that hacked the stylings of heroic bloodshed era Hong Kong and Japanese anime onto an unsuspecting mainstream audience. For the sparring exercise between Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne - to allow Reeves' Neo adjust to the artificial environment of The Matrix - the Wachoswkis enlist legendary choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, whose craftsmanship balances elegance with brutality. It's a testament to everyone's combined efforts that both Fishburne and Reeves look like legit kung fu masters with more years of experience than they actually had. With stone cold lines like "Stop trying to hit me and hit me!", this fight scene is irreplaceable and no doubt of the canon.
4. Jackie Chan vs. New York, in Rumble in the Bronx (1995)
More than a decade after Jackie Chan became a star in Asia with his film Drunken Master, Rumble in the Bronx finally brought him fame abroad - appropriate, given the movie's meta premise of a Hong Kong brawler making a mess of foreign New York City. Halfway through the movie, Chan is left squaring off with an entire gang of punks in their dingy hideaway - a place inexplicably overstuffed with TV sets, pinball machines, and yes, refrigerators. Chan's fight against New York hooligans is quintessential of his style: mayhem with musicality, innovation out of improvisation. Between his iconic fit and its equally iconic stunts, this scene from Rumble in the Bronx is practically mandatory viewing.
3. Donnie Yen vs. Sammo Hung, in SPL: Sha Po Lang/Kill Zone (2005)
The all-star smackdown that was Wilson Yip's SPL: Sha Po Lang - released under the more crude title "Kill Zone" in the U.S. - has a thunderous climax that sees the meeting of two men from two generations. Representing the new school is Donnie Yen, who stars in the film as a rogue cop from an outside precinct on the hunt for a gangster played by the legendary Sammo Hung. Nodding to the changing landscape of action cinema in the 21st century, Yen and Hung's slobberknocker features MMA techniques like double leg takedowns, judo throws, chokeholds, and armbars. While Yen would more prominently implement MMA-style choreography with his film Flash Point two years later, this scene in SPL sees the start of Yen's experimentation.
2. Jackie Chan vs. Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, in Wheels on Meals (1984)
For all his stunts and comic antics, Jackie Chan is still a trained martial artist. In the 1984 action comedy Wheels on Meals, Jackie Chan squared up with undefeated kickboxing champion Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, who plays the muscle for the movie's villains. Together, Chan and Urquidez deliver a stone cold masterclass in cinematic choreography, an exhibition of perfect forms and hilarious storytelling. When Urquidez throws one of his hard-hitting jabs and Chan makes his goofy faces of pain, we all feel it. But the impressive physicality aside, it's still the story that makes the scene superb. Towards the end, Chan decides to relax himself and approach the fight like a chill sparring match - a defiant act of de-escalation and changing mentality to let oneself think like a winner to be a winner. (By the way: When Urquidez roundhouse kicked the candle flames to go out, that was real.)
1. Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris, in The Way of the Dragon (1972)
Is Bruce Lee versus Chuck Norris actually the greatest movie fight scene of all time? Or is it great because it's Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris? Whatever the case, there's little debate that Lee and Norris' simmering one-on-one battle in The Way of the Dragon isn't compulsively rewatchable. Among Lee's most important contributions to the art of filmmaking was introducing realistic combat, a stylistic and philosophical contrast to the acrobatics of traditional kung fu cinema. Lee's adherence to realism and practicality - as echoed by his own fighting system Jeet Kune Do - is especially visible in Lee/Norris, a fight that has actually introduced modern MMA techniques like the oblique kick. With their fight taking place inside a Roman coliseum as a way to channel the vibe of ancient gladiators, Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris show that the heart of a warrior transcends colors, regions, and even time itself.
