Action films have had undergone an interesting transition since the turn of the century. A genre that used to be largely populated by trained performers capable of in-camera stunt work, American action cinema has more and more been folded in and blended with high concept franchising. Superheroes, sci-fi and spectacle are the order of the day, and in a film market increasingly driven by proven box office star power, the classic model of action star has by and large been relegated to the realm of direct-to-video in favor of leading man heroes with remarkable trainers and even better stunt doubles.
But the art of the fight scene is stronger than ever. While action films from overseas markets continue to deliver staggering in-camera displays from skilled martial artists like Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Sammo Hung, Tony Jaa, Jackie Chan and recent breakout Iko Uwais, the rising popularity of genre films on an international scale ensures there's never a shortage of kinetic kick-ass action in the theater at any given week. If you like your fights scenes a bit more classically macho, there's also a healthy DTV scene where the 80s and 90s all-stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, and Steven Segal are still in action alongside reliable next generation powerhouses like Scott Adkins and Michael Jai White.
In short, there's been an insane amount of great action over the last couple decades, which makes singling out the best of the best in well-rounded way one hell of a challenge. A few ground rules before we get to the picks. First of all, this is movie scenes only, which means no Banshee, no Arrow, and most painfully of all, no Daredevil. Second, I'm not using "fight scenes" as a catch-all phrase for action, I'm focusing on hand-to-hand combat fight scenes, not shootouts, massacres, battles, or chases, though admittedly some fall a little close on the line. Finally, I'm limiting selections to one fight scene per movie because otherwise, this list would just be Kill Bill, The Raid, and Donnie Yen, and that's no fun.
Without further ado, let's look at the best fight scenes of the 21st century below.
27. King Kong - T-Rex Fight
Directed by: Peter Jackson
It's King Kong vs. T-Rex, need I say more? Ok then, there are three of them. I feel like that's really enough to sum up why this fight scene is so great, but I'll expand. Peter Jackson's loving remake of the monster movie classic can be a bloated and uneven mess, but there are moments when it glimpses greatness. The moment where King Kong squares off against a pack of three Tyrannosaurus Rex is definitely one of them.
Jackson teamed with his tried and true digital effects partners at WETA for the film and while some of the VFX bits haven't aged so well, this one is a triumph. Kong takes on the pack of killer dinos singlehandedly -- both in the sense that he's alone and in the sense that he's basically got one hand tied behind his back, carrying around Naomi Watts' Ann Darrow in his hand the whole time. As Jackson proved with the Lord of the Rings films, he knows how to direct a massive-scale battle, and here he narrows the numbers of players down, but keeps the scale the same as the giant beasts tumble through the jungle in savage, prehistoric fisticuffs. You kind of have to pretend Darrow has bones of reenforced steel for the scene to totally work, but I really just can't overstate how much you'll forgive when King Kong is fighting a trio of T-Rex.
26. Anchorman - News Team Street Fight
Directed by: Adam McKay
Anchorman's signature newscaster battle royale is dangerously close to a battle sequence, but there are so few truly great comedic fight scenes, it wouldn't be right to leave off the list. Adam McKay's endlessly quotable, painfully hilarious feature debut has plenty of memorable moments, but the newscaster street fight has become the film's signature moment; a crystallization of Anchorman's unpredictable, anything-goes sense of humor. Well, almost anything. As always, no touching of the hair or face.
The key to the big news team battle is the perfectly keyed up progressive escalations as Ron Burgundy and Co. prepare to go toe-to-toe vs. Evening News vs. Channel 2 News vs. Public News vs. Spanish Language News. From the trash-talking, to the celebrity cameos, to the weapon reveals and, ultimately, the shockingly violent ways those weapons are put to use, McKay structures each reveal with rising absurdity and energy until the scene breaks out into full-on chaos. There are no shortage of memorable bits in Anchorman, but the newscaster street fight has superseded them all -- even sex panther and Afternoon Delight -- to become the definitive and enduring moment of the film.
25. Guardians of the Galaxy - Xandar Fight
Choreographed by: James Young
Directed by: James Gunn
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Guardians of the Galaxy. The first time we see our oddball band of unlikely heroes together, they're kicking the crap out of each other, each pursuing in pursuit of their own illicit agenda. Typical.
There's plenty of kinetic fun to be had when our heroes first meet on Xandar. At times, it feels like a relay race as the soon-to-be team members trade advantage and disadvantage at a moment's notice. But the scene's greatest strength is how succinctly it introduces our characters, their combat styles, and personalities all in a brief matter of minutes. It's got personality and personality goes a long way. You watch this sequence and you immediately get who they are. You understand why you would want them on your team, even why they might be your enemy. And it's an absolute joy to watch, each action beat punctuated by a comedic punchline that keeps the energy through the roof.
24. Pirates of the Caribbean - Sword Fight
Choreographed by: Bob Anderson
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
There aren't a whole lot of examples of swashbuckling sword play done right, which is what makes the showdown between Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow and Orlando Bloom's Will Turner such a delight. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a good old-fashioned action adventure, and its signature fight scene follows suit.
Choreographed by Bob Anderson, the master swordsman behind The Princess Bride and Highlander, the duel itself is rousing with a self-referencing focus on footwork and technique. But it's also a fantastically fun character scene. Depp's Jack Sparrow act has become a series of diminishing returns over the years, especially in light of his post-Pirates preference for ostentatious characters and over-the-top costuming, but it can't be over-stated how enchanting his original spin on the character was. In case you forgot, he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for the role, and he earns it at every beat with a performance so consummately entertaining, it's like a giddy rum buzz by proxy.
23. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Roxy vs. Ramona
Choreographed by: Brad Allen
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World should have been a huge hit. It's based on a beloved comic, it's got a a charming set of lead characters including the somehow always underrated Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Edgar Wright directs the hell out of the material, creating a freewheeling video game reality where Kung Fu fights can break out at any moment and Michael Cera is a martial arts master.
The fight scenes are truly better than they have any right to be considering the untrained cast base, and in addition to Wright's dynamic direction of the set piecess, the credit goes to stunt choreographer Brad Allen. A former member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, Allen has gone on to become an acclaimed stun coordinator in his on right on films like Kick Ass, The Worlds End, and Kingsman, but Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is the best use of his expertise in Chan's famous comedic combat yet. The fight between Roxy (Mae Whitman) and Ramona (Winstead) may not be the most comedic fight in the film (at least not until Scott gets involved, when that Chan influence comes fully into play), but it is one of the most engaging thanks to the women's unusual weaponry and some incredibly detailed and imaginative visual and audio effects work. That, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead is just a total badass.
22. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Elevator Fight
Choreographed by: James Young
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
As is fitting for the consummate all-American soldier, Captain America has alway set the standard for hand-to-hand combat in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Winter Soldier, in particular, boasts some absolutely stunning fight-choreography from Marvel regular James Young. There are a few killer fight scenes in the film, especially the extensive close quarter combat sequences between Steve and The Winter Soldier throughout, but it's the elevator fight scene that sticks in your head because it's so perfectly crafted to show off Cap's remarkable skill set.
The idea to take the First Avenger from the battlefield to a claustrophobic, sardine-tight elevator packed with bad guys is inspired, serving as a microscope that amplifies the sheer force of Cap's strength. With no where to move, no place to gain ground, Cap simply has to do what he does best -- stand up to a bunch of bullies; these bullies just happen to be trained and armed to the teeth. That tight-quarters set-up made subbing in stunt doubles more trickier than usual, meaning a lot of the work fell on Chris Evans and Frank Grillo (who was sadly never given enough ass kicking scenes of his own during his MCU run), who pull the action off handily, crystalizing Cap's strength and determination into a tightly-contained microcosm.
21. Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Rey and Finn vs. Kylo Ren
Choreographed by: C.C. Smiff and Rob Inch
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
There's a tremendous power to anticipation; a heady bliss that comes with a payoff built upon years of anticipation. No doubt that payoff a huge part of the impact that came with finally seeing a new hero channel the Force and wield a lightsaber in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It doesn't hurt that that person was finally a woman. For viewers the world over, including myself, it was an incredibly powerful moment watching Daisy Ridley's Rey power up that iconic weapon and wield it against the dark side in a way no other female character had before.
However, even if you put that historical moment in the live action franchise aside, The Force Awakens' final showdown between Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren ranks as one of the great Star Wars standoffs. Once Rey and Ren really get going, there's a shared brute strength between them; an unrefined force of will that spills out of them onto the battlefield. Ren wrenches through the action; trained, but undisciplined and Rey moves through it with the unpolished ease of a natural. Far removed from the slick duels of the sequels, The Force Awakens gives lightsabers a rough-and-tumble edge, setting the stage for a fight that feels like the birth of two strong new fighters for the light and the dark.
20. Ninja: Shadow of a Tear - Bar Fight
Choreographed by: Tim Man
Directed by: Isaac Florentine
Ninja was an absolutely goofy movie that was watchable only for its camp and outstanding fight scenes, but against all odds, the follow-up Ninja: Shadow of a Tear is a genuinely fun old school action movie. Scott Adkins and director Isaac Florentine (who also directed Adkins on Undisputed 2 and 3) return to the material, but the wipe the slate clean and set a definitive tone when they kill off the only other major returning character -- his pregnant wife Namiko (Mika Hijii) -- at the very beginning. The rest is an onslaught of vengeful ass-kicking of the highest order.
With his gymnastic approach to martial arts, Adkins fills a void in the action scene that's been there since Jean-Claude Van Damme's heyday and this feels like a throwback fight straight from the 90s, right down to the denim shirt. Adkins is inhumanly agile and speedy as ever, and Florentine films the action with a steady camera that lets you see the choreography for all it's worth.
19. John Wick - Home Invasion
Choreographed by: Jonathan Eusebio
Directed by: David Leitch and Chad Stahelski
It shouldn't be too surprising that if you give a couple stuntmen the means to make a kickass action film, it's going to be even more action-packed than usual. And if you get Keanu Reeves to star in that film, it's going to include fantastic in-camera stunt work from the star who has long preferred to do as much of his own stunt work as he can. With John Wick, the refreshing dose of fresh face-smashing air no one saw coming, Reeves teamed with his long-time stunt double Chad Stahelski and fellow stuntman vet David Leitch, who teamed to helm the action-fuelled revenge pic and created a signature fighting technique that mixes flying fists and firearms, called "Gun Fu” — a combination of Japanese jiu jitsu, Brazillian jiu jitsu, 3-gun, and standing judo.
The home invasion scene is the moment where we finally see that technique unleashed and the moment we finally understand why everyone is so darn afraid of John Wick. Stahelski and Leitch build to the moment beautifully, teasing the reveal of "Baba Yaga" until Wick is finally suited up and ready for action. Then he calmly and cleanly dispatches the team of combat gear armed men and you get why Wick is such a big deal. The directorial duo know enough to frame the action cleanly, letting you see the fights play out instead of cutting around them, crafting the image of a preternaturally gifted hitman you definitely don't want to piss off.
18. Mad Max: Fury Road - Max vs. Furiosa
Choreographed by: Greg van Borssum
Directed by: George Miller
I never would have thought a fight between Tom Hardy and a one-armed Charlize Theron could be so believable, but George Miller's action masterpiece Mad Max: Fury Road has all the right moves. Fury Road is a non-stop barrage of high-octane thrills, but it's relatively slight on actual hand-to-hand combat. However, Miller knows how to get it in right where it counts and the smackdown between Furiosa and Max is dripping with intensity and intent from both players, both of whom just want to be free.
But this particular set-piece isn't just a two-hander, there's also Nicholas Hoult's Nux, who is chained to Max, and Immortan Joe's five wives who are outmatched but always willing to get in the fray. And everyone's got a disadvantage -- Max is stuck in a mask chained to Nux, Nux starts out unconscious, Furiosa isn't wearing her prosthetic arm, and Splendid Angharad is pregnant. The cumulative result is a completely singular brawl hinged on the tooth-and-nail tussle between Max and Furiosa, and it's the kind of fight that uses choreography to tell a story. This fight lets you know who these characters are. And all credit to the fantastic work of the performers and choreographer Greg van Borssum, but it's Margaret Sixel's Oscar-winning editing that pulls the chaos into comprehensive, clearly punctuated piece of excellence.
17. Watchmen - Opening Scene
Choreographed by: Damon Caro
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Zack Snyder's focus on style over substance has become a contentious point of conversation among movie fans in recent years. In fact, I watched two such movie fans literally punch each other in the face over it at the Fantastic Debates last year. But that attention to stylistic flourish can also be his greatest strength as a filmmaker when it's done right, and whatever you think about his narrative skills, Snyder's fight scenes have always been some of the best in the business.
The opening scene of Watchmen is best; a shattering, knock-down-drag-out fight to the death between Jeffrey Dean Morgan's bullish anti-hero The Comedian and a lean, mean mystery assailant. Snyder's go-to stunt and fight coordinator Damon Caro brings his usual expertise to the scene, with rapid-fire choreography that moves with superhuman agility and hits with superhuman strength, and Snyder's trademark flourishes are the best they've ever been as he plays with sense of speed and motion to increase every impact. Languid and beautiful, then suddenly sharp like a splash of freezing water, the sequence is a visceral dance of death, set to the tune of "Unforgettable". And unforgettable it is.
16. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - The Opera House
Choreographed by: Wade Eastwood
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Ethan Hunt has been through some shit man. As star and producer, Tom Cruise has helped hand craft the Mission: Impossible films into one of the best, longest-running action franchises in recent memory and he's turned himself into one of the best and most popular action stars of all time in the process. A huge part of that success hinges on the character of Ethan Hunt, the apex IMF agent who we've watched grow from an arrogant super-spy to a humbled, if unstoppable human force, who often ends up the punching bag for the bad guys.
Hunt has never been more weary than when we see him in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. He's up and at'em and ready to do his duty as ever, but there's a slight pause before he leaps into action and an enduring grimace as he gives his best "I'm too old for this shit" face. That attitude has huge payoff in the film's opera sequence, the stand-out set-piece in a film full of remarkable action and prize bits of comedy, as Hunt has to take down an assailant twice his size on the rails of a moving theater rig at the Vienna Opera House. Set to the dulcet tones of Giacomo Puccini's Turandot, the fight itself has a blunt, pugilistic style, but there's also a bit of a dance to it as Hunt and the assassin rise and fall with the music below them. And in true Tom Cruise style, it was shot without the help of green screen, the two actors playing out their action high above a stage where the Puccini opera actually played out beneath them.
15. Inception - Gravity Fight
Choreographed by: Tom Struthers
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
For all Christopher Nolan's many, many strengths as a director, hand-to-hand combat has never been his particular strong suit. With Inception, he found a way around that handicap with a concept so clever, and so wonderfully executed on practical sets that he finally harnessed the kinetic energy that was missing from most of his previous work. The scene is, of course, the gravity-shifting fight scene set in a revolving hotel corridor.
To film the scene, Nolan's crew constructed a 100-foot corridor, stationed on a series of rings capable of doing full 360-degree turns. As you might imagine, filming on a fully rotating set was incredibly complicated, and it took a full three weeks to complete filming. While the technical elements and the basic concept are both undeniably impressive, so is the showmanship and physical control on display from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who only had two weeks of rehearsal to prepare for the incredible balancing challenge. Together, the pieces make for an incredible bit of movie magic with that inimitable energy and tangibility of in-camera effects.
14. Creed - Adonis vs. The Lion
Choreographed by: Clayton Barber
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Ryan Coogler's work on Creed is a stunning tribute and resurrection of all the best-loved qualities of the Rocky franchise; the heart, the spirit, and of course, the boxing scenes. The best is the sequence that pits Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) against Leo 'The Lion' Sporino (professional boxer Gabriel Rosado). With a single, fluid take Coogler takes you inside the ring with the competitors, bobbing and weaving around and in-between them with impressive flow. The lack of cuts in the action makes the match feel like a livewire and the reward of the end victory is intoxicating.
The scene is essentially the payoff of a very elegant dance between the performers and the Steadicam operator, Benjamin Semanoff, who also underwent boxing training for the scene and whose athleticism here can't be ignored. Jordan trained with Rosado for a week to nail the choreography and ultimately, Coogler filmed 13 takes of the shot to get it right (if you're curious they used the 11th take in the film). It's an impressive technical achievement, but better yet it's a completely immersive moment in the film that gives you a direct line to the adrenaline of the boxing ring.
13. Spider-Man 2 - Spidey vs. Doc Ock
Choreographed by: Dion Lam
Directed by: Sam Raimi
With Spider-Man 2's beloved Doc Ock train fight, Sam Raimi created a classic hero vs. villain battle that feels like it was lifted straight from the splash page of a Marvel comic. Raimi's horror background gives him a knack for physical, visceral thrills, and that talent is on full display in the Spidey vs. Doctor Octopus fight set atop a speeding train. Some of the digital effects don't quite hold up, but fortunately, Raimi held to his love of practical effects as often as possible, so the scene still has a stellar tangibility, even if some of the more web-slinging moments are a little blurry around the edges.
Fight choreographer Dion Lam pulled from Kung Fu, Wushu, and Capoeira, but with the specific intent to ensure that Spidey didn't look like he was doing Chinese Kung Fu. Instead, the stunt team focused on giving Spider-Man a movement style all his own and they succeed in spades. Toby Maguire's hero zips and soars through the air in a way that's singular and instantly recognizable, perfectly translated from the comic pages to the screen. Whatever Marvel and Sony have in store for Spider-Man: Homecoming, they'll have a tall order topping this sequence.
12. Hero - Jet Li vs. Donnie Yen
Choreographed by: Tony Ching Siu-Tung
Directed by: Yimou Zhang
At the time of its release, Hero was the most expensive Chinese film ever made; a lush, epic Wuxia wonderland of color and choreography that went on to become an international box office phenomenon. Boasting a cast of Chinese all-stars, including Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Ziyi Zhang, and Maggie Chueng, Hero is packed with extraordinary set-pieces, each boasting their own visual flourish thanks to a stunning themed color palette from Chinese director Yimou Zhang and Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle. Which makes it kind of funny that the most memorable fight scene is black and white.
Set inside the mind of two master martial artists, a spiritual and psychic battle played out in physical form as Jet Li and Donnie Yen square off in one of the most exceptional demonstrations of weapon work ever put on film. Here, the oft-maligned wire work is used sparingly, only as a highlight to the tremendous skill Li and Yen already posses. It's a demonstration of two peak craftsmen bringing their skill to the screen.
11. Gladiator - Maximus vs. Tigris vs. Tigers
Choreographed by: Phil Neilson
Directed by: Ridley Scott
The sword and sandals epic is having a bit of a rough patch these days, but Ridley Scott's Gladiator is a true modern day staple of the genre. It's not just a first rate action epic and an immersive historical fiction, but a deeply human drama pinned on the back of Russell Crowe's soldier-turned-slave-turned-hero, Maximus. Because you care so deeply about Maximus and his journey, and because the establishment of gladiator arenas is so inherently inhuman, you're deeply invested in every battle on the arena floor and Scott makes it feel intimate and larger-than-life at the same time. Then he introduces tigers into the equation.
It would be so easy to mess up; to look silly or fake or too safe, but Scott integrates the carnal ferocity of the beasts into the fight itself. Maximus is already seemingly out-matched against the gigantic, legendary gladiator Tigris, but once the cages open and the beasts are quite literally unleashed, the set-piece escalates to genius level. To cap it all off, Scott seals the deal by making a poignant character moment when Maximus refuses the emperor's ruling and lets his opponent live, becoming a true hero of the people. It's an exemplary moment of integrating story and action so that they never distract from one another.
10. Warrior - The Championship Fight
Choreographed by: J.J. Perry
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
There aren't a lot of fight scenes out there that will make you ugly cry, but the final showdown between Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy's estranged Conlon brothers in Warrior is one of the most devastating and emotionally effective fights ever put on film. MMA still hasn't found a major foothold in cinematic scrapping, but Warrior treats the sport with a lot of love, celebrating the rigorous training and unorthodox lifestyle adjustments of professional competitors. However, for a film that's about professionally kicking ass, Warrior has a big, earnest heart thanks to the rending story of a family torn apart and two brothers on inevitable collision course.
As Tommy, a war vet driven by the rage of what he saw on the battlefield, Hardy is a force of fury and pure brute strength. He's a beast who takes down anything that's put in front of him. Until that thing is his own brother. Edgerton's Brendon is a level-headed family man and decided underdog, but he's got no other choice. He either puts up and keeps his family in their home, or he loses everything. From the moment they step into the ring, they have clearly defined wants and needs, meaning every swing and every kick come with the gut-twisting knowledge that someone has to lose. At the same time, they're hashing out decades of festering animosity and the hurt it bred between them. It's 10-plus minutes of emotionally eviscerating drama, carried through the intersection of fight choreography, performance, and fine-tuned editing.
9. The Bourne Ultimatum - Bourne vs. Desh
Choreographed by: Jeff Imada
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
The Bourne Identity films set a template that helped define contemporary American action; the hyper-kinetic close quarters combat and the aggressive, breakneck editing have become a hallmark of imitators over the years, setting the course of the early 2000s action aesthetic the same way Quentin Tarantino defined the 1990s crime genre. But where lesser imitators have used the stylistic flourishes to hide less-than-stellar technique and choreography, the Bourne films always integrated it into the Kali-based fighting technique in a way that allows you to track the action.
The pinnacle set-piece of the franchise the showdown between Matt Damon's Bourne and Joey Ansah's Desh in The Bourne Ultimatum. The sequence comes on the heels of another franchise highlight -- an extended multi-plane chase scene through Morocco -- and from the second Bourne comes flying through the window, the two expert assassins go toe-to-toe in a ferocious, fast-paced battle of equals. Well, almost equals... it is Bourne, after all. But Desh gets in just as many good hits as he takes, until the final blows of the hard-won beat down. It's a tremendous display of stunt work, performance and editing that puts a spotlight on all the best qualities of the franchise.
8. The Protector - Restaurant Fight
Choreographed by: Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai
Directed by: Prachya Pinkaew
The long-take fight scene in The Protector is a perfect contrast piece to Park Chan-wook's iconic Oldboy hammer fight, almost as if a response in a dialogue. Oldboy is a dreary, static image of a grueling turning of the tide by an untrained tough guy, The Protector is a vibrant and energetic pursuit of a master martial arts performer, captured by fast-moving camera that follows him through every trick and turn.
Director Prachya Pinkaew guides the camera in a way that's almost playful; lingering back at times, just long enough to fully display Jaa tossing someone through the stairway banister, before it races to catch up with the unstoppable, unwavering hero. As Kaam, Tony Jaa is an unstoppable force, all elbows and knees with his trademark Muay Thai showmanship. Jaa performs his own in-camera stunts unfalteringly for the four-minute take, with a poise and centered strength that marks him as a real deal cinematic martial artist on par with the greats.