“An Old Fashioned Beat Down.”: Top Ten Greatest Movie Fight Scenes of All Time.
Who doesn’t love a good fist fight? Action movies are built on them and audiences look forward to them. Whenever the film reaches its climax and finally gives us the show down between two bitter foes we’ve been waiting for there’s nothing that gives us a better high. The best fights in movies, however, are the ones satisfying on many levels including the authentic brutality, how even a match the two opponents are for each other, how creative the fight in general is and most importantly how big the stakes are for our hero who in the best of fights might not only lose the fight but lost their lives. Personally, my favorite fights has all of those elements and one more: Grounded realism. I love a good big time over the top martial arts display as much as the next guy, but, there’s just something about a less grandiose and more brutal hand to hand showdown with few camera tricks and more focus on the two evenly matched opponents going at their hardest at each other, trying to kill or not get killed by the other. The kinds that are more of straight brawls than Matrix style superhuman\Bruce Lee stuff. Here are ten of my very favorite movie fights that hit all the key criteria as the greatest movie fights of all time.
10. Malcolm vs. Lester. Big Momma’s House. 2000.
This classic fight from Big Momma’s House was pretty hardcore for a big blockbuster comedy. Martin Lawrence and Terrence Howard went to work on each other and managed to make a fight that was equally funny and badass.
9. The Hulk vs. Abomination. The Incredible Hulk. 2008.
A a true battle of the titans. Hulk vs. Abomination left Harlem in disarray but gave us a killer and brutal brawl for the ages! What’s also so great about this battle is how we saw the almighty Hulk meet his match and almost lose the fight, which makes us root for the not so jolly green giant to take the true to his name abomination all the way down. This fight was pure rage and brutality and it’s a joy to behold.
8. Spiderman Vs. Green Goblin. Spiderman No Way Home. 2021.
The recent big battle between the MCU Peter Parker vs. Sam Raimi’s Green Goblin was something to behold. It had been almost twenty years since we last seen Spidey go head to head in a downright brutal brawl, and I’d say it was worth the wait because Goblin showed out and beat the ever loving mess out of Holland’s Parker. This movie was Holland finally being on his way to becoming the Spiderman we all know and love and this butt whooping as well as the gut wrenching end of this fight cleared the path for that to be. Other than that it’s just a fun and well choreographed and directed fight.
7. Riggs vs. Mr. Joshua. Lethal Weapon. 1987.
The final showdown between Riggs and Mr. Joshua in the first Lethal Weapon was something to behold. These two very angry and very bull headed men weren’t gonna be satisfied with a simple arrest, no no noooo. Pumped up with adrenaline and testosterone, these two decide to go all in on the Murtaugh lawn with a crowd of cops and Roger watching. The fight was very simple yet so badass and delightfully brutal. Riggs brought out his classic Kung Fu killer moves and Joshua held his own.
6. Lee and Carter Vs. Ricky Tan’s Goons at the Massage Parlor. Rush Hour 2. 2001.
Of course there are plenty of great fights in the whole Rush Hour series but this one with Lee and Carter vs. Ricky Tan’s goons at the Massage parlor is truly one of the very best the franchise had to offer. It gave us fun kung fu fighting, partner camaraderie and a classic handshake. A truly entertaining and amazingly choreographed fight.
5. Tony Stark Vs. Thanos. Avengers Infinity War. 2018.
This was a battle you’d never expect to be so well matched but Tony held his own far more than even The Hulk, sad to say. This was a fight long coming as Tony had been haunted by Thanos and what was coming for years. Tony Stark was all heart and gave it his all to the end and for that he’ll always be a true legend. Even Thanos himself had respect for him. A truly raw and bloody battle between Iron Man and the Mad Titan.
4. Spiderman Vs. Doc Ock. Spiderman 2. 2004.
Everybody remembers and loves this battle. Spiderman vs. Doc Ock on a train is one of the greatest fights in superhero\comic book cinema and just cinema in general. It’s both thrilling to watch as well as heartbreaking because these two had such respect and admiration for each other as mentor and mentee and it hurt us as much as it hurt them that they end up like this. They went toe to toe and you felt the realness of the fight with very little use of CGI making it all the more genuine and palpable. It felt straight out of the comic books.
3. James Bond Vs. Red Grant. From Russia With Love. 1964.
Another iconic fight on a train… though inside one this time, is the iconic brawl between James Bond and Red Grant in the classic James Bond film, From Russia with Love. This fight scene was pretty well ahead of its time being so brutal and incredibly raw for 1964. These two men are clearly trying to kill each other, not just knock the other out which shows in their ferocity and brutality with one another as Bond fights for his life and Grant does everything in his power to kill his opponent. A very intense and exciting fight between two perfectly matched foes with amazing camera work. It’s truly one of the greatest fights in the whole James Bond franchise and also one of the most innovative fights in cinema history.
2. Spiderman Vs. Green Goblin. Spiderman. 2002.
Wanna talk brutal battles? This has got to be the darkest, scariest and downright brutal fight scenes in the history of superhero movies. Before this we’ve never seen a superhero get such a raw beatdown like Peter Parker received by the Goblin here. Equally brutal was the Goblin’s death at the end of it. This fight puts you at the edge of your seat every time and it’s all so compelling to watch. Another thing that’s so great about it is how vulnerable it reveals Peter to be even with all his great powers. It reminds us that Peter really is the every man and that at the end of the day he is no Superman, he’s just regular ole’ Peter Parker who also just so happens to have spider related superpowers and wears a spidey suit.
- Riggs and Murtaugh vs. Jet Li. Lethal Weapon 4. 1998.
The Lethal Weapon franchise has boasted many classic fights but this final one in Lethal Weapon 4 was and is truly the most brutal, most frightening and most intensely riveting to watch. Riggs and Murtaugh are literally fighting for their lives against a truly skilled opponent who they are hilariously mismatched. Jet Li showed out throughout the entire movie and proved that size doesn’t matter as he nearly kills our heroes before Riggs got a miraculous lucky shot that saves his life. This fight was amazingly choreographed and lit, and the acting by all three was remarkable as you can’t help but forget that you’re watching a movie and genuinely fear for Riggs and Murtaugh. It was the perfect finale for an iconic franchise.