Favorite movie fight scenes

[James Y]

Over the decades, I've liked a wide variety of movies from almost all genres. Back in the 1970s and 80s, I was a connoisseur of kung fu and modern-day action movies from Hong Kong and Taiwan, which played in local "grindhouse" theaters dubbed in English, and I also used to watch many more of them in subtitled form, at the local Chinese and Vietnamese-owned theaters. From the mid-80s on, I watched them when I lived in Taiwan.

Of course, great fight scenes have been made everywhere, in many genres. Personally, I don't give a darn if the fight scenes are 'realistic' or not; even the most realistic-looking fight scene in a movie is still fake. I care about whether I'm entertained or not. Just like my favorite Western movie is The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, but nobody would believe that the gunfights reflect reality.

In some fight scenes, the choreography is elevated to the level of a true art form. I cannot say what my one favorite fight scene is, because there are literally hundreds to choose from. However, for my first post, I've chosen this final fight scene from the 1984 Hong Kong action-comedy Wheels On Meals, which was filmed in Spain. A young, peak-era Jackie Chan vs former undefeated world kickboxing champion (and one of my boyhood heroes), Benny "The Jet" Urquidez. Directed by, co-starring, and action-choreographed by Sammo Hung (Jackie's elder classmate, also seen in part of a comedic fencing scene), the choreography, pacing, camera angles, complexity, and "timing" are perfect. Very few directors anywhere, in any genre, could insert comedy into serious scenes (and vice versa) like Sammo Hung did. IMO, it outdoes the classic Bruce Lee/Chuck Norris fight in Way Of The Dragon:

https://youtu.be/sD5rCBqfKzw

Jim

[James Y]

The end fight scene in Monkey Kung Fu (alternate title: Stroke Of Death, 1979).

Of particular interest is the arch-villain armed with the long staff, played by Kuan Feng, who was one of the most underrated and underused onscreen performers from the old-school kung fu movie era. He literally steals the show. It's my favorite example of onscreen staff fighting that I've ever seen, with extreme versatility and complexity of movement. Sadly, this was one of only about three movies where Kuan Feng was actually allowed to display his considerable physical skills onscreen:

https://youtu.be/5MmPV42SRdw

Jim

[z4vdBt]

I have come here to chew bubblegum and kicka ss. And I'm all out of bubblegum.

https://youtu.be/-mm4mLsCAyI

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Some of mine:

Famous sword fight scene from "The Princess Bride"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC6dgtBU6Gs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAI9_MkmBM

"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDaBg56pU2k

Knife Fight Showdown scene from "Under Siege" with Steven Seagal and Tommy Lee Jones

Here's Bloke's favorite: Mick Dundee defeats salt water crocodile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH_MObR3G54

[Halfneck]

The final fight scene in Rob Roy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVaslN1NiT0

[James Y]

Great contributions, guys! Keep 'em coming.

The taxi scene from the South Korean suspense thriller, I Saw The Devil:

https://youtu.be/LJAUOJDM88o

Jim

[James Y]

The Man From Nowhere (S. Korea), final fight scene. I'm certain that the makers of John Wick were inspired to no small degree by this film. This scene is probably better without the subtitles, because at the beginning of it there's a lot of profanity that the moderators might find unacceptable. The villain's right-hand man uses a Cold Steel Steel Tiger:

https://youtu.be/Oz-Sn3fiSxw

Jim

[ChrisinHove]

Great stuff! I’m a bit of a Jackie Chan fan. Really, really liked the film Ip Man, too, but couldn’t pick out any one fight scene.

[James Y]

Great stuff! I’m a bit of a Jackie Chan fan. Really, really liked the film Ip Man, too, but couldn’t pick out any one fight scene.

ChrisinHove:

I agree that Ip Man is a good film. I think the first one was the best. Donnie will be coming out with Ip Man 4, but I don't know when it's going to be released. Amazing, because he's about the same age as I am (56), and he's been making movies for around 35 years...!

Flash Point (2007) is another good Donnie Yen film. This final fight against Collin Chou is my favorite Donnie Yen fight scene:

https://youtu.be/C3LQ55qkw-A

Jim

[James Y]

Tom Yum Goong (AKA The Protector, 2005), starring Tony Jaa. Bone-breaking scene:

https://youtu.be/SIq14nfHsHo

Jim

[MacLaren]

I have come here to chew bubblegum and kicka ss. And I'm all out of bubblegum.

https://youtu.be/-mm4mLsCAyI

Classic!!!

[Naperville]

I like the old Bruce Lee movies, but the one "fight scene" that you must see again and again is in, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" and I am talking about the gunfight scene that really makes the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJCSNIl2Pls

[Bloke]

[MacLaren]

Holy Cow. Borat has some moves!

[James Y]

Lol!! I was wondering if/what you would post, Bloke!

Jim

[James Y]

I like the old Bruce Lee movies, but the one "fight scene" that you must see again and again is in, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" and I am talking about the gunfight scene that really makes the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJCSNIl2Pls

Yes, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly is one of my favorite movies (and my favorite western). Great scene. Ennio Morricone's soundtrack is also a huge part of it.

Jim

[JD Spydo]

I just mentioned this old Western TV Show on another thread. But the old 1960s Western show called "The Wild, Wild West" with Robert Conrad was way ahead of it's time. There were some awesome fight scenes in those old Wild, Wild West TV Show.

Also the old GUNSMOKE TV Show had some really humorous fight scenes with my old favorite character Festus Hagen That guy I believe might have been tough as nails even in real life. I heard he did a lot of his own stunts in that TV show when he died.

[James Y]

The Young Master (1980), final fight. At nearly 20 minutes long, this is one of, if not THE, longest one-on-one movie fight scenes in history. Jackie Chan plays an unexceptional kung fu student trying to apprehend a master criminal, played by Korean Hapkido master Hwang In-Shik. In real life, Hwang is one of the world's senior Hapkido masters, based for decades in Toronto, Canada. Although Hwang acted in many Korean and Hong Kong movies in the '70s into the '80s, he has the distinction of (and is most familiar to Western audiences for) getting squashed by both Chuck Norris AND Bruce Lee in Way Of The Dragon.

What sets this final fight apart from most is that the protagonist character (Jackie) is NOT a great fighter (in fact is mostly a bumbler who, if he wins any fights, it's usually by pure luck), and is totally outclassed the entire time, giving Hwang the opportunity to apply numerous painful Hapkido kicks, throws, and joint-locking techniques. All Jackie's character has is determination, resilience, and finally, some tobacco-laced water. Hwang's character makes the mistake of toying with him for too long.

I don't care for the Endlish dubbing, but this is the only complete version of this scene available on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/RBudFx93UR8

Jim

[James Y]

Full Contact (1992), starring Chow Yun Fat. Bali-song (butterfly knife) scene.

This is one of the very few movie scenes involving a butterfly knife that I know of in which the knife is actually USED, as opposed to only being flipped around for dramatic effect:

https://youtu.be/9qZ-E9xjdqw

Jim

[James Y]

Undisputed III: Redemption (2010). Final fight. Boyka (Scott Adkins) vs Dolor (Marko Zaror), parts 1&2:

https://youtu.be/7-CRG7yPN_g

https://youtu.be/obkWy37TPP0

Jim