Things like superpowers, advanced technology, expensive weapons, and complex tools of war can spice up a movie fight scene, but they can also get in the way. Sometimes, all the world needs is a handful of skilled performers, an open space, and some stellar choreography to create a truly engaging action scene.
Over the years, just about every style of martial art on Earth has received its day in the sun. Fight scenes are prevalent in every genre, but the best brawls tend to come out of movies designed to show them off. Some of the most notable movie stars of all time started their careers as martial artists, and there is always new talent joining the industry.
Fighting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Game of Death
Bruce Lee is one of the most important martial artists in film history. Game of Death was the final film of Lee's career before he tragically died under questionable circumstances. The film was arguably finished after Lee's death and released as part of a documentary about his life. Much of the existing material was lost at some point, leading to a total of around 39 minutes of footage. Within that footage, Lee dons the outfit most people see as his default look and faces NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in combat. Abdul-Jabbar actually trained for years in Lee's martial art Jeet Kune Do, but at 7' 2", he towered over most other martial artists. Their brawl is one of Lee's best, a pure examination of his skill as both teacher and practitioner against a much larger foe. Though the film lacks most of its context, It's still one of the most compelling battles in cinematic history.
The Market - Drunken Master
In this 1978 classic, Jackie Chan helped the world discover one of the fundamental truths of the martial arts genre. Sometimes, fight scenes should be hilarious. This film and its sequel are largely responsible for the drunken master character in almost every fighting game. Chan stars as Wong Fei-hung (known as Freddie Wong in England,) a young man who is sent to a local beggar to learn martial arts. After his father is slain by a dangerous kung fu master, he is forced to rely on his new instructor's unusual style to seek revenge. Drunken boxing is a visually engaging fighting style that also lends itself well to Chan's mastery of slapstick comedy. Jackie Chan was a legend before this film, but this may be his best showing.
The Subway Fight - The Matrix
Keanu Reeves is consistently referred to as one of the best Hollywood actors when it comes to physical action scenes. Though John Wick tends to favor gunfights flavored with fisticuffs over straight hand-to-hand combat, Neo was more inspired by the classics. The last confrontation between Neo and Agent Smith in the original 1999 film was silly enough to be amazing. As both the chosen one and his nemesis run out of ammo, all of their powers and weapons fall away to make way for a straightforward brawl. The sound effects are comical, the exchanges are absurd, and both men are frequently capable of comical vertical leaps, but it serves the setting well. It's all the outlandish fun of a martial arts movie with some anime thrown in for good measure. If there's one skill the Wachowskis' mastered, it's taking pieces of other art to create something magical. The subway fight at the end of the first Matrix movie isn't the biggest battle in the series, but it is one of the most memorable.
Ten Black Belts - Ip Man
This 2008 film is the beginning of a franchise about the life of the Wing Chun master who trained Bruce Lee. The star of the film, Donnie Yen, has established himself as one of the living legends of martial arts movies. He pops up in franchises like Star Wars and John Wick, but his main claim to fame comes in these unique films. The pinnacle scene in the one that started it all comes when the titular Ip declares his desire to fight ten people at once. With disbelief, ten black belts enter the ring. Ip Man demonstrates incredible skill as he dismantles a small army of trained fighters at once. It's a masterful work of action choreography and a perfect showcase for Donnie Yen's capabilities.
The Final Scene - The Night Comes for Us
With many of the big names in martial arts movies either dead or retired, new blood is always appreciated. As easily the most dynamic performer in the world today, Iko Uwais makes every fight scene a masterpiece. Uwais was discovered by Gareth Evans, who brought him to international stardom with the 2011 classic The Raid: Redemption. If there's any other director who can bring Uwais' talents to the screen properly, it's Timo Tjahjanto. Every exchange of blows in this film is electric, with a ton of talented performers and brilliant set pieces, but the final battle is jaw-dropping. Uwais appears in a rare villainous role here, pit against Joe Taslim (Sub-Zero in 2021's Mortal Kombat) as the leading man. Their battle is long and grueling, but it's one of the most thrilling fight scenes in modern history.