Movies with the best fight scenes

September 20, 2015 12:57 PM

I'm in the mood for a good action film with great fight scenes, if the story is also good, the better but I'll watch it primarily for the violence and choreography. That said, I'm not overly fond of the Jackie Chan-style kind of comedy action or those eastern martial arts films with this peculiar brand of Kung Fu with ropes and flying. And it is essential that you can actually see whats happening, not these insanely fast cuts.

Films of the top of my head which I think have excellent fights:

- Rocky I
- The Matrix
- IP Man
- Kill Bill
- Batman begins/ Dark Knight

Any ideas what I could watch tonight?

posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon to Media & Arts (47 answers total)

The Raid: Redemption.
posted by parki at 1:00 PM on September 20, 2015 [13 favorites]

Best answer: -Brotherhood of the Wolf
-Ong-Bak
-Fearless
posted by EKStickland at 1:02 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

The hallway fight scene from Oldboy is worth watching if you want a taste of the ultraviolence - you should be able to find it on youtube. The entire movie is pretty great but that's definitely the fight-iest part.

Fun fact: the nearly 4 minute scene is all one single take.
posted by _DB_ at 1:09 PM on September 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

This is a list that may interest you.
posted by el io at 1:11 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Not a movie, but watch the Cinemax series Banshee.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:13 PM on September 20, 2015

Best answer: They Live.
posted by MrBadExample at 1:15 PM on September 20, 2015 [7 favorites]

Best answer: Seconding They Live.
posted by mont the drifter at 1:27 PM on September 20, 2015

I haven't seen it in a loooong time, but a martial arts teacher I knew liked the scenes in The Blood of Heroes.
posted by wintersweet at 1:27 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Super old, but Hard Target with Jean Claude van Damme, directed by John Woo, has one of the best fighting scenes ever.

And Denzel Washington's scenes in The Equalizer are also amazing in terms of choreography. That's one cool movie.
posted by hz37 at 1:27 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Encounters of the Spooky Kind is great. Solid fight scenes, but what's especially notable is the choreography. I doubt you've ever seen a guy as fat and nimble as Sammo Hung.
posted by Qberting at 1:36 PM on September 20, 2015

Captain America: The Winter Soldier
posted by mymbleth at 1:47 PM on September 20, 2015 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Snowpiercer, the axe gang fight.
posted by fuse theorem at 1:51 PM on September 20, 2015 [3 favorites]

Kingsman, the church scene.
(Also, +1 on The Raid & Raid 2)
posted by CrystalDave at 1:54 PM on September 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

Aw man, had you not eliminated comedy I would be recommending Kung Fu Hustle to you...
posted by Hermione Granger at 1:59 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

You have to watch John Wick!!!! It had me gasping at the fight choreography - and I watch tons of action flicks. OMG!!! Seriously. Watch it right now. (It's on HBO if you have that.)

Equilibrium

Edge of Tomorrow

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Hero

The Bourne Trilogy

The Transporter
posted by Crystalinne at 2:06 PM on September 20, 2015 [5 favorites]

Yes, Bourne Trilogy
posted by Sassyfras at 2:28 PM on September 20, 2015

Came here to suggest The Raid. Hands down the best fight scenes I've seen in any movie.
posted by a strong female character at 2:31 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

This answer is totally out of left field, but I was watching Chocolate because of the autistic character and ended up loving the fight scenes. (The main fighter is a woman, too!)
posted by thetortoise at 2:31 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Another vote for the Bourne trilogy and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back

Fight Club
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 2:37 PM on September 20, 2015

Best answer: Haywire has some great fight scenes, especially the first one.
posted by octothorpe at 2:43 PM on September 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Came here to say "they live" - glad it is fully represented.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 2:47 PM on September 20, 2015

Best answer: Nthing The Raid and Haywire. The fight scenes in Snowpiercer are fucking boss.

And just as a heads-up, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has a shitload of wirework, including one of the most ridiculous dancing-over-the-tops-of-bamboo-trees scenes I've ever had to endure.
posted by joyceanmachine at 2:47 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Definitely Haywire. Great choreography and the camera really lets you see the hits.
posted by sk932 at 2:48 PM on September 20, 2015

Best answer: Yes, John Wick has a few good scenes - the best is the one in the club. Serious gun fu.

Seconding also Ong-Bak, the first movie - amazing work there. If you end up digging Jaa, check out one of the best single take fight scenes ever.

Jet Li remains one of the most kick ass kung fu dudes ever. Here's a good scene.

This scene from the recent Daredevil TV series is one of the best pieces of fight choreography I've seen in some time - the way they use the verticality of the hallway and the light is just exquisite.

Personal favorite: Nightcrawler taking on the Secret Service - puts a smile on my face every time.

More recently Ronda Rousey vs Michelle Rodriguez! So damn amazing! That clip will only give you a preview taste - worth seeing the whole thing!

Have fun.
posted by jammy at 2:57 PM on September 20, 2015

Best answer: YES Haywire is a fucking godsend, Gina Carano is a delight to behold. And she and Michael Fassbender really, really get into it.

also she is adorable and i loooove her
posted by poffin boffin at 2:58 PM on September 20, 2015

The 36th Chamber of Shao Lin is one of the best Chinese kung fu movies ever. It doesn't have any of the garbage you object to, and the fight scenes are legendary.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:02 PM on September 20, 2015

Hey, also, I know you said you're not overly fond of Jackie Chan-style comedy action. Still, because of your interest in good fight scenes, I think you should check this piece out: Jackie Chan - How to Do Action Comedy
posted by jammy at 3:22 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Shoot Em Up
posted by teleri025 at 4:18 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

I remember walking out of Iron Monkey astonished at how compelling and followable the fight scenes were. It's a martial arts movie but not to my recollection one of those gliding-on-wires ones.
posted by dfan at 4:24 PM on September 20, 2015

"Eastern Promises"....Viggo Mortenson, specifically the scene in the sauna.
posted by Ginesthoi at 5:08 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Great Input! "Shoot em up" was so ridiculous, but also ridiculous fun! "The Raid" somehow pissed me off, for my taste they overused the "30 guys attack but can't get their shit together and so some basic teamwork" trope. This night I ended up watching "Ong Bak", it really was good, especially the scene at the begining where they pitted the clearly superior fighting style against the evil american boxer, the Bruce Lee wannabe and the Crazy Guy.

I'll watch now "They live" (because it's for free on youtube) for some fun before bed, and put "Haywire", "Snowpiercer" and the many other excellent suggestions on my playlist.

And the Daredevil fight Scenes are truly the best that can be watched on TV.
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 5:09 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Echoing most of the above: The Raid movies, the Bourne movies, OldBoy (Korean version). The Daredevil series has some good fights in it.

Couple of great fights in Deadwood too, especially Swearengen vs. Bullock at the start of Season 2 (extra effective when considered as part of the whole series - the sense of dread was incredible) and Dority vs. The Captain (same).
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:11 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Oh and the James Bond Bourne-esque fight seen in the apartment in *I think* Quantum of Solace was pretty visceral and intense. The rest of the movie was a bit pants though.
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:13 PM on September 20, 2015

Get off Ask.Metafilter and watch John Wick RIGHT NOW.
posted by shesbenevolent at 5:18 PM on September 20, 2015 [5 favorites]

There's more guns than fighting, but there is also some fighting, and Dredd is just about a perfect action movie.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:25 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

If you like watching Gina Carano hurt people -- and I will admit that I would go see a movie just called Gina Carano Hurts Some People -- her other movie In The Blood is not as good as Haywire because not-Soderbergh but still delivers the goods.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:30 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Nthing John Wick. It's the best American movie of its type (bad guys pissed me off, I must get revenge): it's the platonic perfection of a genre.
posted by el io at 5:34 PM on September 20, 2015 [3 favorites]

I know you asked for movies, but I remember being impressed by the fighting in the first season of Human Target.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 9:46 PM on September 20, 2015

"Safe" with Jason Stathem. Boaz Yakin seems to have hired every stunt person in Hollywood, then shot, punched and otherwise pummeled them. This is really a great film.

I saw a wonderful picture of Keanu about to take someone out, with the caption "My name is John Wick. You killed my dog. Prepare to die." About sums it up. Another great film.

And if you haven't seen "Snowpiercer" yet, oh -- don't hold back!
posted by kestralwing at 12:34 AM on September 21, 2015

Jet Li's got some amazing stuff.
Unleashed and Fearless are favorites of mine.

Bloodsport with JCVD is really good. Then, a bunch of his earlier movies have great fight scenes.

Everyone goes nuts for the sporting goods store fight in Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning.

Hellboy II has some pretty good fight scenes, too.

Also, check out Azumi. The fights get bigger as the movie goes on.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 12:50 AM on September 21, 2015

If you want to check out the predecessor of epic fight scenes, watch Enter the Dragon.
posted by dzot at 6:27 AM on September 21, 2015

It was mentioned, but you didn't best answer it, so I'm reiterating because you are wrong. Maybe you're only aware of the more recent, Western remake, but this fight scene in the original Korean Oldboy is one of the best even committed to film.

The movie is great also, just not overall an action movie.
posted by cmoj at 10:19 AM on September 21, 2015

300
Inception has one of the best fight scenes ever filmed, but it does involve wire work.
Pacific Rim had some utterly ridiculous, but fun fight scenes.
posted by cnc at 1:08 PM on September 21, 2015

Oldie but goodie: The Duellists from 1977 is pure fight-choreography porn, about two soldiers in the Napoleonic Wars who fight a series of duels but keep being interrupted before they finish.
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:34 PM on September 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

I love the fight scenes in Avengers - especially how they reveal things about the characters and negotiate their relationships (which are largely antagonistic). I'd also recommend RWBY (drawn fight scenes, but they are epic), and both RED and RED 2.
posted by Deoridhe at 11:49 PM on September 21, 2015

Also, Boondock Saints, but it ends up being both violent and very funny.
posted by Deoridhe at 11:50 PM on September 21, 2015

The Deadwood mention above contains a spoiler for people like me who were just coming to that part of the series.
posted by rhizome at 2:24 PM on September 22, 2015