Tag: Culture

As arguably the most recognizable anime in existence, Dragon Ball is required viewing for anyone that considers themselves a fan of the medium. The original show from the 80s is full of charm and has all the amazing textural qualities of older animation. I’m sure you all know who Goku is, so I won’t go into that; but Dragon Ball is chock full of other interesting characters like Piccolo, who is the main antagonist of the original series. There’s no shortage of Dragon Ball media to watch either, as some variation of the show has been on air from 1986 to the current day.

Famously, many of the characters from Dragon Ball often rank as some of the most powerful anime characters of all time.

Bleach is guaranteed to scratch the same itch if you love the depth of Naruto’s power system, full of shinobi with a wide variety of talents and abilities. In Bleach, each person’s characteristic sword carries a special ability, with a specific “Bankai” (the final and upgraded form). Along with the amazing power system, Bleach provides some of the coolest fights and compelling storylines in any anime. Ichigo, the main character, begins as a typical student when he is suddenly whisked into the world of “Shinigami,” which are effectively grim reapers. Once there, he must defend both the spirit world and the human world from hollows, which are deceased human souls that lose their hearts to despair or regret.

What better place to get more of your Naruto fix than to watch the show about his son, Boruto? The show raises interesting conversations in contrast to Naruto, considering that the characters now live in a completely different time. Rather than to be orphaned, what does it mean to be the son of a “Hokage?” Boruto also provides insight into the new and improved leaf village, with updated technology and wild fights. The series was originally drawn by Kishimoto’s own assistant, so the lifeblood of the original really imbues itself into this sequel. The show definitely has some rough spots, don’t get me wrong, but is well worth it if you are a fan of the original.

Soul Eater is easily one of my favorite anime of all time, and I feel like it’s criminally underrated in modern anime conversations. I think in large part this is because it aired in 2008, and isn’t as big as shows like Naruto for example. However, I think Soul Eater has one of the coolest backgrounds of any show, revolving around students at the “Death Weapon Meister Academy.” Soul Eater follows various teams of “Weapon Meisters,” who work in conjunction with “Weapons” capable of shapeshifting into people. Jam-packed with both emotion and over-the-top antics, I can guarantee that anyone who watches Soul Eater is bound to fall in love.

If loudmouth protagonists like Naruto are up your lane, then Black Clover is without a doubt the show for you. Fair warning – some of the voice acting at the beginning of the show is so grating, I almost stopped watching. However, pushing through those first few episodes is well worth it once the showrunners ironed out a few kinks. The power scaling is akin to Naruto, albeit at a highly increased pace. Black clover follows a similar trope to Naruto though, as both shows’ protagonists consist of a competitive pair of boys. Asta’s a loudmouthed blonde kid, while Yuno is a too-cool-for-you all-powerful type (sound familiar?).

By reading up about Sword Art Online, you’re bound to find reviews about its shoddy writing and weird timeline issues on occasion. But it’s an undeniable fact that the show has an incredible draw to it. For many, SAO was their introduction to anime and carries a special place in our hearts. The premise is amazing and increasingly relevant with VR gaming becoming more popular every year. In SAO, characters find themselves stuck inside a virtual reality game suddenly, realizing that if they die in the game, they die in real life. SAO is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something with a tinge of eerie suspense.

There’s no other way to slice it, simply put One Piece is the most iconic anime of all time. It’s certainly the longest-running, at over 1,000 episodes, and the show has every reason to be this long. It’s jam-packed with humor, amazing story arcs, and emotion all bundled into a dazzling piracy package. Instead of the coveted Hokage position in Naruto, Monkey D. Luffy’s mission is to find the prized “One Piece,” ultimately crowning him as the greatest pirate of all time. If the sheer length of the show is daunting, find comfort in the fact that each arc is a very defined storyline, allowing a viewer to jump in and out as they please with every arc.

Luffy is also, in our opinion, the greatest anime main character of all time.

Fairy Tail is another anime that I remember fondly from my youth, but doesn’t seem to be that popular anymore. It’s an amazingly fun show, showcasing a land of witchcraft and wizardry in contrast to Naruto’s ninja world. As part of the “Fairy Tail” wizard’s guild, the main protagonist Natsu Dragneel travels the land of “Fiore” in search of his adoptive father, the dragon Igneel. Alongside his companion Lucy and an anthropomorphic cat named Happy, Natsu embarks on a series of exploits, ranging from taking care of dark magic guilds to defeating demons created by Zeref, a wizard cursed with immortality and immense powers.

If what draws you to Naruto is its intense hand-to-hand combat scenes, then Baki will be right up your alley. Baki the Grappler follows its eponymous character, Baki Hanma, as he trains to become the best martial artist in the world. To make matters more interesting, his primary opponent is Yujiro Hanma, a renowned warrior and also Baki’s father. After Yujiro kills a close friend of Baki’s, he vows to destroy his father and embarks on a worldwide training tour. Baki has been around for a while, so there are a few different pieces of media you have the option of watching. There’s the original 24-episode run from the early 2000s, but odds are people are more likely familiar with the 2018 Netflix adaptation, which now has three seasons.

Hunter x Hunter will feel familiar to any fan of Naruto, especially considering the fact that Kishimoto and Togashi are close friends. Hunter x Hunter came first, which makes it hilarious when you’ve seen both shows and there are distinct similarities between several characters and themes. So similar are they in fact, that it’s essentially common knowledge that Kishimoto ripped off ideas from Hunter x Hunter. In any case, if the creator of Naruto of all things is copying this show you should be able to get an idea of its quality. 

If you’re a fan of Naruto thanks to its occasional humorous elements, then Gintama is exactly the show for you. This might genuinely be one of the funniest anime I’ve watched, and that’s coming from an American who doesn’t understand the intricate wordplay and idioms of Japanese humor. Set in an alternate reality during the late Edo period of Japan where humanity has been attacked by aliens known as “Amanto.” Earth’s samurai fight to protect against the invasion, however, the show focuses on Gintoki Sakata, a rather eccentric character who performs odd jobs for cash. 

Created by the infamous ONE, who also wrote and illustrated Mob Psycho 100, One Punch Man asks the all-important question: What if the protagonist was actually just invincible? It’s a hilarious framing to base a show on because knowing the main character will win allows for all sorts of humorous scenarios to take place. In a sense, the limiting factors of the show have spurred its most iconic moments. One Punch Man follows Saitama, a regular guy who gains insane superhuman powers after doing 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10km run every day.

Aside from being a delight to watch, One Punch Man features some of the most exciting fight scenes in the whole genre.

If Gintama’s Edo period setting isn’t enough history for you, Inuyasha is set during the Sengoku period a few hundred years before. In modern-day Tokyo, 15-year-old Kagome Higurashi falls into a well at her family’s shrine, transporting herself to some time during the Sengoku period. Once there, she befriends a half-dog half-demon character named Inuyasha. Unbeknownst to her, Kagome is the host of a sacred jewel that ultimately shatters into several tiny pieces. In order to restore balance to the world, Inuyasha and Kagome seek to restore the jewel before the evil half-demon Naraku gets there first. 

Okay, I’ll admit Tokyo Ghoul doesn’t share a ton of similarities with Naruto outside of being a shonen. It’s a short 12-episode series, but don’t let that stop you from watching because each episode is absolutely mental. Tokyo Ghoul is set in, you guessed it, Tokyo. However, in this world, ghouls (similar to vampires) live in secrecy amongst humans, feeding off of them to survive. The story follows Ken Kaneki, whose life is flipped upside down when a date with a girl named Rize Kamishiro goes south after she turns out to be a ghoul and tries to eat him. Ken wakes up in a hospital, realizing he’s undergone surgery and has had some of Rize’s organs implanted into him, making him a half-ghoul. In the ensuing drama, Ken tries to discover himself while simultaneously hiding his new ghoul identity from his closest human friends.

I’ve always been a sucker for anime with cool power systems, simply because I enjoy seeing the creative applications of various abilities that showrunners and creators can come up with. Naruto has bar none some of the best power applications in any show ever (I still think about Naruto vs. Sasuke). That being said, My Hero Academia has some really cool abilities to showcase and incorporates them in a unique way. Each character’s superpower, or “quirk”, makes sense with their character and is used in a manner that aligns itself with their personalities. Once big fights start and people start chaining their various powers together you get a recipe for some awesome combat scenes. 

Attack on Titan is without a doubt a modern-day classic. Created by Hajime Isayama, Attack on Titan is set in a world where humanity has experienced a calamity event resulting in all of mankind living within cities protected by three enormous walls. These walls, dubbed “Maria,” “Rose,” and “Sina,” protect the cities’ inhabitants from giant flesh-eating monsters. Attack on Titan’s story is immense and incredibly well executed, with each succeeding season of the show revealing world-breaking details that expand the universe in incredible ways. The characters are extremely well written, each with complex motives that transcend simple good versus bad. If you haven’t tuned in to Attack on Titan thus far, you have to.

Jujutsu Kaisen is both explicitly and implicitly influenced by Naruto, invoking similar imagery and aesthetics for a lot of the primary characters. But in many ways, it’s like an ultra dose of the iconic shonen, with updated visuals and more of a dark narrative. It’s an anime like Naruto for the modern era.

It’s always a good time when Bruce Lee hops onto the screen and utterly destroys a bunch of guys without breaking much of a sweat. He does that right here by using his hands, feet, and a pair of nunchucks to assault a dojo full of students. And once he overcame them all with ease, Lee proceeds to embarrass those same students’ sensei. This “one man vs. everyone” fight scene will never get old and it confirms just how much of an untouchable martial artists Lee truly is.

We already covered one of Lee’s best fight scenes, so now it’s time to delve into his master’s cinematic martial arts prowess. In the first Ip Man, Donnie Yen delivers a triumphant performance by walking into a dojo full of Black Belts and making them all look like a bunch of inexperienced bums who just started training that very day. Ip Man’s became unhinged in this fight, which makes it even more exciting since he’s usually a pretty passive guy that only fights when necessary.

A lot of dirt has been thrown on this movie for good reason. But the one thing most detractors can agree on is this scene is the absolute greatest Batman fight scene of all time. That whole “SAVE…MARTHA!” moment was pretty cringe, but it led to Batman honoring Superman’s request and wiping out a warehouse full of hired thugs. When Batman squares up with two dudes at once and even flings a crate into another random hoodlum, “Batfleck’s” badassery was confirmed for us and everyone that watched this scene unfold.

Jackie Chan is a madman! The dude has always been known to do his own stunts and pull off some highly irresponsible feats that make us prey for the man every time he goes airborne. In Police Story, Chan runs through a whole mall and proceeds to use it as his battleground to put a bunch of goons into the dirt. Jackie brings the pain via an escalator, expertly dodges steel pipe swings inside a clothing store, and even slides down a pole of electrified attachments to the shock of everyone watching this mall battle royal unfold.

O’Hara literally did everything he could to land a single blow on Lee, but it was all for naught. As soon as they square up for the first time, it’s clear that Lee outclasses his scarred foe in every way possible. We’ll always christen this iconic Bruce Lee moment as one of the best fight scenes in movies simply due to the brutal way he finishes Hara off. That double-foot stomp, though? Total Mortal Kombat Fatality vibes.

Every action movie that’s ever featured a hallway clash is doing it in tribute to Oldboy. And for good reason – it’s the originator of this style of combat and the way in which it’s shot has made it instantly recognizable whenever other films take a stab at it. With a hammer in hand, Oh Dae-su (played by Choi Min-sik) shockingly comes out on top against a hallway full of weapon-wielding ruffians. The visceral feel of it all and the fact that Dae-su keeps on fighting even after getting stabbed gives this one extra points toward its cool factor.

So much blood can be seen flowing and splattering the club at the heart of this gruesome scene. The Bride (Uma Thurman) makes an incredible last stand in the first half of her revenge-fueled mission when she uses a sword gifted to her from legendary swordsmith Hattori Hanzō to rip through O-Ren Ishii’s (Lucy Liu) “Crazy 88” gang. The way The Bride leaves the entire gang either deceased or screaming bloody murder now that they’re left with one less limb is so satisfying to watch to this very day.

Roddy Piper knew a thing or two about putting on a greatly choreographed fight (he’s one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, after all!). In his starring role as John Nada in this John Carpenter-helmed film, Piper gets into a nasty alleyway brawl just to make his friend Frank Armitage (Keith David) don a pair of sunglasses to see what’s truly going on in their world. This brawl has such an air of realism about it that makes it worth putting on this list of the best fight scenes in movies – this street fight wouldn’t look out of place on a random street corner in NYC.

As a whole, The Raid: Redemption could take up an entire spot on this list. But we chose to pick a single confrontation from this classic martial arts film and it centers on a pair of brothers coming together to bring down one of the film’s most lethal antagonists. This whole two-on-one brawl takes place within a single room, which is why it’s so easy to stay focused on the sick counters and stiff strikes exchanged between both parties here. Mad Dog put up a good fight, but he just couldn’t overcome a shattered glass tube to the neck. Good riddance!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had us and plenty of other moviegoers in awe of the pitch-perfect fight choreography happening onscreen. You could literally choose any clash from this film to make this list of the best fight scenes in movies. In our case, we chose to go with this weapons-filled test of skill between two graceful yet deadly ladies. Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) and Ziyi Zhang (Jen Yu) put on a masterclass of a duel with swords, spears, metal clubs, etc. that ended in an oddly satisfying stalemate.

If you haven’t seen Iron Monkey, here’s a simple breakdown – it’s pretty much a cool Chinese take on Robin Hood. The awesome climax this martial arts classic delivers is a kick-ass acrobatic fight that takes place above a sea of flames atop a column of poles. This 2v1 encounter has it all – brutal-looking hits, flips that defy the laws of physics, and a hell of a final blow that puts the bad guy down in the most vicious way possible. This one had us on the edge of our seats and nervously biting our nails the first time we saw it.

All of The Matrix films feature some remarkable hand-to-hand contests that are magnified by some truly amazing special effects. Neo (Keanu Reeves) and his eternal rival Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) had a hell of a one-on-one fight in the first film. But it’s this multi-man skirmish that sticks out to us the most. Neo has to endure an onslaught from a seemingly neverending flood of Agent Smith clones. Even with the odds heavily stacked against him, Neo beats the mall back with the aid of his fists, feet, and even a steel pole. Watching Neo swing around that same pole to land some vicious kicks on his cloned adversaries still blows our minds!

The whole time we sat through this highly destructive superpowered fight, one thought kept going through our head – “we can totally get a legit Dragon Ball Z movie now…” That’s because Superman (Henry Cavill) and General Zod (Michael Shannon) produced a spectacle of a fight that mimicked the mind-blowing anime brawls that have erupted between Goku and his biggest foes. Buildings are torn apart, airborne struggles take place, and smashed satellites come into play as these two ends Man of Steel on an extremely high (and somber) note.

Once Mr. Chan avoids being crushed by a pair of steel carts, the action truly begins. Two evil businessmen take aim at our charismatic hero and get an advantage on him at times. But ultimately, our good buddy Chan employs expert usage of his “Drunken Fist” technique to overpower his two assailants. Chan had us jumping out of our seats when he ripped off his shirt sleeves and used his head a whole lot more to secure the W. Drunken Master II’s epic climax is such a banger.

We will forever be in awe of the ways Ip Man (Donnie Yen) and the other martial arts masters carefully carry out their sparring sessions on a circular table. Ip Man rises to the occasion here by utilizing his “Wing Chun” to stay balanced enough to stay in the fight. The first two dudes that step up to face Ip Man are cool and all, but it’s the final master that makes this fight worthy of earning its place on this list of the best fight scenes in movies. Master Hung Chun-Nam (Sammo Kam-Bo Hung) gives Ip Man a run for his money here, which is why this scene is such a joy to watch unfold.

It’s easy to get caught up in all the drama surrounding Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) every time he steps into the ring against another superior pugilist. The very first time he comes to blows with a fellow boxer takes viewers on an emotional roller coaster that even had us jumping out of our chairs to cheer Rocky on to victory. Rocky’s ability to take tons of punishment and Appolo Creed’s (Carl Weathers) expert boxing techniques clash in the best way possible – both boxers provide eight minutes of cinematic excellence with every blow they land.

Iron Man: “Stand down. Final warning.”

Captain America: “I can do this all day.”

What. A. Scene! The heartbreaking dissolution between Captain America and Iron Man over the actions of the Winter Solider erupted into a tearjerker of a two-on-one battle. Iron Man’s unbridled rage comes into play here as he chases down his former Avengers crewmate through a tunnel and eventually blasts off Winter Soldier’s mechanical arm. This in turn enrages Cap, which leads to a fitting finale where he and his former best friend tear each other apart. This all-out MCU brawl is one of the best fight scenes in movies thanks to its brutality and emotional outcome.

They almost got him! But dammit all ’cause Thanos just can’t be relinquished of his Infinity Gauntlet so easily. Even with the likes of Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Drax opposite him, Thanos still put up a strong defense that had our favorite MCU heroes down badly at certain points of this battle. The best part of this fight is the special effects spectacle that erupts when Doctor Strange brings his strongest spells into play to get an edge over his purple-skinned adversary. This is the MCU at its most gripping when it comes to good guy vs. bad guy excellence.

When lightsabers start getting swung and “Force” powers get thrown into the fray, onscreen fight scene greatness ensues. The Star Wars prequels might not have much in the way of great storytelling, but the laser beam shootouts and Jedi duels that erupt across all three films are still worth seeking out. The Phantom Menace features this amazing final battle where “Padawan” Obi-Wan Kenobi and his “Jedi Instructor” Qui-Gon Jinn engage in a lengthy struggle with the double-bladed lightsaber wielder Darth Maul. It still breaks our hearts to see Jinn lose his life here, but our mood is instantly uplifted once Kenobi finds a way to cut Maul in half afterward.

Is Henry Cavill the first man in cinematic history to load up his wrists? When we peeped that, we knew the shit had officially hit the fan. Tom Cruise and Mr. Cavill get the jump on a dude and manage to slide him into a stall to scan his face to see their mission through. But one that due wakes up, Cruise and Cavill are forced to take things up a notch. We’re not gonna lie – it looked like both men were on the verge of taking an L here! But luckily, they got some backup in the form of a concentrated headshot before things got really shaky.

“You couldn’t live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me.” After Thanos drops that banger of a line, one of the greatest battles featuring the three frontmen of the MCU Infinity Saga kicks into high gear. Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America kick off the final sequence of explosive events in Avengers: Endgame by ganging up on their biggest villain to date. Thor makes every attempt to “go for the head,” Iron Man gets a supercharge from the Norse God of Thunder to lay down some lasers, and Cap picks up Mjolnir to bring the viewing audience to their feet in this hype-worthy battle.

There’s Jackie Chan. There’s Donnie Yen. And then there’s the great Jet Li. In the martial arts movie sphere, Li is considered royalty. And you can find evidence of his kung-fu god-like status in the movie Fist of Legend. As Chen Zen, Li gets challenged by the highly formidable Fumio Funakoshi (Yasuaki Kurata). After some hilarious pleasantries and a bit of shit-talking between them goes down, both men put on one of the most exciting sparring matches we’ve ever seen. When the blindfolds come into play, this fight gets even more insane!

Our boy Jackie Chan does a great job of injecting a nice bit of comedy into his films. That fact is clearly evident in his film Wheels on Meals. Thankfully, it’s not all “hee hee, ha ha” moments throughout the duration of this movie. Chan (as Thomas) gets into some nasty scuffles with equally talented martial artists. One of them is Benny Urquidez, who takes on the role of an immaculately dressed henchman. We’re treated to one of the best fight scenes in movies here due to how hard both men go in beating each other to the point where Chan and Benny can be seen sporting purple eyes. The finale that sees Chan land a sick flying knee to Benny that launches him out of a window is so dope.

We loved each and every second of the first Raid and that’s equally true about our sentiments for The Raid 2. Yuda (Iko Uwais) comes back with a vengeance here as he engages in a bloody climax with The Assassin (Cecep Arif Rahman) who cuts through his targets with hook knives. Both men take full advantage of their kitchen environment by throwing pans at each other and getting smashing through glass panels. The visceral feel of this fight is maximized by the bloody nature of it all. Kudos to the two-on-one hallway fight that transpires before this gruesome brawl.

Even with the odds stacked so high against them, The Warriors always found a way to come out on top whenever they were conformed by rival gangs with overwhelming group numbers. When The Punks come looking for a piece of them, this bathroom scuffle erupts and leads to a battle royal that wouldn’t look out of place in a wrestling ring. The tenseness you feel when one of The Punks knocks on all the bathroom stall doors to find one of The Warriors kicks this brawl off right. Baseball bats are swung, stiff punches are exchanged, and even the one woman who’s in the mix bites the hell out of someone for good measure.

Donnie Yen is just the gift that keeps on giving whenever memories of a fire martial arts film enter our headspace. In Kung Fu Killer, he plays the part of Hahou Mo and makes his services readily available to a police inspector that wants to take down a martial artist turned serial killer. In order to escape the confines of prison to see his mission through, Mo delivers one of the best fight scenes in movies by proceeding to easily dissect a huge group of inmates. Once he shows everyone their proper respect, he proceeds to wholly disrespect a room full of pissed-off criminals. Mo’s hammer fists are lethal in action, that’s for certain!

To see someone cause so much damage and have an exceedingly high body count to his name over a dog is unreal. John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is the homicidal man we’re alluding to here and he’s done some fine work when it comes to eliminating the assassins hired to take him out. One of the best fight scenes in movies comes straight from the third John Wick film in which he and his pursuers use all the ancient weaponry around them to stab and slash each other to death. When John stabs that one dude in the eye, we cringe in our seats for a bit before screaming and jumping for joy like the true adults we are.

The Transformers films are always a feast for the eyes thanks to the impressive special effects work dedicated to making the Autobots and Decepticons look their very best. In this final battle to determine the fate of Earth and its people, Optimus Prime and Sentinal Prime have a personal war for the ages once they start clanging their weapons as they fought. As they get into it, explosions go off around them as the two Cybertron factions also come to blows. Megatron’s entrance into this epic battle just puts this one over the top and gets the final nod from us on this collection of the best fight scenes in movies.

We’d have to be sentenced to solitary confinement if we made a list of the best fighting movies and did not mention the legend that is Bruce Lee. The iconic founder of Jeet Kune Do made waves as a cinematic GOAT as he starred in a wealth of films that defined the martial-arts movie genre. One of his best posthumous onscreen performances is Enter the Dragon, which is an amazing film where Lee brawls with the best during a sinister karate tournament. Lee’s underground prison infiltration scene sees him put in work on a bunch of hapless victims and deliver one of the best action sequences of all time.

Jean-Claude Van Damme was in his bag as the U.S. soldier who battles his way through the toughest foes imaginable during a high-stakes martial arts competition. Bloodsport is MMA before it even had a name – Damme and his fellow Kumite competitors use a variety of martial arts disciplines, which comes through in the form of exciting matchups that make this film such a fun watch. The final battle that takes place here between Damme and Bolo Yeung will always be a highlight-worthy encounter.

Chances are you, your fam, your friends, and anyone that’s a Philly native have seen this movie hundreds of times already. Even still, it bears mentioning how much of a triumph this Sylvester Stallone-fronted film is and always will be. The very first Rocky is all about coming from underneath, never giving up, and shocking the world with one’s undying passion & tenacity. You can’t help but root for Stallone here as he does everything in his power to overcome his rival in Appolo Creed. That Rocky theme song will always get us ready to run in the cold, boy!

This biographical film follows the boxing exploits of Jake LaMotta, which were amazingly detailed in the 1970 memoir Raging Bull: My Story. And in cinematic form, Robert De Niro embodies the indomitable spirit of the real-life pugilist during his in-ring clashes with the likes of Jimmy Reeves and the great Sugar Ray Robinson. De Niro’s acting here is top notch and his in-ring acumen comes through wonderfully during his epic defeat of Sugar Ray.

“ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?” How can you not get goosebumps every time you hear that epic proclamation? If you don’t know where it comes from, just know it’s delivered by Russell Crowe’s Maximus, who fights for dear life throughout the entirety of Gladiator. You’ll get the ultimate adrenaline rush as you watch Maximus fight alongside his fellow warriors in the ultimate coliseum clash and watch as he clashes with an undefeated champion while tigers rampage close by.

Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris goes down in The Way of the Dragon – that’s all the reason you need to watch this film from start to finish. Some of the other reasons you need to add this to your best fighting movies watchlist include Lee’s 2v1 battle and all the nasty work he put in with nunchaku in hand. Lee’s masterful fight choreography is all here and accounted for, folks.

House of Flying Daggers is one of those beautifully shot action films that make you pause and appreciate the cinematic excellence taking place in front of you. Once the fighting begins, you’ll quickly realize why this film is still talked about with great passion and respect. The Robin Hood vibes are strong here, so you’ll definitely cheer on the main protagonists of this movie. The bamboo forest fight scene is simply awe-inspiring.

There’s a long line of Hollywood stars that are considered Kung Fu film royalty. We’ve already spoken about Bruce Lee and now it’s about time we dedicate a few spots on this list to the incredible Jackie Chan. Chan’s claim to fame is his outlandish stunts, which he’s known for performing in real without a stunt double to rely on. Police Story showcases those insane skills of his in a bus chase sequence that makes you understand just how awesome Chan has been and always will be. And the fight in the mall is just…*chef’s kiss*

Everyone and their grandmother had to have seen this movie in theaters when it dropped in the year 2000. If you still haven’t watched it yet, you owe it to yourself to see what all the hype is about. Luminaries of the big-screen martial arts genre such as Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun-fat, and Zhang Ziyi come to blows in this movie that’s all about vicious swordplay and other weapons being implemented into some wild displays of fighting action. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is simply goated.

Fight Club is as gritty and gruesome as it gets. Edward Norton, Bradd Pitt, and Jared Leto are just a few of the big names that pop up in this film that’s all about an underground combat club that provides some sort of excitement in the lives of men living boring lives. The epic twist that goes down at the end of this film is pretty mindblowing – thankfully, the basement brawls that take place before that huge revelation are worth sitting through.

Fathers across the world totally vibed with this film. Bob Odenkirk plays the non-assuming, everyday guy known as Hutch Mansell, who reverts back to a more violent part of his life to take revenge on the individuals that robbed him and his family. Nobody shows how a mild-mannered man can lose his composure and turn into a killing machine when someone wrongs his loved ones. The bus fight scene and Mansell’s final crusade against the mob stand out as the most memorable scenes in this explosive piece of action cinema.

There’s Bruce Lee. There’s Jackie Chan. And then…there’s Jet Li. His martial arts movie run goes hand in hand with some of the most legit picks for the best fighting movies. One of the greatest Li movie performances we have to highlight here is his starring role in the first installment of this amazing series. Once Upon a Time in China shines the spotlight on a Chinese folk hero that rises up to protect his country from foreign invaders and protect Aunt Yee from certain harm. Li’s ass-kicking expertise comes through in full during a sequence where he and his foe battle atop sets of ladders.

The Wachowskis changed the world of cinema and action movies as a whole when they dropped this mind-bending epic. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss don their finest leather jackets and all-black drip as they fight against an army of cloned secret agents that seek to destroy them within their true reality. The slow-mo gunfights are equally on par with the martial arts spectacles that erupt at certain parts of this classic film. When Reeve’s Neo battles Mr. Smith in the train station, greatness ensues in The Matrix.

Yep, it’s time to have a chat about Chan’s legendary status once again! And this time, we feel like it’s the appropriate time to talk about his time spent onscreen whuppin’ ass with his Drunken Boxing. The Legend of Drunken Master sees Chan put his skills to the ultimate test in a bid to keep some evil foreigners from stealing priceless Chinese artifacts. The final fight scene between Chan and fellow martial arts movie great Ken Lo is GOAT-tier fighting movie material.

“I don’t train girls,” says Clint Eastwood’s character to Hilary Swank’s character…at first. But once that rule is broken and Morgan Freeman’s character chooses to assist Swank’s character to ascend to boxing preeminence, we truly get to witness a film on par with Rocky. Million Dollar Baby is another one of those films focused on the rough and tumble come-up of a boxer that wants to be more than just a nine-to-fiver. Margaret “Maggie” Fitzgerald’s in-ring clashes will get you out of your seat, we’re sure of it.

Whenever the convo turns to the best fighting movies, we’re quite certain that any film starring Donnie Yen will come up during someone’s passionate speech about his performances. We adore that man, which is why we had to show some love for his Robin Hood-inspired classic Iron Monkey. Yen stars as the beloved hero that fights for the poor and downtrodden against a corrupt government. Do yourself and look up “Iron Monkey Pole Fight” on YouTube to have your mind completely blown!

Kung Fu Hustle is equal parts hilarious and hype when it comes to its display of badass hand-to-hand combat. The film’s simple premise of a housing complex community having to defend themselves against an infamous gang leads to some outlandish interactions and fight scenes that are truly over the top thanks to some wild special effects. Stephen Chow and Yuen Qiu’s characters in this film lead to some gut-bustlingly funny scenes and dope action sequences.

Alright, let’s get back to these fire boxing movies! Next up is Southpaw, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a former boxing champion that hits rock bottom. In a bid to become great once again and restore his former glory as a competitor and family man, Jake’s character (Billy Hope) trains with Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker). In the process, we witness Hope climbing the championship boxing ladder once again. Hope’s climactic match with Miguel Escobar goes so damn hard, trust us on that one!

One of the best fighting movies we’ve ever seen also happens to have one of the best revenge stories we’ve ever become engrossed in. Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 is all about Uma Thurman’s role as “The Bride,” who takes it upon herself to eliminate all the members of her former assassin clan that wronged her on her wedding day. A ton of blood is spilled and limbs are cut clean off during this gory movie full of exciting swordplay from an incredibly fearsome Thurman in all her action-movie glory.

“Man who catch fly with chopstick, accomplish anything.” That super inspirational quotable comes from this 80s martial arts movie classic. The Karate Kid will inspire anyone that watches it to rise up against their bullies as it focuses on a young Daniel LaRusso (played by Ralph Macchio) training with a karate master in order to defeat his foes, who just so happen to be trainees of the Cobra Kai Dojo. The final tournament battle between LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence (played by William Zabka) still slaps to this very day!

First off, we gotta give a round of applause to Li’s drip in this movie. The man was suited up to perfection and still beating the absolute breaks off of everyone that tried to best him. Fist of Legend has so much for it – its story sucks you in, Li’s character of Chen Zhen is so easy to root for, and the fight choreography is God-tier. The dojo battles are worth the price of admission, but we really get a kick out of the fight that erupted between Zhen and Fumio Funakoshi (played by the legend known as Yasuaki Kurata). Fist of Legend will forever be held up as one of the best fighting movies.

Lee plays the ultimate pacifist turned enforcer when he’s forced to take out the bloodthirsty drug ring that controls his factory and harms his family. Fist of Fury is definitely what you’d expect if you haven’t seen it but know what the great Lee is all about – highly satisfying fight scenes that still entertain due to the nonstop martial arts expertise Lee shows to the world here. The way Lee bodies an entire dojo full of students is next-level, plus his final battle with Robert Baker always gets a replay out of us.

When this movie dropped in 2004, Tony Jaa hit the martial arts cinema scene as its most promising young star. And thanks to all the amazing feats of Muay Thai Jaa pulled off on the big screen, everyone who watched Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior emerged as a smash hit. The simple premise of a sacred statue head getting taken from a village leads to Jaa landing the nastiest strikes we’ve ever seen during his search for that object in the big city. All those underground fight club scenes show just how much of a killer Jaa can be.

The Indonesian-born actors Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian are the two sole reasons why you need to seek out this film. The Raid: Redemption should be on everyone’s best fighting movies playlist thanks to the sick fight choreography that puts the martial art of Pencak Silat in the spotlight. After the cover of a SWAT team invading an apartment complex ruled by drug lords is blown, Uwais’ character must rise up to see his team’s missions through. Uwais’ dissection of all the machete thugs he runs into in the hallway is insane!

When this movie dropped in the States, a lot of folks finally started to recognize Jackie Chan as a mainstream star. As the Hong Kong policeman known as Keung, Chan embarks on a crusade against local street gangs that chose to terrorize a local Bronx store that belongs to a young woman. Chan ends up becoming the savior of the people residing in the famed New York borough – the vicious beatdowns Chan hands out during the supermarket sequence will have you in awe! Rumble in the Bronx is a bonafide martial arts movie classic.

The fate of the multiverse hangs in the balance. And the only person who can bring balance to it all is a random laundromat owner played by the incomparable Michelle Yeoh. Everything Everywhere All at Once is such a trippy ride that features great bouts of action and a whole lot of hilarious moments strewn throughout it. All the different versions of Yeoh’s character are so dope to watch in action – watching the main universe iteration of Yeoh get into a keyboard battle with Andy Le’s character is a prime example of how wild this movie can be.

Donnie Yen pops back up here in a biopic martial arts movie series that follows the exploits of Bruce Lee’s teacher/mentor, Ip Man. This acclaimed figure is the world-renowned grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun. Yen does a sublime job as the ultimate martial arts mastermind in this film that beats back all challenges with relative ease. The first Ip Man has to be considered one of the best fighting movies of all time simply based on the scene where Ip Man defeats 10 Black Belts like it’s nothing!

Warrior is a movie that’s all about family. Tommy (Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton) are brothers who end up fighting their way into the same MMA tournament. And as you watch them notch hard-fought victories along the way, you’ll get exhilarated by the inevitable fight between the two siblings. Warrior ends up making this list of the best fighting movies thanks to how real-to-life its MMA fights look. When Tommy takes on Mad Dog in the gym, you’ll see why we hold this movie up as one of the GOATs.

The Fighter is all about redemption. It stars Mark Wahlberg, who plays a fledgling boxer that just can’t seem to get a win even though he works hard to be the best thanks to his trainer’s (played by Christian Bale) advice. Eventually, Wahlberg’s inspirational boxer makes his way back from all his losses and finds a way to reunite with the family that got him into the sport in the first place. All the well-shot boxing sequences featured in this film are unforgettable alongside the top-notch acting of everyone involved. It’s worth noting that The Fighter follows the real-life exploits of boxer Micky Ward.

And for the final pick on our list of the best fighting movies of all time, we have to mention this biographical film about James J. Braddock. Russell Crowe steps into the role of that sentimental character and shows the trials and tribulations that come with his career. You’ll find yourself absorbed in everything Braddock goes through as he’s forced to confront the spirit-breaking events that come with the Great Depression and his suffering a broken hand. And when it comes time to fight, Crowe looks great in the ring against all of his opponents (especially Corn Griffin!). Cinderella Man is required viewing.

The spinoff of the legendary Rocky film franchise ended up being a whole lot better than expected. And that’s due to the quality acting of Michael B. Jordan and the incredible storyline of Rocky Balboa going out of his way to train the son of one of his greatest opponents. The first Creed film is an emotional roller coaster that’ll make you jump out of your seat as if you were actually in the crowd for the epic final fight scene, which brings it to a satisfying conclusion.

Jordan makes his return as Adonis “Donnie” Johnson in Creed II, which follows the boxing prodigy as he steps into the ring with a dangerous new rival. Rocky’s former nemesis Ivan Drago makes his return to the series with his own trainee named Viktor Drago, who definitely gives Donnie a run for his money in one of the most exciting boxing matches ever shot on film. The drama that takes place between Donnie, Rocky, and Drago will entice you while the fight scenes will excite you as you watch punches being landed in the most impactful manner possible.

And now let’s have a chat about the third film in the amazing Creed franchise. Creed III once again follows Donnie as he’s forced to contend with yet another intimidating pugilist. But this fight is a lot more personal since he has to throw hands with a former friend named Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (who’s excellently played by Jonathan Majors. The breakdown in both men’s friendship builds up to one of the most exhilarating boxing matches you’ll ever scream your head off for on the big screen.