The Ten Greatest Fight Scenes Ever!

10. Alabama versus Virgil (True Romance)

It should be a mismatch as a sweet southern belle takes on two hundred pounds of mafia hitman but Alabama’s got two things on her side — true romance and a cork screw. In Tarantino’s original script Virgil was a nimble-footed exponent of martial arts, however someone made a wise-move by getting rid of the roundhouses and unleashing James Gandolfini. His brutishness adds to the suspense and tension as Patricia Arquette uses every object she can lay her hands-on to stay alive. Tom and Jerry be proud!

9. Toby Wong versus Advanced Model (Drive)

Mark Dacascos could have been a contender. Sadly he’s now better known for hosting The Iron Chef but watching Drive you can’t help think what could have been. If you’ve never seen Drive before, track it down. Easily the best martial-arts film to have come out of Hollywood in the last two decades, Drive was released in the same year as The Matrix. Now I admit The Matrix does a good fight scene but  Drive does awesome fight scenes and the climax is the pick of the bunch.

8.Kham versus a hotel (The Warrior King)

If Brian de Palma was to direct a martial arts scene it would be this. From a movie full of amazing fight scenes (Elephant tossing?) comes this tracking shot of Tony Jaa kicking, punching, kneeing and elbowing ass like only Tony Jaa can. Definitely the best hotel inspired violence since Basil gave his car ” a damn good thrashing”.

7. Martin Riggs versus Mr. Joshua (Lethal Weapon)

Forget Ultimate Fighting. Back in 1987, when Mr.Joshua took  “a shot at the title”  is when mixed-martial arts first broke into the mainstream. Choreography was by Rorion Gracie, one of the founders of UFC, hence Riggs successfully defending “the title” not by a punch or a round-house but by a triangle choke hold.

6. King Kong versus T-Rex (King Kong)

Over seventy years old and still pure magic. Dishing out punches like Joe Louis, Kong takes down a dinosaur however my favourite moment is at the end when Kong plays with the T-Rex’s broken jaw. In that one flash of child-like wonder Kong displays more personality than a dozen Paris Hiltons.

5. Thomas versus Thug (Meals on Wheels)

Bringing a together wonderful mixture of martial arts, acrobatics and slapstick Jackie Chan is my favourite movie star ever. When it comes to great fight scenes, Jackie Chan’s back catalogue is an embarrassment of riches. I could have picked the mall scene in Police Story, the roof-top fight in Who Am I? or the ladder fight from First Strike but I’m settling for this — Jackie’s first meeting with Benny “The Jet” Urquidez (the second is Dragons Forever). Tremendous athleticism plus comedy equals Jackie Chan gold.

4. Joe Hallenbeck versus Chet (The Last Boy Scout)

The second entry from a Shane Black script, the one-punch “knockout” is a basic staple of cinematic fight scenes but this is the heavyweight champ of them all. It also serves as a lesson to us all that if Bruce Willis asks for a light, please, just give him a light.

3. Tang Lung versus Colt (Way of the Dragon)

Forget Walker Texas Ranger. Playing Colt in Way of the Dragon is when Chuck Norris was at the height of his powers. Though at the end of the scene when he’s got a broken arm and leg yet still thinks he can take Bruce Lee, Colt displays a level of tenacity that the rest of us would call “stupidity”.

2. Indiana Jones versus 1^st Mechanic (Raiders of the Lost Ark)

No other fight scene best captures the sheer essence of a character. Want to know who Indiana Jones is? See him take on a 6′ 5″, 19 stone German soldier.

1. Martin Blank versus Felix La PuBelle (Grosse Pointe Blank)

If two professional hitmen really did go at it, I think this is exactly what it would be like. John Cusack and Benny The Jet engage in a short but brutal fight that takes each of them to their limits. Face-breakingly brilliant.

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