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But which ones actually deserve that recognition?
The history of fight scenes in movies pretty much starts at the dawn of cinema.
(It would have been a huge hit on TikTok.)
But the movie has no shortage of butt-kickin' fight scenes courtesy of legendary choreographer Yuen Woo-ping.
It may not be Jet Li’s single greatest fight scene.
But given how much Unleashed flies under people’s radars, this technically well-executed fight scene deserves more recognition.
The end result is nothing short of spectacular.
A movie of such repute naturally boasts some of the greatest kung fu choreography ever put to film.
In one of its most memorable fight scenes, Terry’s grueling workout is interrupted by yakuza assassins.
Their strength in numbers are no match, however, as Terry makes mincemeat out of meatbags.
(Not to mention: son of the famed Sho Kosugi.)
(Spot Johnson holding Diesel in a kimura submission; that’s when you know he means business.)
Never forget fight scenes are still meant to tell a story.
But one scene stands above the rest: Jaa’s one-on-one battle with Lateef Crowder.
The latter appears halfway through the movie as one of three nameless assassins tasked with taking Jaa down.
Two more fights featuring Jon Foo and Nathan Jones follow, but the excitement here peaks early.
Though spiritually inspired by Cold War era spy thrillers - its casting of Robert Redford as a shady S.H.I.E.L.D.
One scene in particular stands out: The Kitchen Fight.
Few fight scenes ever make us ask, “How did they do it?”
Millionaires Express has us banging our own heads wondering how they did.
This is simply Chinese wuxia at its finest.
No amount of money or magic can ever substitute that.
Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.
it’s possible for you to’t help but wonder how Donnie Yen would fare in the Octagon.
Because real warriors don’t rely on weapons to win for them.
A fight scene can still amaze when it successfully tells its story without complex choreography.
Enter: Harakiri, Masaki Kobayashi’s brilliant jidaigeki masterpiece from 1962.
Returning to his prison, Oh Dae-su beats up the guards one by one.
Chan Wook-park shoots the whole thing in one take, creating the feel of a retro video game.
(Composer Jo Yeong-wook also picks up slack with a pulsating track that mimics heartbeats.)
Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock in Yes, Madam!
(1985)
True genre obsessives know Cynthia Rothrock.
- the first in the In the Line of Duty series.
They just don’t make them like they used to.
Neo Spars Morpheus, in The Matrix (1999)
“Morpheus is fighting Neo!”
Cue everyone scrambling to get a front-row seat.
With stone cold lines like “Stop trying to hit me and hit me!
“, this fight scene is irreplaceable and no doubt of the canon.
But the impressive physicality aside, it’s still the story that makes the scene superb.
Or is it great because it’s Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris?
