Good/great fight scenes in film/TV?

[DickyC]

There is a gunfight in a small bar in The Culpepper Cattle Company that put you right in the firing line when I saw it at the cinema back in the dark ages. I've never seen it on TV but I suspect I'd be disappointed now, the science has moved on.

[ixiart]

Jack Reacher - the fight with mob outside a bar and the fight in a bathroom in an empty house. Superbly done.

[dieselgrunt]

I like the town bully Earnest Borgnine getting his comeuppance in Bad day at Black Rock.

[A Winner Is You]

SO many to choose from but Police Story has some incredible fights, especially when they all did their own stunts. Every hit looks legitimately painful, and not a bit of ADD editing or shaky cam in sight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B215g-Evv0U

Or the hospital shoot out in Hard Boiled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmYOY6FUMRk

Atomic Blonde had a good one as well. Most of the time when they put women in action films, they make the mistake of having her almost invincible, taking out much larger opponents with ease. But in this instance she takes a fair few hits in return, which coupled with the clumsy and desperate fighting making it feel a lot more believable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAXrcFBJXjM

[Teddy Lop]

A Winner Is You said:

Atomic Blonde had a good one as well. Most of the time when they put women in action films, they make the mistake of having her almost invincible, taking out much larger opponents with ease. But in this instance she takes a fair few hits in return, which coupled with the clumsy and desperate fighting making it feel a lot more believable

this is such a good point, I'm happy to watch hardass gritty realism and I'm happy to see some artistic license stylism, but when you have the hollywood signature petite pretty thing laying power shots destroying 200lb+ meat heads it gets a bit gimme a break. Give her some kung fu or whatever and at least let her fk 'em up in a plausible way, surely that's more empowering etc?

[motorizer]

Teddy Lop said:

A Winner Is You said:

Atomic Blonde had a good one as well. Most of the time when they put women in action films, they make the mistake of having her almost invincible, taking out much larger opponents with ease. But in this instance she takes a fair few hits in return, which coupled with the clumsy and desperate fighting making it feel a lot more believable

this is such a good point, I'm happy to watch hardass gritty realism and I'm happy to see some artistic license stylism, but when you have the hollywood signature petite pretty thing laying power shots destroying 200lb+ meat heads it gets a bit gimme a break. Give her some kung fu or whatever and at least let her fk 'em up in a plausible way, surely that's more empowering etc?

That's why female action heros often don't work in my opinion, Memorable action heros like Mad Max or John Maclane or even Luke Skywalker get the absolute crap beaten out of them, they gain our sympathy by overcoming adversity, but when hollywood makes a woman the star they often make her so competent she never appears to be in any real trouble... and tension just goes out the window....

Then they blame us "sexist" audiences for their bad writing and direction.....

That Atomic Blonde fight is good though....

Edited by motorizer on Saturday 21st December 14:05

[Teddy Lop]

motorizer said:

That's why female action heros often don't work in my opinion, Memorable action heros like Mad Max or John Maclane or even Luke Skywalker get the absolute crap beaten out of them, they gain our sympathy by overcoming adversity, but when hollywood makes a woman the star they often make her so competent she never appears to be in any real trouble... and tension just goes out the window....

Then they blame us "sexist" audiences for their bad writing and direction.....

That Atomic Blonde fight is good though....

Edited by motorizer on Saturday 21st December 14:05

TBF I guess they're trying to appeal to yesterdays median lowest common denominator idea of audience that find a woman having the st properly slapped out of her a little confronting, but times change - women's MMA is one of todays fastest growing sports...

[Pericoloso]

Kill Bill has been mentioned but the Darryl Hannah ,Uma Thurman fight in the caravan is fun to watch.

[littlebasher]

I'm quite fond of the scene between Thomas Jane and the Russian dude in the Punisher

[motorizer]

These from true romance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3S_qqhL_4A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqfDcrg3if0

[DaveGoddard]

nicanary said:

Peter Griffin v. Big Chicken in numerous episodes of Family Guy.

Peter Griffin vs Homer Simpson from the crossover episode :P

[parabolica]

The alley shoot-out scene in Collateral is, for my money, one of the best and most accurate scenes of gun play on recent film. The action only lasts a few seconds, but it's superbly done.

[irish boy]

It’s hard to watch but the one in banshee where the sheriff takes on the MMA fighter guy. I watched it when it first was aired and still remember it because of the brutality, won’t be watching it again.

[Scabutz]

parabolica said:

The alley shoot-out scene in Collateral is, for my money, one of the best and most accurate scenes of gun play on recent film. The action only lasts a few seconds, but it's superbly done.

I love that scene. Pushing the gun away as he draws his, bang bang..bang bang. Walk away.

The shootout in club Fever is amazing too.

For unarmed combat though someone already mentioned it above but Benny the Jet and John Cusack in Grosse Pointe Blank is the best. It looks like a proper fight between people who can fight without being massively choreographed. One of my favourite films. Bing bing bang..popcorn.

[motorizer]

Deadwood had a brutal one between Dan Dority and the Captain

Back in the good old days game of thrones had some briliant fights...
Karl fookin' Tanner... Brienne vs Hound.... Mountain and Viper... Hound vs Pollivers men... I could go on....

[Scabutz]

Jason Bourne vs Desh in the Bourne Ultimatium. Makes you feel like you are there watching it. Brutal without being graphic.

[hyphen]

Ong Bak was good fun!


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ong-Bak:_Muay_Thai...

Edited by hyphen on Saturday 21st December 22:50

[SlimJim16v]

Can't remember any specific fights, but the French films Nikita and District 13.

[A Winner Is You]

motorizer said:

Teddy Lop said:

A Winner Is You said:

Atomic Blonde had a good one as well. Most of the time when they put women in action films, they make the mistake of having her almost invincible, taking out much larger opponents with ease. But in this instance she takes a fair few hits in return, which coupled with the clumsy and desperate fighting making it feel a lot more believable

this is such a good point, I'm happy to watch hardass gritty realism and I'm happy to see some artistic license stylism, but when you have the hollywood signature petite pretty thing laying power shots destroying 200lb+ meat heads it gets a bit gimme a break. Give her some kung fu or whatever and at least let her fk 'em up in a plausible way, surely that's more empowering etc?

That's why female action heros often don't work in my opinion, Memorable action heros like Mad Max or John Maclane or even Luke Skywalker get the absolute crap beaten out of them, they gain our sympathy by overcoming adversity, but when hollywood makes a woman the star they often make her so competent she never appears to be in any real trouble... and tension just goes out the window....

Then they blame us "sexist" audiences for their bad writing and direction.....

That Atomic Blonde fight is good though....

Edited by motorizer on Saturday 21st December 14:05

Although to be fair there are plenty of male-led films that have the exact same problem (Steven Segal Syndrome). Superhero films are the worst for this, when you have a character who's literally a god or immortal, why would I be concerned about them in a fight?

[130R]

Basically all of The Raid / The Raid 2