Summary
ranking of the five finest combat sequences.. Fight sequences are the most important part of any action movie, and they may take on a wide variety of forms and configurations. It is possible for fight sequences to be noisy and violent versions of controlled chaos, as seen in the films associated with John Wick. On a lesser scale and isolated to a single location, such as the elevator scene in Drive, they may be of a smaller size. Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan are two examples of martial artists who demonstrated that the intricate choreography of hand-to-hand fighting can be as delicate and lyrical as a ballet.
ranking of the 5 best combat sequences
Fight sequences have the ability to wow the audience via the use of horrific and visceral acts, regardless of your personal inclination. Continually pushing the boundaries of what is feasible in an action movie, stunt teams and choreographers continue to push the envelope. In recognition of these cinematic moments, Digital Trends has compiled a list of the top battle scenes that have been seen in action films.
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1. Rama vs. The Assassin in The Raid 2 (2014)
Like the battle that takes place on the stairs in John Wick: Chapter 4, the most stunning combat in the Raid franchise is saved until the conclusion of the last film in the series, which is titled The Raid 2. The most difficult obstacle that Rama (The Raid) has ever faced is a kitchen fight against the Assassin, played by Cecep Arif Rahman of Gundala. The Assassin is a vicious murderer who uses a Karambit knife as his weapon of choice. Rama has survived a fatal vehicle pursuit and a struggle with his siblings Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man.
While many of the combat sequences in The Raid series are hectic and include a lot of moving components, the battle that takes place in the kitchen is more manageable and takes place in a smaller space. However, the routine is just as spectacular as it is because of the high-level choreography that it features. Due to the fact that the adversaries are fighting to the death, the white kitchen is quickly covered with blood, shattered glass, and wine. At the same time as it is one of the finest one-on-one fight sequences of the 21st century, the lethal battle also solidifies its position as one of the best in the world of cinematic history.
2. Jen Yu vs. Yu Shu Lien in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a magnificent experience since it is a film that is a brilliant martial arts flick. The coordinated motions and physicality of the scripted battle scenes are comparable to those of a beautiful dance, giving the impression that they are a ballet. One of the most renowned martial arts choreographers and a champion of Hong Kong film, Yuen Woo-ping, is responsible for these scenes.
In a film that is packed with elaborate combat, the moment that sticks out the most is the swordfight that takes place between Yu Shu Lien (played by Michelle Yeoh from Everything Everywhere All at Once) and Jen Yu (played by Zhang Ziyi from Godzilla: King of the Monsters). Jen is in possession of a sword that is known as The Green Destiny, and Yu Shu Lien is on a mission to get its return. The two engage in a jaw-dropping swordfight encounter, which is a strong example of peak action cinematography because it incorporates wire fu skills and flawless choreography.
3. Bathhouse knife fight in Eastern Promises (2007)
If you think it’s difficult to defend yourself against two Chechen killers, then try to do it when you’re nude. Unfortunately for Viggo Mortenson, who plays Nikolai Luzhin in David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises, this scenario ends up becoming his reality. Mortenson is known for his role as Captain Fantastic. The scene depicts two tall and hefty Chechen assassins entering a Turkish bathhouse with the intention of killing Kirill Semyonovich, who is played by Vincent Cassel from Westworld. In spite of this, the assassins are led to believe that Nikolai is really Kirill, and thus they employ linoleum cutters to launch an assault on the Russian gangster who is hiding out in the bathhouse.
Nikolai is compelled to defend himself against the assassins while wearing nothing but a towel, which he shortly loses when he successfully blocks one of the attempts to knife him. Nikolai suffers terrible injuries at the hands of the assassins, and his blood continues to trickle over the tiles of the bathroom; nonetheless, the Russian is able to live because to his sheer fortitude and talent. The gory battle is so shocking and unforgettable that Roger Ebert referred to it as a “benchmark” for fights and said that it “sets the same kind of standard that The French Connection set for chases.”
4. Neo vs. Agent Smith in the subway in The Matrix (1999)
The conflict between humans and machines has evolved into a revered piece of science fiction literature that is worthy of being placed in the same category as that of Star Wars and Blade Runner. Despite the fact that they were developed in the late 1990s, the stunts in The Matrix continue to be among the most carefully documented and coordinated scenes that have ever been recorded on film. A new age of action cinema was influenced by The Matrix, for a variety of reasons, including the utilization of bullet time and the cyberpunk influence.
The combat scene between Neo (played by Keanu Reeves, who appeared in John Wick) and Agent Smith (played by Hugo Weaving, who appeared in The Lord of the Rings) is the ideal example of what makes The Matrix such a captivating film. In addition to being breathtaking, the elaborately orchestrated battle scene is also quite complicated. The use of wire fu was a revolutionary feature that served as the ideal tribute to the Hong Kong martial arts films that had come before it. There have been action movies that are superior than The Matrix, but there have been very few that have had a greater impact.
5. The Sacré Coeur stair fight in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Since its debut in 2014, the John Wick series has created some of the most spectacular combat sequences in the history of action movies. In fact, this article could have easily been devoted to seven of the finest fight scenes that have been included in those four films. The quality of these scenes has been very impressive. As far as the possibilities of combat choreography are concerned, each film continues to surpass the previous one. The scene that involves the Red Circle Club is the most memorable in John Wick. In the second chapter of John Wick, the location is the Hall of Mirrors. The knife battle that took place in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum became the most memorable moment of the story.
All of these sequences took place in preparation for the stairs scenario that takes place in Paris in John Wick: Chapter 4. In the sequence, John, played by Keanu Reeves from The Matrix, is required to ascend more than two hundred stairs in order to reach the ultimate fight at Sacré Coeur. Even when John eliminates every assassin that stands in his way, he is forcibly thrown off his feet as he reaches the top of the building. This causes him to fall down every step and return to the bottom of the building. On the other hand, John is given some assistance when Caine, a blind assassin played by Donnie Yen from Mulan, joins forces with John to re-climb the stairs. They eliminate every impediment that stands in their way, establishing this as the most memorable sequence in Chapter 4.