It’s been a while since I’ve done a Best list involving action movies and fight scenes. I’ve done a number of lists involving the best martial arts actors/actresses and the best action movies, but I’ve never gotten to the point where I would actually discuss the fights themselves, at least not to a great degree. So, I figured NOW is a good time as any to start describing some of my favorite fight scenes. In every action movie, there’s usually a ramping up of action to the point that a final battle has to ensue between a hero and a villain. This is particularly true in movies that involve a lot of martial arts and other forms of hand-to-hand combat. The final battle is generally supposed to be the most spectacular and executed battle of the entire movie. It’s not always the case, however, and some action flicks don’t even have a final battle which weakens that particular film in many ways. So, for this post, I’m going to focus on the films that actually HAVE a final fight that is satisfying and brings the story to a decent conclusion. Be warned, there will be spoilers. If you haven’t had the chance to watch these films, I would suggest that you do so. With that out of the way, let’s have a look at some of my favorite final battles. These are going to be actual fights, not philosophical beat-downs. I’ll save that for another time.
Inigo Montoya vs. Count Rugen – The Princess Bride
So, yeah, I’m starting this list off with a genuine classic: The Princess Bride. I’ve always loved this movie. It is one of the most perfect and enjoyable swashbuckling adventure movies ever made. The character of Inigo Montoya is a world-class swordsman that’s been searching for his father’s killer for 20 years. This fight scene is where Inigo confronts the ruthless Count Rugen. Despite getting caught off-guard when Rugen throws a knife at him, Inigo battles through the pain while uttering the words, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. Finally he has Rugen cornered and demands that the count give him anything he asks for. “I want my father back, you son of a bitch,” as he finally kills Rugen. While I wouldn’t say it’s the most well-choreographed fight scene of the film, what sets it apart is the emotional aspect of the fight. Mandy Patinkin, who played Inigo, did an interview years ago where he described what he was feeling while doing the fight. Mandy lost his father to cancer several years prior, so in his mind while he was fighting Rugen, he was fighting the cancer that killed his father. So, when he kills Rugen, he killed the cancer that took his father. He said that was his fairy tale. When you put that in context with the actual fight scene, it packs an even more emotional punch.
Luke Vs. Vader – The Empire Strikes Back
As a huge fan of Star Wars, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up this particular fight scene. There are a number of reasons why I picked this one of the one from Return of the Jedi. That one’s a great one and also packs an emotional punch, but that fight requires that we know about the revelation at the end of THIS ONE. For most of the fight, Luke is battling Darth Vader as if he’s just another bad guy in the Empire. Vader is obviously toying with him like a cat toys with a mouse. It’s during the final arc of the scene in which Vader drops all pretense and puts Luke down by cutting off his hand. Luke was obviously in over his head. But what comes next is a one-two punch, not just for Luke, but for the audience: “No, I am your father.” How would you react to the idea that the man standing in front of you, the man responsible for the destruction of the Jedi Order, and a Sith Lord, is your father? Even the audiences were thrown for a galaxy-sized loop. It went down in history as one of the greatest twists in cinema, but it also set the stage for the final confrontation between the two in Return of the Jedi. The other reason I brought this battle up is to show you that the good guys don’t always win.
Queen Bavmorda Vs. Fin Raziel and Willow – Willow
Here’s ANOTHER one from my childhood: Willow. I consider this film to be one of the most underrated fantasy films of all time and it still holds up today. What I really like about this particular battle is that it’s not just Willow going up against the evil queen. You’ve got another powerful sorceress in the mix along with the queen’s own daughter turning against her. After Sorsha is knocked out, Raziel and Bavmorda engage in a battle of magic for the life of the infant princess, Elora Danan. It’s spectacular, but it ultimately comes down to Bavmorda and Willow. As powerful as Bavmorda is, she completely underestimates Willow’s knowledge of sleight-of-hand. Because of that, Bavmorda ends up destroying herself using the spell that was designed to kill Elora, in a wonderful bit of irony. Bavmorda’s arrogance allowed her to be outsmarted by someone who really had no experience with sorcery. It just goes to show you that matter your size, you can overcome any adversary if you’re a little bit smarter than they are.
Maximus Vs. Commodus – Gladiator
A great final battle has to be written like a story. It has to have a beginning, a middle, and a conclusion. Essentially, it’s kind of a story within a story. Gladiator is set in ancient Rome during the time of Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus. Basically, Aurelius’s most trusted general, Maximus is betrayed by Commodus when he finds his wife and son murdered. He’s then sold into slavery to become a gladiator for the entertainment of Rome’s citizens. Eventually, he is sent to Rome itself to fight for the Emperor in the Coliseum. Another reason what makes a final battle great is how emotionally invested an audience can get in a battle like this. I have to be honest, the conclusion to this fight pretty much has me in tears every time I watch it. It’s not just because he succeeds in killing such a wicked human being, but that he succeeded in what he set out to do and he ultimately reunites with his family on the other side. It’s an emotionally powerful scene that shows how incredible this movie is and how wonderful a director Ridley Scott has proven himself to be. Also, credit has to be given to Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix for their outstanding performances here.
Casey vs. Nakabara – Ninja: Shadow of a Tear
Now we come to a more traditional martial arts confrontation. This one is between Scott Adkins’ Casey and Kane Kosugi’s Nakabara. Ninja: Shadow of a Tear is a film that would fit right in with the ninja films of the 1980s. Revenge, hand-to-hand combat, and sword fighting are par for the course here. Like I said before, any good final confrontation is always going to have an aspect to it that feels personal. In this case, Casey’s wife was murdered by Nakabara to convince him to go on a killing spree that would eliminate Nakabara’s competition in the drug trade. Casey doesn’t realize this until he sees a knife bearing the same symbol on a similar weapon that was used in an attempt to mug him earlier in the movie. It’s only then that he realizes that he was betrayed by the person that he thought was an ally. The story is pretty traditional as far action movies go, and it does feel like it comes from the 80s, only with better fight choreography. The fight sequences in this movie are amazing, thanks to choreographer and co-star Tim Man. This final battle pretty much has it all. Hand-to-hand, bo staffs and swords. It’s hard-hitting and it’s done without wires. It’s absolutely one of the best final fights that I’ve seen in an action movie of this sort. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Captain Jack Sparrow vs. Barbossa – Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
It’s hard to believe that this movie came out 17 years ago, yet it still holds up. That’s more than I can say for some of the sequels. Pirates of the Caribbean, despite the fact that it’s based on an amusement park ride, is one of the best pirate movies ever made. It’s epic, it’s well-written, and it has great characters. This was back when the character of Jack Sparrow was an actual character and not a caricature of one. He was unpredictable, charming and funny all at the same time, while also coming across as a serious threat to the people around him. Johnny Depp’s performance here is one for the ages. It’s just a shame that the character would end up being a one-note joke in later movies. The final battle here is epic. Like I keep saying, final battles have to have an element where one of the main characters has been wronged at some point and is looking for retribution. In this case, Sparrow’s going after Barbossa after marooning him on an island and stealing his ship 10 years prior. This fight takes place in a cave and all around it. The sword-fighting here is top-notch and it’s accompanied by an epic score by Hans Zimmer. The visual effects and CGI are still amazing and the constant transitioning between the two is outstanding. This movie is a whole lot of fun, and I keep coming back to it time and time again.
Ripley vs. Queen Alien – Aliens
The original Alien by Ridley Scott was one of the most terrifying sci-fi/horror films ever made. It also catapulted Sigourney Weaver into superstar status. While the film is an absolute classic, James Cameron’s follow-up is no slouch, either. Aliens, released in 1986, would pick up 57 years after the events of the original film. Ripley, while initially looked at as some lunatic, is told that Weyland Yutani lost contact with a colony on LV-426, the same planet that her original crew encountered the xenomorph on. So, along with a squad of heavily armed marines, they investigate, only to find out that the colonists found that derelict ship. The rest, as they say, is history. This movie is full of iconic moments. The most iconic being the final confrontation between Ripley and the alien queen. “Get away from her, you BITCH!” Honestly, what more can I say about this scene that hasn’t been said before? It’s absolutely amazing. Aliens is how you take a sequel, make it a different kind of movie, and still have it be one of the greatest movies of all time. Great characters, great story and amazing atmosphere make Aliens one of the greatest sequels ever.
Toby Wong vs. Advanced Model – Drive(1997)
If you’ve made it this far, and you’ve been following me for a while, you’re probably wondering why I don’t have more Kung-Fu movies on this list. Well, here’s one. A little movie from 1997 called Drive ended up being one of the best American-made martial arts movies ever made. I’m not kidding. It’s been referred to as the best Hong Kong film that wasn’t made in Hong Kong. Mark Dacascos stars as Toby Wong, a super-soldier on the run from the company that created him. On the run from the company, he essentially kidnaps Malik Brody, a down-on-his-luck wannabe musician. Together, they travel to Los Angeles because a rival company is willing to pay Toby a hefty sum of money for the module that powers him. Yeah, the story’s as silly as it gets, but you really come to a movie like this for the story. You come for the action, and this movie delivers on all counts. Not only is the fight choreography STILL some of the best I’ve seen in an American action movie from 1997, but the characters here are absolutely fantastic. Mark Dacascos has great chemistry with Kadeem Hardison, who plays Malik. The late Brittany Murphy also shows up in a really bizarre performance, but it works. The real highlight of the film is the final battle between Toby and the advanced model sent to bring him back. That’s some really outstanding on-screen fighting. The film’s exciting, it’s funny, and it moves really fast. This is something that you really would see out of a traditional Hong Kong action flick.
There are a lot of movies out there that have outstanding final battles. I’m barely scratching the surface here, but these are some of the ones that stood out to me. What are some of your favorite final battles that you’ve seen? Comment below, I may add them to a future list. On the topic of Best Fights, I’ve got some ideas moving forward, so you might see something in the next few days. Hopefully. This has been The Best Fights: The Final Battle and I will catch you all on the next one. This is Major Tom, signing off.