12 Best Fighting Movies Of All Time, Ranked

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You can spin a wheel and land on a random movie, and it probably has characters throwing punches at one another. That being said, there is a big difference between movies that have fighting, and movies that are about fighting. This feature names the best movies in which fighting is fully explored as a concept, versus just movies that have the best fight scenes. Not to say that these films don't fulfill that second criteria as well, because some of them very much do.

If you're just looking for the best kung fu movies, or are curious about some of the more underrated martial arts movies of recent years, we've definitely got you covered on both of those fronts elsewhere on the site. But if you want movies that dig deeper into why the characters are fighting, what fighting means to their struggles and their lifestyles, and the way that fighting can be used to accomplish more than just determining who's the toughest, that's more in line with the films we've ranked below.  

The reason many action stars from the '80s disappeared is that their style of movie fell out of favor. Those that stuck around, like Jean-Claude Van Damme, only did so because of a willingness to lead gimmicky cheese like "Timecop." But before that, the Muscles from Brussels starred in the 1988 kumite classic "Bloodsport," which is frequently written about favorably as a cult gem. There's also long been talk of a reboot. How did it earn such a legacy?

Much of it has to do with Van Damme himself, who makes up for shaky acting chops with proficiency in ninjitsu and charisma that jumps off the screen. He plays supposed real martial arts master Frank Dux, who claimed "Bloodsport" was based on real events but was later found to be a fraud. But that doesn't take away from "Bloodsport" as a film, in which the fictional Dux is an Army captain who goes AWOL to compete in an infamous underground martial arts tournament. What follows is a series of fights where Van Damme showcases exactly why he's managed to stand out even among a very crowded field of action peers.

Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Forest Whitaker, Bolo Yeung

Director: Newt Arnold

Rating: R

Runtime: 92 minutes

Where to watch: Pluto, Roku Channel

"Fight Club" isn't one of the best fighting movies of all time just because the fights themselves are so brutal and realistic — nobody simply shakes off a punch to the face or a knee to the gut as they would in other action movies. It's definitely part of the movie's appeal, but where "Fight Club" truly shines is what those fights mean for the characters in the movie, even if it initially seems to just be about guys fighting in a basement.

Even before the reveal that Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are just two sides of the same person, it's obvious that more is going on between the fights. These are guys who believe the only way to feel alive again, and to connect with other men in ways that a campfire kumbaya won't accomplish, is to get together and beat the crap out of each other. Whether you celebrate that message, or you would have been one of the people in the movie's premiere audience that booed it, doesn't change the fact that "Fight Club" has really interesting things to say about fighting as a form of bonding. 

Cast: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter

Director: David Fincher

Rating: R

Runtime: 139 minutes

Where to watch: Hulu

As "Cobra Kai" was ending, it started ramping up its tease of a bigger Miyagiverse – which is only possible because of the solid foundation laid by 1984's "The Karate Kid." It might seem to just be a movie about a kid learning karate so he can fight bullies, but that's only scratching the surface. Even putting aside the fan theory that suggests Daniel (Ralph Macchio) is the true villain of the story, "The Karate Kid" is much more than a teenage revenge tale: Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) actually spends most of Daniel's training relaying to Daniel that fighting should always be a last resort.

Moreover, he primarily wants Daniel to learn karate for its non-violent benefits, and hopes Daniel never actually uses it on another person. Sure, there are satisfying fights, including Daniel's triumphant win in the big tournament. But that's not why "The Karate Kid" has stood the test of time. In her review of the 2010 movie of the same name, Dana Stevens of Slate wrote of the original, "Rewatched today, [it] feels smart and fresh, with a wealth of small character details and a leisurely middle section that explores the boy's developing respect for his teacher."

Cast: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue

Director: John G. Alvidsen

Rating: PG

Runtime: 127 minutes

Where to watch: Hulu

Admittedly, the "Kill Bill" movies are basically a pastiche of a handful of earlier martial arts classics. But Quentin Tarantino's revenge epic, in which The Bride (Uma Thurman) systematically takes down each of the former allies that wronged her, has its place on this list because of the modern polish brought to the proceedings. While both installments of "Kill Bill" are action masterpieces, "Kill Bill: Volume 1" gets the focus here for several reasons.

"Volume 2" is fairly light on fights but heavy on exposition. Meanwhile, "Volume 1" comes front-loaded with the lion's share of the action, starting almost immediately with the brutal battle against Vernita (Vivica A. Fox). Once The Bride reaches Tokyo nightclub House of Blue Leaves, the audience barely has time to catch its breath between her fights with mace-wielding Gogo (Chiaki Kuriyama), the Crazy 88 squad, and samurai sword master O-Ren (Lucy Liu).

It's easy to just go along for the violent ride with "Kill Bill: Volume 1." But the fact that The Bride is murdering people left and right in service of well-earned, and very personal, vengeance makes even the movie's most cartoonishly bloody battles actually feel powerful.

Cast: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Rating: R

Runtime: 111 minutes

Where to watch: Rent or purchase through Amazon and Apple TV

As rightfully beloved as "Rocky" was and still is, the general consensus is that the actual boxing displayed in the movie simply isn't very good. Compared to "Creed" in that respect, there's no contest. It contains some of the most exhilarating boxing action ever caught on film, while managing to have fight choreography that is still crowd-pleasingly entertaining. Beyond that, it represents the "Rocky" franchise best because of the story and characters. 

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) starts out as an underdog, and that's what makes the original "Rocky" so interesting. As the sequels go on, and he becomes a legitimately great boxer and his matches more cartoonish, the effect is lost. Seeing him take his place outside of the ropes for "Creed" is a much better way to honor that legacy than the merely decent "Rocky Balboa," which was about his own comeback in the ring. Stallone gives a career-best performance in "Creed" opposite Michael B. Jordan, who is absolutely electric as the son of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) who decides to follow in his father's footsteps. It deservedly remains the best-reviewed movie in the entire franchise, even ahead of the original. 

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone

Director: Ryan Coogler

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 133 minutes

Where to watch: Prime Video

It's tough to pick which of the dynamite performances in 2011's "Warrior" was the reason why it rose above the very crowded market of mixed martial arts (MMA) movies in the 2010s. The default would be either Joel Edgerton or Tom Hardy as brothers Brendan and Tommy Conlon, whose rivalry in and out of the octagon is what drives the film. There's also the stunning turn by Nick Nolte, riding some of his best work in decades as the Conlon patriarch all the way to a well-deserved Oscar nomination. There are also several other strong supporting players, including both actors and real-life MMA stars.

It all comes together in a movie that will delight both the MMA faithful and those that know nothing about the sport. There is a lot of tabloid controversy and other baggage that makes MMA a tough thing to be a fan of, but there's no denying that it's a legitimate sport with genuinely talented athletes participating in it. It's also a sport that isn't for the faint of heart, not only because of the physical toughness that is required but the mental toll that often follows.

The considerable ego that is required for success in the sport makes it tough to have the kind of off-the-field camaraderie that is often found in other sports, even combat sports. "Warrior" does an excellent job of demonstrating all of that, while also showcasing the actual action itself, which is what ultimately made the sport popular in the first place.

Cast: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte

Director: Gavin O'Connor

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 140 minutes

Where to watch: Prime Video

American audiences hadn't heard the name Tony Jaa prior to 2003, nor was there widespread familiarity with the sport of Muay Thai or movies from Indonesia. But that year saw the release of "Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior," which brought all three of those things into the American zeitgeist permanently. At a time when "wire fu" was all the rage, "Ong-Bak" stood out for defiantly eschewing such trickery in favor of a pure exhibition of what was possible with the physicality of human beings and nothing else. 

While much attention and praise was given to the non-fighting action set pieces, including chase scenes that seemed to put Jaa's life in legitimate danger, it was the fights in "Ong-Bak" that made the movie a global cult hit. Admittedly, it also has one of the thinnest stories of any of the movies on this list, in which a fighter (Jaa) from a poor Thai village has to recover a stolen Buddha statue from gangsters. 

But "Ong-Bak" gets a pass on that because it not only introduced the first action star since Jet Li to be put in the same conversation as the likes of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, but it was both an introduction to and remains an incredible showcase of a fighting style that remains fairly underutilized in movies. Not to mention it helped to put Indonesia on the map as a legitimate player in the action movie arena. 

Cast: Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao

Director: Prachya Pinkaew

Rating: R

Runtime: 105 minutes

Where to watch: Prime Video

A lot of effort would have been saved by just putting the first four "John Wick" movies on this list, but in the name of diversity, we wanted to stick with one entry per franchise. Ultimately, "John Wick: Chapter 4" edged out the previous three installments for one reason — that staircase fight scene, which people will still be talking about 100 years from now as one of the most entertaining and best-choreographed action scenes ever put on screen.

That's not the only thing that puts "John Wick: Chapter 4" in the top five best fighting movies. The stakes for John (Keanu Reeves) are higher than ever, having built progressively over the course of the previous three movies and giving him far more to fight for than just avenging his dog. For all the ways that the "John Wick" movies are beloved, and are not afraid to be nearly non-stop action from start to finish, there truly is a legitimately good story running through this franchise, and Wick is much more than just the most effective one-man army that cinema has ever produced.

It can easily be argued that the only reason "John Wick" has had as many installments as it has is because the character and the story underpinning the action is as good as it is — and that's supported by pretty much all other non-stop action movie series stalling out after one or two entries, or at least needing to take really long breaks in between. 

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Laurence Fishburne

Director: Chad Stahelski

Rating: R

Runtime: 169 minutes

Where to watch: Roku Channel

Most actors go their entire careers without having any brushes with death on set. On the other hand, there is an entire list of movie scenes that nearly killed Jackie Chan, owing to his insistence on doing his own stunts and fight work. It's debatable whether he's truly the best martial artist in movie history, but he is certainly the most entertaining. And nowhere is that more evident than in the martial arts masterpiece "Drunken Master II."

In one of many movies that stars a version of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-Hung, "Drunken Master II" sees Chan play a young, impulsive Wong who hasn't yet learned to hone his considerable talents. What he soon discovers is that he is a better fighter when he gets heavily intoxicated, as it allows him to perform the unusual fighting style known as drunken boxing. It's a style designed to confuse opponents with its unorthodox stances, herky-jerky movements, and unpredictable patterns. But when the stakes get much more serious for Wong and his family, the comedy melts away, and what follows are some of the most incredible fights ever put on film. 

It'll never be definitively settled what Jackie Chan's best movie is, but "Drunken Master II" feels like the ultimate showcase for everything that has made him a globally-recognized action star for the better part of 50 years.

Cast: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Ti Lung

Director: Lau Kar-leung

Rating: R

Runtime: 102 minutes

Where to watch: Rent or purchase through Amazon and Apple TV

Whereas "Ong-Bak" kicked the door open and introduced Indonesia action movies to the world, 2011's "The Raid" ripped the door off its hinges and pummeled it into sawdust with its bare fists. Released in the U.S. as "The Raid: Redemption," the movie showcased an even lesser-known fighting style — the quick and brutal class of Indonesia martial arts called pencak silat — and was quickly hailed as a modern fighting classic. But its 2014 sequel, "The Raid 2," upped the ante in almost every way. 

Not only does "The Raid 2" have better fight scenes, it expanded the story a bit and gave a little more heft to the proceedings than the very video game-like original. Rather than just a vertical fight up through the inside of a building, "The Raid 2" travels to multiple locations as the main character from the first movie (played by Iko Uwais) tries to resume his life and career as a cop despite the huge target that his actions in the first movie put on him. It also spans more than just a single day. All this comes together and marries the unflinching fights of the first movie with more of an actual plot, cementing its place along the all-time greats.

Cast: Iko Uwais, Arifin Putra

Director: Gareth Evans

Rating: R

Runtime: 150 minutes

Where to watch: Pluto

While telling a fairly simple story about a martial arts master (Bruce Lee) who is tasked with infiltrating a martial arts tournament run by shady characters, "Enter the Dragon" easily rises above its by-the-numbers premise thanks almost entirely to Lee himself. Lee was certainly a physical specimen to behold, but he wasn't a hulking giant like so many of the action stars that would follow in the next decade. That didn't stop him from displaying his awe-inspiring strength and exhibiting a mastery over his body that makes it easy to believe that he could take even the most skilled fighters down with a single, concentrated blow. 

No one fight with Bruce Lee ever went on all that long — because they didn't need to. He would make short work of his opponents with a few expertly-guided hits, and would punctuate it with his signature howl and/or that iconic smirk that has been used in many a meme. The fact that Lee cemented his place not only in the pantheon of martial arts greats, but at the top of it, with only a handful of starring roles before his untimely and tragic death, speaks to just what a force he was in that small selection of performances. 

Cast: Bruce Lee, John Saxon

Director: Robert Clouse

Rating: R

Runtime: 102 minutes

Where to watch: Max

What could possibly be a better fighting movie than one starring Bruce Lee? How about one about the man who trained him? That movie is "Ip Man," released in 2008 and starring Donnie Yen in the titular role. The brilliance of "Ip Man" comes in the way that it functions as a fascinating biopic, a prequel to Bruce Lee's career, and an absolutely incredible martial arts movie all at once.

"Ip Man" is initially a fairly low-stakes affair wherein Ip is forced into a reluctant fight with a local hothead. But then the movie transforms when the Second Sino-Japanese War hits, and Ip finds himself impoverished and working in a coal mine. Ip tries to follow the rules and do his work with his head down, but he's soon forced to fight — and when he does, Yen shows why he's one of the most underrated martial arts stars of all time outside of his native China. Yen showcase's Ip's signature Wing Chun style in breathtaking, brutal fights that demonstrate why it made Ip a legend, and why it would later help make Bruce Lee an icon. 

Cast: Wilson Yip

Director: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam

Rating: R

Runtime: 108 minutes

Where to watch: Pluto, Tubi