Over the years, fight scenes have taken just about every form one can imagine. Most styles of martial arts and every weapon in human history have gotten their moment in the spotlight. Entire genres are dictated by the specific weapons and methods used in their physical confrontations. Even the tone of a fight scene is completely decided by the filmmaker, leading some examples to use punches as punchlines.
There’s a point at whichviolence becomes a joke. A fictional on-screen death can be heartbreaking, but it can also be so overblown that it becomes cartoonish. Some action filmmakers mine the idea for gags, but others go far enough to escape being taken seriously through sheer excess.
RELATED:That Escalated Quickly: 5 Great Fight Scenes In Non-Action Movies
Wong Fei-Hung vs. John -Drunken Master II
Jackie Chan is the unquestioned masterof slapstick combat. Just about every fight scene he ever starred in is simultaneously hilarious and intense. His 1978 filmDrunken Masterand its 1994 sequel are among the most influential martial arts movies ever made. The film takes the real ancient Chinese art of Drunken Boxing, casts Chan as folk hero Wong Fei-Hung, and sets him against an army of more serious fighters. His jerky movements and unusual acrobatics are a joy to watch in every scene, but the final boss of the second film is especially unique. The bout takes place in a steel factory and features some of the best techniques of Chan’s career. John is portrayed by Ken Lo, Chan’s personal bodyguard and longtime member of his stunt team. It’s a perfect fight with all the wacky hijinks we’ve come to know andlove from Jackie Chan.
The Russian -The Punisher
Johnathan Hensleigh’s 2004Punishermovie should really be better remembered. It’s not as goodas Jon Bernthal’s take, but Thomas Jane has a lot of fun with the role. Near the midpoint of the film, Frank is assaulted by The Russian, a nameless monster who has been hired to murder him. The fight goes down like a parody ofThe Terminator. The Russian is indestructible. He’s stabbed, shot, and bludgeoned without impact. Perhaps more hilarious, Frank keeps pulling hidden weapons out of impossible places around his apartment. He has a hand grenade taped underneath his bathroom sink and a button that closes the door for him. What scenario was Frank imagining when he installed that? This fight is brutal, but it’s also hilarious. Like the rest of the film, it really captures the comical elements of the source material.
“Put on the Glasses” -They Live
The late great “Rowdy” Roddy Piper made a name for himself in the WWF and the WCW, but most know him today asthe star of John Carpenter’sgenre-defining sci-fi classic. As if to accommodate Piper’s strengths as a performer, Carpenter put an entire wrestling match into the film. This fight scene lasts around 6 minutes, but it feels like it takes up an hour. Piper’s unnamed character has discovered the world as it is through the use of the fated sunglasses. He finds his co-worker Frank in an alley and demands he try on his eyewear. Frank thinks Piper is a murderer, and since he won’t let his friend open his eyes, they come to blows. The brawl goes on and on, getting increasingly more brutal and outlandish. It’s a fantastic brawl with a ton of good moments.Keith David has a long and proud career, and this still stands as one of his best moments.
The Knife Shop -John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Most of theJohn Wickfranchise is light on humor. It’s a film about a vengeful man slaughtering his way through the endless criminal underworld he once lived in. This fight scene that takes place early in the third chapter finds a level of absurdity by adding new elements to the action. John doesn’t do much of hisusual gun fu shtick. He fights hand-to-hand for a moment before comically realizing, in sync with his foe, that the walls are lined with murder weapons. Wick kills multiple men by throwing dozens of knives in a way that looks truly hilarious. The CGI is genuinely reminiscent ofHitman’s perfect aim throwing mechanics. It’s excessive to the point of comedy. Though this scene ends with a pretty gruesome kill, the battle has a lot of funny exchanges.
“That Escalated Quickly” -Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
The perfect non sequitur fight scene comes from this classic 2004 Will Ferrell comedy. It comes out of nowhere and disappears just as quickly. The titular Ron Burgundy and his loyal team of newsmen are walking through a seemingly rough part of San Diego when they encounter the rival news team led by Wes Mantooth. Instead of trading insults again, both TV crewspull hitherto unmentioned weaponryout of various pockets and prepare to scrap. Suddenly, another news team appears, then another, and another, and another. It’s a chaotic maelstrom of violence, every cut reveals a dozen new sight gags, and Brick kills a guy. It’s hard to find a funnier fight scene than this all-out melee between on-air personalities.
