Top 10 Best Keanu Reeves Fight Scenes
#10: The Dog Fight
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“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019) If there is one thing the "John Wick" films make crystal clear, it is that everything can be turned into a weapon. As guns, knives, and pencils were already covered, "Parabellum" shifted its attention to animals, with John Wick at one point turning a horse's hind legs into the ultimate equalizer. Things are taken a step further when Halle Berry's Sofia and her two extremely well-trained dogs show up for an extended shootout in Casablanca. Berry and Reeves are both fantastic in this sequence, but the dogs naturally steal the show with a couple of well-placed bites.
#9: Johnny Utah vs. Bodhi
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“Point Break” (1991) Although Reeves wouldn’t start to learn martial arts until "The Matrix," the actor still had his share of memorable fight scenes before then. Along with a fun albeit short clash against a group of surfers, Johnny Utah's final confrontation with Bodhi in "Point Break" is incredibly engrossing despite not being the most impressively choreographed fight ever. As the 50-year storm rages around them, Johnny and Bodhi finally come to blows in a fight that is ugly, desperate, and inevitable. It is a battle for survival, as two unlikely friends from incompatible backgrounds fight over their conflicting ideas of what constitutes freedom.
#8: Donaka Mark vs. Tiger Chen Linhu
“Man of Tai Chi” (2013) Keanu Reeves made his directorial debut with 2013's "Man of Tai Chi," a throwback to classic martial arts films that also allowed the actor to take on a villainous role. The highlight of the movie is undoubtedly the final battle between Reeves' Donaka and Tiger, a former Hong Kong PD officer corrupted by the villain's underground fighting ring. As cheesy as the dialogue might be at times, the intense confrontation serves as a fantastic showcase of Reeves and Tiger Chen's talents as martial artists. With editing kept to a minimum to ensure every blow is fully felt, this scene is honest, visceral, and painful.
#7: Jack Traven vs. Howard Payne
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“Speed” (1994) "Speed" really put Keanu Reeves on the map as an action star. With a simple premise that keeps the film from slowing down for a second, everything comes to a head in a frantic final confrontation between LAPD officer Jack Traven and deranged bomber Howard Payne. Naturally, it happens on top of a subway train. Even if the scene essentially boils down to a couple of punches to the face and a decapitation via a light signal, the fight is nothing short of exhilarating as two seemingly unstoppable forces clash while moving at a breakneck speed. Luckily for everyone involved, Jack was a bit taller than Howard.
#6: John Wick vs. Ares in a Hall of Mirrors
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“John Wick: Chapter 2” (2017) Through some unexpectedly brilliant world-building, "John Wick: Chapter 2" establishes the idea that anyone, anywhere could be a threat. After taking out Cassian in their second of two great fights, Wick heads to an art museum and shoots his way through a small army to take out Santino. This culminates in a visually striking and disorienting battle within a mirror exhibit, an absorbing sequence that is further enhanced by Chad Stahelski's unobtrusive directing style. Like so many encounters in the series, Wick and Ares' final fight is vicious, short, and sobering.
#5: Neo vs. Agent Smith in the Subway
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“The Matrix” (1999) Neo and Agent Smith cannot stop fighting during "The Matrix" trilogy, and even though each battle raises the bar in terms of spectacle, their first encounter in the subway station is the best. While quaint compared to their ultimate showdown in "The Matrix Revolutions," Neo and Smith's subway battle benefits from its simplicity, as these two powerful people come to blows and wreck some walls in the process. From the Western stand-off to the close-call ending on the train tracks, this scene never lets up for a second while also doing a great job of developing the characters.
#4: John Wick Comes Out of Retirement
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“John Wick” (2014) While these movies consist of nothing but great battles, John Wick demolishing Viggo's 12-man hit squad in his own home offers something none of the other fights can deliver: It is the first. Along with a stolen car and a murdered dog, "John Wick" spends a great deal of time building the hitman's mystique as the Baba Yaga, an entity that is more myth than man. When the moment finally arrives for this universe's Boogeyman to become real, it is cathartic. The fact this fight happens to also be a splendidly choreographed gunfight does not hurt either.
#3: Neo & Trinity’s Lobby Shootout
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“The Matrix” (1999) Leather coats, sunglasses, hapless security guards, and all of the bullets in the world. "The Matrix's" lobby shootout is the perfect example of how to do an action scene right. In many ways, this melee is the definition of excessive, but everything meshes together to create a thrilling scene that stands the test of the time. Backed by a fantastic electronic soundtrack, this sequence utilizes slow motion to accentuate the action as Neo and Trinity run through a platoon of soldiers without breaking a sweat. Within the story, this exchange is Neo's statement of intent; within cinema, it is an all-around classic gunfight.
#2: Neo vs. Morpheus
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“The Matrix” (1999) After learning that reality is nothing but a simulation, Neo is pulled out of the Matrix but still has a difficult time coming to grips with the truth. As action speaks louder than words, Morpheus takes Neo into a virtual dojo for an impromptu training session. Taken out of context, this fight is a stunningly choreographed bout that blends realistic martial arts, flexible physics, and great stunt work to create something unique. Within context, it emphasizes "The Matrix's" core themes of conscious free will as Neo learns to liberate his mind to maximize his body's potential. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Billy the Kid Bar Fight “Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure” (1989) Because Some Fights Are Just Meant to Be Hilarious Chateau Showdown “The Matrix Reloaded” (2003) A Great Blend of Martial Arts & Neo Being Excellent Keanu Reeves vs. Marcus Kim “Always Be My Maybe” (2019) If Keanu Is Going to Play Himself, There Has to be a Fight Bar Brawl “The Replacements” (2000) A Drunken Brawl Is a Change of Pace from Keanu’s Usual Fights Kai vs. Mizuki the Witch “47 Ronin” (2013) Because Who Doesn’t Want to Watch Keanu Fight a Dragon?
#1: The Red Circle Brawl
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“John Wick” (2014) Building on the earlier home invasion massacre, John Wick heads to a nightclub to take out Viggo's son, Iosef, and ends up leaving a lot of bodies on the dancefloor. The club's droning music and entrancing lighting effects combine with the confident direction to create a hypnotic atmosphere, as Wick mows through Viggo's henchmen with precision and without mercy. Reeves' physical performance injects an immediacy to the action that would come to define the "John Wick" franchise, creating a fight scene that seems to transcend fiction to become something more real.
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