Top 10 Movie Fights Where the Hero Takes Zero Damage
#10: Ip Man vs. 10 Black Belts
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“Ip Man” (2008) The “Ip Man” film series contains some of the best fight choreography the martial arts genre’s ever seen. The first film set the tone with a number of exceptional fight sequences, none more impressive than the one in which Ip Man takes on 10 black belts at the same time. Fueled by his hatred for the Japanese forces occupying his country, Ip shows no mercy to the 10 karateka. He tears through them with speed and ferocity, breaking bones and drawing blood with his superior Wing Chun (as spelled - chun rhymes with fun) fighting technique. When the dust settles, Ip Man is the only one left standing, having made it through the fight without taking a single blow.
#9: Splinter vs. The Shredder
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1990) Four turtles and a rat versus a dude in a metal mask? Yeah, we’ll go with the former. The climax of this 90s comic book adaptation sees Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael overpowered and disarmed by The Shredder. As Shredder prepares to deliver the killing blow, Splinter, the Turtles’ sensei, suddenly appears on the rooftop. Blinded by rage, The Shredder charges at Splinter, only for the rat to easily disarm him and hurl him off the roof. The Shredder attempts to kill Splinter one final time, but he’s foiled once more by Splinter’s lightning fast reflexes. In the end, The Shredder gets shredded by a garbage truck, and Splinter walks away unscathed.
#8: Black Widow Hallway Fight
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“Iron Man 2” (2010) The MCU has seen its fair share of one-sided fights (more on that in a minute), but few compare to this one from “Iron Man 2.” In pursuit of Ivan Vanko, Black Widow and Happy Hogan find themselves up against a number of security guards. While Happy engages with a single guard, Black Widow squares off with what is effectively a small army. Armed with her acrobatic fighting skills and a slew of gadgets, she quickly and efficiently dispatches the goons in epic fashion. Black Widow takes zero damage while dishing out plenty of her own. This scene perfectly set up Black Widow as a force to be reckoned with in future films.
#7: Lorraine vs. German Police
“Atomic Blonde” (2017) A passion project for star Charlize Theron, “Atomic Blonde” features a number of highly stylized and visceral fight scenes. These give Theron a chance to go all out, proving that she deserves a place in the pantheon of Hollywood’s greatest female action heroes. While the climactic staircase fight was epic, Lorraine takes a TON of damage. However, an earlier scene, in which she’s ambushed by a pack of police officers, is considerably cleaner. Lorraine weaponizes her environment, using a hose and a frying pan to devastating effect. Sure she slams into a wall at one point, but that’s because she flung herself off a balcony while trying to escape. Bottom line: those cops definitely wish they’d called in sick.
#6: Yondu & His Arrow
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017) Yondu’s arrow is one of the coolest weapons in the MCU. It strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies, and if that doesn’t work, it can literally pierce the hearts of his enemies. Yondu busts out the arrow in the first “Guardians” movie, but that was nothing compared to what he does with it in “Vol. 2.” Imprisoned by the Ravagers following a mutiny, Yondu and Rocket are freed by Baby Groot and Kraglin. What happens next is nothing short of a massacre. Yondu whistles his way through the ship, taking revenge on all those who betrayed him, and making it rain bad guys in the process. You know you’re a badass when you don’t even have to lift a finger in order to completely eviscerate your enemies.
#5: Westley vs. Inigo Montoya
“The Princess Bride” (1987) Giants, sword fights, kidnapped princesses, star-crossed lovers, fire swamps. Is there anything “The Princess Bride'' doesn't have? This fantastical film is jam-packed with quotable scenes and unforgettable characters, with Westley, aka The Man in Black, and Inigo Montoya, right at the top of that list. The two engage in an epic sword fight in the film’s first act, trading barbs as well as attacks while dancing across the rocky terrain. Both men are skilled, but Westley is the superior fighter. He even fights with his opposite hand for the majority of the fight and still dispatches Inigo quite easily. The fight concludes with Inigo out cold and Westley completely unharmed.
#4: Maximus the One-Man Army
“Gladiator” (2000) This Oscar winning historical epic had no shortage of top-notch fight scenes. However, few demonstrate the protagonist’s combat skills quite like this one. After proving his worth in an earlier match, Maximus is given a seemingly insurmountable task: fight six gladiators at once. Not only does he manage to subdue all six in record time, he does so without suffering a single blow. Maximus cuts through the other gladiators like a knife through butter, utilizing his military skills to turn his opponents into mincemeat. Of course, the thing most people remember about this scene is the iconic words Maximus shouts at the crowd after defeating his foes: [Are you not entertained?]
#3: Bar Fight
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“Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2015) “Kingsman: The Secret Service” put the action genre on notice when it hit the screens in 2015. The film was a breath of fresh air, offering up unique fight scenes the likes of which most people didn’t think were possible outside of an animated movie. One of the best involves Harry Hart taking on a bar full of thugs with the grace of a ballet dancer and the ferocity of a WWE superstar. Armed to the gills with spectacular gadgets, not to mention his lightning fast reflexes, Hart absolutely destroys the gang members – no doubt making them think twice about engaging in physical combat ever again. Oh, and Hart? Not a scratch on him.
#2: Hulk vs. Loki
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“The Avengers” (2012) Come on…you must have seen this one coming. In this iconic MCU scene, the strongest Avenger (don’t tell Thor) comes face to face with Loki inside Stark Tower. After getting knocked to the floor, Loki attempts to scold the Hulk like a teacher reprimanding a schoolboy. Unfortunately, Loki doesn’t get the chance to finish his tirade, as he’s plucked from the ground mid-sentence and slammed down like a ragdoll. After enduring multiple Hulk Smashes, all Loki can do is let out an involuntary groan and think about all the terrible decisions that caused him to end up in this position. Puny god indeed. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions: Preston vs. Multiple Bad Guys, “Equilibrium” (2002) Well, That Ambush Backfired Quickly Hit Girl vs. Everyone, “Kick-Ass” (2010) Never Underestimate a Teenage Girl with a Grudge V vs. the Police, “V for Vendetta” (2006) These Cops Never Stood a Chance Tommy vs. Mad Dog 2, “Warrior” (2011) Mad Dog? More Like Roadkill Bryan Mills vs. Thugs, “Taken” (2008) Don’t Mess with a Former CIA Operative’s Daughter
#1: Lee vs. O’Hara
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“Enter the Dragon” (1973) “Enter the Dragon” sees Bruce Lee tasked with infiltrating a martial arts competition in order to uncover a drug trafficking ring. Along the way he learns that O’Hara, the man who indirectly killed his sister, will be fighting in the competition too. Well wouldn’t you know it, Lee and O’Hara wind up squaring off on Day 2. Fueled by revenge, and armed with years of martial arts experience, Lee strikes with speed and precision, turning his enormous opponent into a human punching bag. Lee’s flurry of lightning fast strikes sends O’Hara through a whirlwind of emotions, from embarrassment and anger to fear and bewilderment. O’Hara doesn’t even come close to landing a blow, with Lee dominating the match from start to finish.
