Top 10 Movie Street Fights
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
Script Written by Elliot Baker.
No rules, no excuses - it's time to take it to the streets. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Movie Street Fights. For this list, we're defining street fighting as hand-to-hand combat in public places and are looking at the most memorable big screen battles that fit the criteria.
Special thanks to our users Lionel Gilmore, mac121mr0, 12314konrad, oksquall and Tytan Tyler for submitting the idea on our Suggestions Page at WatchMojo.comsuggest
No rules, no excuses - it's time to take it to the streets. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Movie Street Fights. For this list, we're defining street fighting as hand-to-hand combat in public places and are looking at the most memorable big screen battles that fit the criteria.
Special thanks to our users Lionel Gilmore, mac121mr0, 12314konrad, oksquall and Tytan Tyler for submitting the idea on our Suggestions Page at WatchMojo.comsuggest
No rules, no excuses - it’s time to take it to the streets. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 movie street fights.
For this list, we’re defining street fighting as hand-to-hand combat in public places and are looking at the most memorable big screen battles that fit the criteria. We’re allowing for the possibility of weapons, team-ups or even revenge-based fights, but excluding films like “Blood Sport.”
#10: Mark Darcy vs. Daniel Cleaver “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001)
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What do you think when you hear the words ‘street fight’? How about two minutes of fumbling and shoving that leads to absolutely nothing? Taking a step away from the move-for-move perfect fights we’re used to, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant put on a fantastic display of missed moves and shooting awkward looks at each other in this romantic comedy. There’s no denying how technically ‘awful’ the fighting is, but there’s also no denying how funny the scene is either.
#9: Jake Tyler vs. Guys in a Hummer “Never Back Down” (2008)
This “Karate Kid” inspired flick is filled to the brim with fights, so what happens when three random guys storm out of their car looking for a fight? Pent up with anger and revenge, Jake meets his opponents head on. Flips and twists make up this dance of offense as tension builds between each throw into the road. What makes this fight work is the flow between one stand off to the next; it’s an opera in street fighting.
#8: Jack Cates vs. Reggie Hammond “48 Hrs.” (1982)
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If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s never underestimate the power of Eddie Murphy, even when it comes to fisticuffs. When you’re in an unlikely buddy cop movie, chances are you’ll need to let off a bit of steam every once in a while. Striking hard in a boxing style offence, Jack and Reggie face off to settle their differences in the city streets. Making good use of their various props, such as car doors, this is a powerhouse street fight perfectly illuminated by the dusty streetlights.
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#7: The Back Store Street Fight “Fighting” (2009) What’s better than a street fight starring Channing Tatum? A chorus of drum beats to put the cherry on top of every punch. Everybody likes seeing the pretty boy get choked out, except Michael Rivera’s Ajax, who decides to lump into the action himself. Tension and drama boils up and spills out of the back streets and into the humble store itself as the show goes on and on. Quick cuts and stoic faces keep the action alive in this street fighting-based flick.
#6: John Nada vs. Frank Armitage “They Live” (1988) He came here to kick ass in the streets and chew bubble gum, and he’s all out of gum. A playful misunderstanding leads to a radiant show of punches from Frank Armitage, but sadly he seems to forget that he’s fighting John Nada, and worse still, he’s actually fighting ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper. A fight that’s as hilarious as it is hard hitting with plenty of nut-busting kicks and even more apologies, the fight draws on and on over the most simple of requests: just try on the damn glasses!
#5: Martin Riggs vs. Joshua “Lethal Weapon” (1987) No shirts, spotlights and a whole lot of wetness; truly this is the perfect location for a good old fashioned streetfight. Amidst the fast punches and kicks, Joshua brandishes his own lethal weapon swinging for the fences at Martin Riggs. Cutting between point of view cameras, every audience member is allowed to feel the harsh battle right before their own eyes. Flowing seamlessly between fast hits, grapples and weapon-style fights, this darkened fight highlights the drama that only an eighties action movie can bring.
#4: The Rumble “West Side Story” (1961) The musical rendition of “Romeo and Juliet” would be incomplete without its own spectacular street standoff. Probably the most theatrical of all the fights on this list, Bernardo and Riff brandish knives as the leaders of their respective gangs for a very personal showdown. Gymnastic and loud is the fight, which also features impressive dodges and an epic musical score. While the ending is tragic, its inspiration has been felt everywhere in pop culture since.
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#3: Ajax, Snow & Cowboy vs. The Baseball Furies “The Warriors” (1979) It’s time to come out and play with this epic synthesised duel. Chasing our heroes down to Riverside Park, the Baseball Furies seek to face off against the remaining Warriors in a bats versus fists stand-off. Starting out on the losing end, the Warriors fight to disarm the Babe Ruth wannabes while making a few popsicle-based threats along the way. Eventually getting the homerun advantage and taking down their titular opponents, it’s just one of many great fights in this street fighting epic.
#2: Football Fight “Green Street Hooligans” [aka “Green Street”] (2005) If you plan on visiting England any time soon, choose your football team wisely. Enraptured by his West Ham United companions, Matt Buckner faces his first pre-match fight against Birmingham City supporters. Unmatched and outnumbered, the Green Street Elite go head to head in a bloody and bottle-filled bash that gives little Elijah Wood a taste of football hooliganism, along with his own blood. The Hammers versus The Blues is prideful in its nature and the type of street fight most likely to occur regularly in the real streets of London. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - Axe Gang Street Fight “Kung Fu Hustle” (2004) - Batman vs. Bane “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) - Captain America vs. The Winter Soldier “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) - The Narrator vs. Tyler Durden “Fight Club” (1999) - Battle of the Five Points “Gangs of New York” (2002)
#1: Rocky Balboa vs. Tommy Gunn “Rocky V” (1990) The good student goes bad in what was originally intended to be the final entry of the “Rocky” franchise. Mad with ego and dismayed at his public opinion, Tommy Gunn ushers his former mentor out for a final battle to prove his worth, but Rocky prefers to fight outside the ring. Starting as a small brawl outside the bar, the fight turns into a grand spectacle for any would-be passer-by. Throwing each other through steel fences and cars, Rocky proves that he’s much more than a boxer, so maybe he could’ve beaten Hulk Hogan after all? Do you agree with our list? Which movie street fight would you go all out for? For more ass-kicking top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
