Top 10 X Men Movie Fight Scenes of All Time

“X2: X-Men United” (2003)

During a quiet night at the X-Mansion, a bunch of masked men broke in to capture as many young mutants as possible. Since Wolverine was the only adult in the house, it was up to him to lead a counterattack and save the students. Logan expertly switched between stealth and all out offense to tear Stryker’s forces down. He also took tranquilizers to the chest without so much as flinching. And although he was vastly outnumbered, he took out enemies so effortlessly that it actually felt like they were at a disadvantage. As he cut his way through the mansion, Colossus got a few satisfying hits in too. Their combined efforts kept a lot of innocent students safe.

“X-Men: Apocalypse” (2016)

When a big bad tried to hijack Xavier’s body, it was up to a newly formed team of heroes to save the professor. The relatively inexperienced X-Men had to pull off the rescue while fighting four empowered mutants. This climactic clash gave us an opportunity to see one on ones we never could’ve seen coming. Storm’s fight against Cyclops and the battle between Beast and Psylocke were particular highlights of the exciting sequence. Whenever it seemed like the heroes would fall, the forces of good pulled off a last minute maneuver that kept them in the fray. In the end, the new X-Men alliance managed to save Charles and establish themselves as a formidable team.

“Deadpool 2” (2018)

The last two surviving members of X-Force were forced into a close quarters clash with a fierce future soldier. Fortunately, luck was on their side. Although Domino put up a great fight, Deadpool absolutely stole the show when he arrived on the scene. He fended off Cable with dynamic fight choreography. And when Deadpool wasn't getting hits in, he was throwing out hilarious nods to past films and tons of quips. While the stakes of the fight were high, the humor made the bus bout feel like an entertaining spectacle. We do wish the scene was a little longer so we could’ve got a definitive winner. However, the movie made up for cutting the fight short by bringing in an intimidating Juggernaut.

“Dark Phoenix” (2019)

An alliance of evil aliens thought they could get their hands on Jean Grey without a fight. But neither the X-Men nor Magento’s people were willing to let the D’bari win. During the hectic scene, the mutants fought the aliens in and on top of a train. Storm and Nightcrawler dispatched a handful of enemies each without breaking a sweat. Magneto also earned an MVP award by weaponizing metal in extremely cool ways and facing down powerful foes without fear. To keep audiences on their toes, there were a few surprising reversals and sudden deaths. Admittedly, this well-crafted sequence didn’t make up for all of Dark Phoenix's missteps. But even the movie’s biggest detractors have to concede that this train action sequence was outstanding.

“X2: X-Men United” (2003)

Logan seemed to meet his match when he started a deadly duel with one of Stryker’s brainwashed mutants. Like Wolverine, Lady Deathstrike had an accelerated healing factor, an adamantium skeleton, and deadly claws. Since her unique abilities were complemented by excellent combat skills, she was able to give Logan one of the toughest fights of his long life. The clash was extremely fast-paced and brutal. It’s supported by dynamic camera work that gave the fight more energy and made it look different than any one-on-one we’d seen before this point. While this wouldn’t be the last time Logan got into a mirror match, we’ll never forget his hard-hitting struggle against Lady Deathstrike.

“X-Men The Last Stand” (2006)

At the end of the Fox trilogy, we got the biggest live-action clash between mutants that has ever been seen on screen. Magento assembled an army of allies with terrifying abilities to break into a key facility. The only thing standing in between him and ultimate victory was a handful of X-men. Each of the heroes got time in the spotlight to prove why they’re on the last line of defense. Outside of their individual moments of glory, we also got satisfying team-ups between allies. Seeing Wolverine and Colossus pull off a comic-accurate fastball special in live-action made for an especially rewarding moment. The battle itself ends in tragedy. However, the conflict felt like a triumph for the genre because it was so well executed.

“The Wolverine” (2013)

Moments before Mariko could be captured by criminals, Logan stepped in and called them out. Since Wolverine’s healing factor wasn’t working like it normally did, he had to struggle to keep the Yakuza at bay without getting too injured. The choice to make Logan vulnerable made us worry about his survival for the first time ever. This was especially true when the fight was taken to the top of a bullet train. The unique setting, incredible choreography, and fast paced action were all praised by fans and critics. Although this wasn’t Logan’s final battle in “The Wolverine”, the bullet train sequence is still widely regarded as the film’s best fight.

“X-Men: First Class” (2011)

In order to prevent World War 3, the first X-Men had to fight an enemy team on land, in the air, and above the sea. The massive melee takes full advantage of its multiple settings by challenging the combatants to use their powers in creative ways. During the battle, we get an exciting and well shot aerial duel between Banshee and Angel. It’s also fun to see Beast constantly outsmart the teleporting Azazel. But the most satisfying part of the conflict comes down to the clash between Shaw and Magneto. While the master of magnetism is initially outmatched, a clever diversion and psychic assist puts him on top. Magneto’s gruesome victory over the villain brought the extended action sequence to a grim yet unforgettable conclusion.

“X2: X-Men United” (2003)

While audiences usually cheer for Nightcrawler when he’s on screen, they genuinely feared him at the beginning of “X2”. After being brainwashed to attack the President, the mutant slipped into the White House to execute his mission. Nightcrawler stayed ahead of his enemies by constantly teleporting out of harm's way. Once he had his opposition right where he wanted them, he’d take down agents with his acrobatic fighting style and incredible agility. The exquisite special effects used in this early 2000s scene still hold up decades later. This sequence also received acclaim for making excellent use of Nightcrawler’s abilities. It wasn’t until Quicksilver’s debut in “Days of Future Past” that we’d get such a quick yet impactful action scene.




Before we eXamine our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Wolverine vs. Sabertooth Part 2, “X-Men” (2000)
They Turned New York’s Most Famous Landmark Into a Fierce Battleground


Shaw’s Team vs the CIA, “X-Men: First Class” (2011)
A One Sided Slaughter That Showed How Dangerous Rogue Mutants Can Be

Logan vs The Car Thieves, “Logan” (2017)
The First R-Rated Wolverine Bout Delivered With Its Brutality & Fantastic Action

Magneto & His Mutants vs. Xavier & His Students, “Dark Phoenix” (2019)
It’s Amazing That This Intense Battle Was Contained to One City Street

X-Men vs. The Sentinels Part 1, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014)
An Epic Opening Fight For the Future of Mutantkind

“Logan” (2017)

In a bleak future, the last X-Man discovers that a sinister group is going to try to abduct his daughter and her friends. It was immensely satisfying to see him tap into his berserker rage to slice the enemy down. At the same time, we loved seeing Laura cut foes down to size by herself before teaming up with her dad. Just when we thought the clash couldn’t get wilder, a Wolverine clone known as X-24 arrived and took the fight into overtime. The bloody battle’s reliance on practical effects and great twists constantly took our breath away. By the time we reached the heartbreaking conclusion, we knew we’d witnessed a truly astonishing fight.


What’s your favorite live-action X-men fight? Let us know in the comments below.