The action genre is among the most thrilling and cinematic forms of entertainment. It relies on audiences' suspension of disbelief, sending them into an exhilarating overdrive of emotions with visually dazzling, hectic, non-stop sequences that defy every possible human law.
Indeed, action thrives on larger-than-life setpieces that pop out of the big screen and imprint in viewers' minds. Luckily for everyone, the 21st century has produced some of cinematic history’s best and most instantly iconic action sequences. From twisting battles inside dream worlds to raw and visceral fights in bathrooms, these setpieces redefined what action movies can achieve.
James GunndirectsThe Suicide Squad, a quasi-reboot/sequel to 2016’sSuicide Squad. The film follows a new iteration of the titular team as they travel to the island of Corto Maltese to prevent the local government from getting their hands on a dangerous weapon developed by the USA, Project Starfish.
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Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn becomes a prisoner of the Corto Maltese government early on after killing the city’s dictator. Captured and tortured, Harley escapes in a memorable sequence set to the tune of Louis Prima’s “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody,” showcasing several forms of fighting and confirming her status as one of the Squad’s most lethal members. Gunn’s trademark visual flare and Robbie’s deranged fury enhance the scene, making it among the most memorable battles in any comic book movie.
9Street Fight - ‘Furious 7’ (2015)
Jason Stathamjoined theFastsagawith the seventh entry, 2015’sFurious 7. The film sees Toretto and his crew facing Deckard Shaw, Owen Shaw’s brother, hellbent on revenge after his brother becomes comatose following his encounter with the family inFast & Furious 6.
During the film’s climactic battle, Dom faces Deckard in hand-to-hand combat. Statham andVin Dieselsell the battle’s ridiculousness, getting their hands dirty as they hit each other with wrenches, sticks, stones, and everything in between. The fight ends when Dom literally cracks the ground beneath them, a moment that ranks in infamy, even among the series' fans.TheFastseries has several great movies, and while the fight scenes become increasingly implausible with each new entry, they remain undeniably exhilarating.
8Stairs Fight - ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2023)
When it comes to over-the-top action franchises,Chad Stahelski’sJohn Wicktakes the cake.Keanu Reevesstars as the titular character, a feared assassin who comes out of retirement to avenge the death of his puppy. The fourth film,John Wick: Chapter Four, sees him take one last stand against the High Table.
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John Wick: Chapter Fourhas several visceral scenes that immediately stand out, including an extended fight sequence at the Continental Hotel in Osaka. However, the film’s climactic fight is among the series' most thrilling and frustrating battles. As John Wick tries to reach the top of the Sacré-Coeur stairs, multiple attackers launch at him, giving him a beating and throwing him down just as he reaches the top. The scene is long, tense, and almost exasperating but never exhausting, maintaining momentum and keeping audiences on edge.
7Finale - ‘Logan’ (2017)
James Mangold’s superhero neo-WesternLoganstarsHugh Jackmanin what was supposed to be his final outing as Wolverine. The plot centers on an aging Logan caring for an ill Charles Xavier in El Paso, Texas, when he encounters a young mutant girl relentlessly pursued by a powerful organization.
Loganis the most brutal and uncompromising film in theX-Menseries. Mangold and Jackman go all-in, delivering a savage, almost feral take on Wolverine, with the character embracing the animalistic side that made him a comic book superstar. The film’s final fight, where Logan fights against his younger clone, X-24, is violent, vicious, and utterly ruthless, culminating in the deaths of both characters.Loganis a compelling send-off to one of the most popular characters in superhero cinema and a worthy showcase of his infamous fighting prowess.
6Highway Battle - ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Arguablythe best film in theInfinity Saga,Captain America: The Winter Soldierfinds Steve Rogers at a crossroads. The plot sees Cap discovering a conspiracy within SHIELD, prompting him to go rogue and find the culprit. His road leads him to fight the Winter Soldier, an elusive assassin and a meaningful figure from his past.
Captain America; The Winter Soldieropts for a more grounded approach to fighting, showcasing Cap’s abilities as a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. The scene on the highway where the Winter Soldier ambushes Cap and his group is among the MCU’s most memorable, polished, electrifying sequences. Fast-paced, tense, and surprisingly bestial, the setpiece culminates in a one-to-one fight between Cap and the Winter Soldier that remains thrilling and fresh today.
5Time In A Bottle - ‘X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to callX-Men: Days of Future Pastthe bestX-Menmovie. The film blends the original cast with theX-Men: First Classensemble to tell one of the team’s most iconic comic book storylines.Days of Future Pastpulls a stunning feat, balancing the huge cast with a compelling story that exploits the rich thematic layers that made the X-Men famous in the first place.
The film is overflowing with highlights, but no scene is more memorable than Quicksilver’s “Time in a Bottle” sequence.Evan Peters’ take on the speedsterdoesn’t get much screen time, but he devours his scenes, especially the setpiece in the kitchen, where he single-handedly defeats a small army of police officers. Set to Jim Croce’s classic 1973 tune, the scene isDays of Future Pasts’ most iconic gift to the superhero genre and decisive confirmation that Quicksilver is among the X-Men’s most underrated characters.
4Avengers Assemble - ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
Marvel fans spent years waiting to hear Captain America say, “Avengers assemble,” and it was worth the wait. The 2019 crossoverAvengers: Endgamefinds the team pulling an ambitious “time heist” to reunite the Infinity Stones and undo Thanos' snap, leading to one last showdown with the Mad Titan.
The climactic battle in Endgame is straight out of a Marvel fan’s deepest, wildest fantasy. A collection of characters clash on the battlefield in the ultimate battle for Earth’s fate; heroes and villains give it their all in a sequence that looks likea comic book panel brought to life.Avengers: Endgamewas a defining cinematic event ten years in the making, a glorious ending to the MCU’s Infinity Saga and, in many ways, Marvel’s crowning achievement.
3Church Fight - ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Matthew Vaughn’s deranged, hectic, electrifying adaptation of theKingsmangraphic novels is among the new millennium’s most daring and original action movies.Kingsman: The Secret ServicestarsTaron Egertonas Eggsy, a young man recruited by a stereotypical English gentleman into a secret spy society. Tasked with protecting the world from Richmond Valentine, an extremist billionaire looking to fight climate change by drastically reducing the population, Eggsy learns that manners maketh man.
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In the film’s most radical scene,Colin Firth’s Galahad kills an entire congregation while under Valentine’s influence. The scene is shocking, violent, chaotic, and almost delirious. Accompanied by Lynyrd Skynyrd’s timeless classic “Free Bird,” the church scene is a wild, deranged, provocative sequence that ranks among the most striking, unforgettable moments in the action genre, comic book adaptations, and modern cinema in general.
2Spinning Hallway - ‘Inception’ (2010)
Christopher Nolanredefined the limits of sci-fi and action with his 2010 blockbusterInception.Leonardo DiCaprioleads an impressive ensemble in a story about a crew of thieves who steal vital information from unassuming targets by entering their dreams.
Joseph Gordon-Levittstars in the film’s most iconic scene as his character fights an attacker in a spinning hallway. The sequence is a technical triumph, a visual wonder that cements inception as one of the decade’s most daring and ingenious action movies, the perfect marriage between blockbuster filmmaking and artistry.
1Bathroom Fight - ‘Mission: Impossible - Fallout’ (2018)
TheMission: Impossiblesaga is the gift that keeps on giving.Tom Cruise’s flagship franchise keeps finding ways to surprise audiences, producing elaborate and dazzling action setpieces that defy the collective perceptions of what an action movie can achieve.
The series’ sixth entry,Mission: Impossible - Fallout, includes the franchise’s most memorable fight, and it happens inside a restroom. The fight sees Cruise’s Ethan Hunt andHenry Cavill’s August Walker facing a brutal and almost infallible assassin who almost wipes the floor with them. The battle is brutal, raw, beautifully choreographed, and instantly iconic, an action setpiece that raises the bar for the series and the action genre as a whole.
