We’ve had some huge scraps this year in the world of film and everyone has got in on the act; Apes, Gods, and robots have all settled their disputes by taking out their enemies in violent and sometimes brutal fashion. I guess talking it out was out of the question. Find out who got the best hits in after the jump.
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- Toretto vs Hobbs better known as Vin Diesel vs The Rock in Fast Five (Released April 21)
When muscles collide…
From the moment it was announced that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was going to be in Fast Five and that his character would be trying to hunt down Vin Diesel’s Toretto, it was pretty much a given that these two muscle bound behemoths were going to go at it at some point. When they finally do, the consequences are vicious. Walls are broken. Windows are shattered. Throughout, Diesel and Johnson trade powerful punches, and even when there’s no sufficient reason to prolong the fight, they continue to duke it out. It’s no wonder why this scene is the most memorable in Fast Five.
- Thor & co vs The Frost Giants in Thor (Released April 27):
You can add Mjolnir to my Christmas list…
The Norse God of Thunder proves just how powerful he is in Thor’s opening battle, as he swings, throws and casts lighting down upon the Frost Giants courtesy of the mightiest hammer in all of the nine realms, Mjolnir. Thor’s allies also get in on the action, but ultimately it’s a one man show. This scene sets such a high benchmark that none of the subsequent action sequences in Thor manage to eclipse it, much to my chagrin. There’s a good chance it will be next year when Thor and Loki mix things up in 2012’s The Avengers.
- 13 Assassins vs Everybody Else in 13 Assassins (Released May 6)
‘Total Massacre’ just about sums it up perfectly…
Just before the swordfights commence, one of the thirteen assassins hold up a scroll that reads ‘Total Massacre’. Just in case we didn’t quite understood what that meant, 13 Assassins spends the next 30 minutes illustrating it as men are hacked, slashed and dismembered in brutal fashion. The sheer scope of this sequence is epic, and the fighting is well choreographed. Director Takashi Miike should rest assured that this scene won’t be forgotten any time soon.
- Optimus Prime vs Sentinel Prime vs Megatron in Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Released June 29):
And the last robot standing is…?
Brothers really don’t get along on Cybertron, do they? It’s the battle of the big ‘bots in the conclusion to Michael Bay’s money-grabbing Transformers trilogy. Taking place in the heart of Chicago, the final battle between the traitorous Sentinel Prime and the axe-wielding Optimus is visually stunning. The chronically underused Megatron’s timely intervention and subsequent exit is all too brief, but it is nonetheless epic. In a film rife with heart-pumping action sequences, this climax is arguably the pick of the bunch. No offense Bumblebee.
- Tommy Riordan vs Brendan Conlan in Warrior (Released September 23)
Better watch your BACK next year Batman…
If anybody has any doubts over Hardy’s casting as Bane – the villain who famously broke Barman’s back in the comics – in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior will quell them. His performance throughout is fantastic, and he proves he can handle big fight sequences on multiple occasions. During Warrior, it becomes clear that the two leads utilise two different but equally effective fighting styles. Hardy’s Riordan likes to use his strength to his advantage with a variety of physical moves, whilst Joel Edgerton’s Conlan prefers to utilise tap-out manoeuvres. We get to see the best of both tactics in the film’s final fight. Riordan’s beatdown on Conlan borders on brutal at times, and it’s a wonder Conlan is able to survive the onslaught. But survive he does, and his brilliant comeback is fantastic to watch.
- Apes vs Humans in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Released August 11)
Who’s smarter now?
Caesar leads his fellow apes against the humans on the San Francisco Bridge in the climax of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The visuals are excellent; an ape jumps through a car as he attacks a human, another flies through the air as it attempts to subdue a helicopter. It’s stunning stuff, and without a doubt the standout sequence in a brilliant film.
- Gods vs Titans in Immortals (Released November 11):
Probably not the best name for this sort of film…
For a movie which is titled ‘Immortals’, there is a lot of definitive killing in it. This is particularly the case whenever the Gods get involved, and the final battle between the Gods and Titans is as gory as it is spectacular. The Titans ultimately have the advantage due to their superior numbers, but the Gods sheer skill and speed is impressive to watch, and some nice use of slow motion only serves to augment the scene.
What was your favourite fight scene of 2011? Sound off in the comments below or let me know on Twitter – @awarmann.
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