I developed a fascination with sword fights after taking up Kumdo (Korean sword fighting) a year or two back. Not that I didn’t quite enjoy a good duel already – especially if it was dynamic and revealed character, moreso again if it was visceral and aesthetically beautiful.
But that enjoyment has metastasized into full-blown obsession, which has led me to watching an endless algorithm of sword fights on YouTube, which has led us here.
I’ve collected 20. I am no expert. I’m not even an informed observer (Edit: it’s 2024 and therefore 3 years since I wrote this post. I’ve been studying Kumdo that whole time and so for the record: I’m still not an expert. But I also still like this list). I’m a beginner, really, so I’m not here to point out the technical expertise of the sword fighters in these clips (though I might make reference to what actual experts think). I’ve chosen the following on the basis of the choreography (or, even better, the realism), cinematography, music, and the sheer thrill. Therefore this is almost entirely personal taste, although I did find this video essay on how to film a good sword fight to be informative.
I don’t include short-film sword fights, some of which are excellent. Fans have made light-sabre duels that, quite frankly, are superior to most of the duels in the films, and the HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) crowd have done similar.
I struggled mightily with this list, changing the order over and over. The only choice I’m certain about is #1. #2 to #8 could be swapped around with no objection.
Enjoy:
Top Ten (#10 – #1)
#10) Andrzej Kmicic v Michał Wołodyjowski – The Deluge
I’ve heard this called the most realistic sword fight ever filmed. Certainly the two actors seem to know their way around a sabre. This scene is one of the most famous in Polish cinema.
#9) Aragorn v Uruk-hai, Lord of the Rings
Viggo Mortensen has a physicality and presence that lends that lends itself to a great duel. It is no accident that he appears twice on this list (despite being known as a character acter rather than an action hero). I suppose sometimes it looks like he (and Boromir, and the Hobbits) are hitting the Uruk-hai in the armour, and the Uruk-hai are falling over and dying anyway, but I’ll forgive that. It is a fantasy film.
The fight at the end (3:45 in the clip) against the Uruk-hai champion Lurtz is brutal and short, as most fights of lightly armoured warriors with big weapons would be. And who doesn’t love a good decapitation?
#8) Gabriel Feraud v Some Poor Bastard – The Duellists
Ridley Scott’s first film. I haven’t seen it, but I have watched all the duels. They are all extraordinary, insofar as Scott evokes just how fucking dangerous such an activity can be. I’m not sure how he does it – whether it is the silence, or the behaviour of the actors – but the blades feel pointy.
It is a military officer against a civilian in the above scene, and the civilian is clearly terrified. The other duels in the film are worth watching. The sneeze, here, is brilliant.
#7) Rob Roy v Archibald Cunningham – Rob Roy
Different styles, different weapons, and different body types. This shows pretty clearly why sword fighting as a martial art does not favour the biggest and strongest. Indeed, it may be the only martial art were being bigger can be a hindrance (I can’t think of another example). I’ve seen women competing in opening divisions of HEMA tournaments and doing very well against men. I can’t think of another martial art where that happens, either.
The weight of the sword and the swiftness of his opponent is the undoing of Rob Roy here. That, and the fact that the bad guy seems to be more skilful.
Despite all that preamble, at the very last, brute strength does the trick.
#6) Luo-Lang v Nanashi – Sword of the Stranger
The swelling score, the animation, and the insane pacing here is amazing. I’ve not seen this movie and I suspect this scene is a massive spoiler, but I’ll probably go and watch it anyway, given the quality of the action here. Yes, it is frenetic and defies the laws of physics in the way only an anime film can do, but this does not detract from the action one jot.
You will notice nearly every duel in this list has a pause before the fight begins. Each fight is allowed to breathe, to build the tension, to establish the characters and the stakes. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you nonetheless understand who is who, and what is what.
#5) Obi Wan v Darth Maul – Rebels
Long build up, enmeshed in a deep character history, and the most realistic lightsabre duel ever filmed. Watch and see why.
#4) Chingachgook v Magua – Last of the Mohicans
This duel has a long set-up. Two opponents depicted as being masters of hand-to-hand combat throughout the film. finally when the duel happens… (watch the duel now, unless you don’t mind it being spoiled).
…it is all over so quickly. This is the way most (unarmoured) sword fights would end: in a few bloody seconds (fight starts around 6:30 in the clip)
#3) The Bride v O-Ren Ishii – Kill Bill
Spanish music, Japanese weapons, American and Chinese-American characters, and it fucking works. More than that: it is sublime. A gorgeous fight, filmed gorgeously.
Note: At the start, O-Ren says: ‘You will not last five minutes’. The fight lasts 4 minutes 59 from the first time their swords touch.
Note: in terms of realism, this would be below 4 ,7, 8, 9 and 10 on this list. However, what it lacks in realism it makes up with style. Tarantino, man. Stylish. As. Fuck.
#2) Tsugumo Hanshirō v Omodaka Hikokuro – Hari Kiri
I’ve watched this several times now. There’s something hypnotic about it. The haunting wind, the barren landscape, the minimalist – yet revealing – facial expression of the duellists.
No bullshit exposition between the fighters either, both focussed on the life and death struggle at hand. The way they hold themselves shows they are both masters, and the tension builds and builds. Every exchange matters.
#1) Yu Shu Lien v Jen Yu – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Michelle Yeoh (Yu Shu Lien) is extraordinary in this scene, as she showcases her martial versatility by going through weapon after weapon in her fight against Zang Ziyi (Jen Yu) who wields the Green Destiny, a sword of legend.
Amazing choreography, hold-your-breath type action, a relentless drum beat, and even moments of humour. Both actors trained as dancers when they were young, and took up martial arts as adults. It shows.
The Rest (#11 – #20)
#11) Luke Skywalker v Darth Vader – The Empire Strikes Back
This is the best of the live action light-sabre duels. Star Wars got to the point in the later movies (prequels and onwards) where the duels were exquisitely choreographed… and utterly lifeless. These later duels sometimes feel that the actors are each moving as they’ve trained to move a hundred times, merely placing their sabres in the correct position over and over. The danger never feels real.
This duel feels real, in particular in the way Vader dominates his opponent. The exchanges are fast and desperate, Luke becomes more and more exhausted the longer the fight goes on.
#12) Indiana Jones v Swordsman – Raiders of the Lost Ark
Technically not a sword fight. Without question the best way to deal with a far superior blade-wielding opponent.
#13) The Man in Black v Inigo Montoya – The Princess Bride
This is an obvious choice. A classic scene from a beloved movie. Whenever I see an article about sword fights in movies, they usually list this as #1. I don’t, here, because too much of it is fake and silly. The loop-the-loop on the horizontal bars followed by landing on what is clearly a gymnasium mat covered with dirt always irked me. But hey – great dialogue, wonderful characterisation, brilliant film.
#14) The Bride V the Crazy 88 – Kill Bill
Two scenes from the one movie. That’s how good Tarantino is.
#15) The Mountain v The Viper – Game of Thrones
You’d have thought an epic event in television history, that ran for eight seasons, which involved a hell of a lot of people getting killed by swords, would have a lot of potential candidates for this list. But I’m not sure it did. Only two others spring to mind – the battle at the Tower of Joy, and the First Sword of Braavos v the King’s Guard.
This is the best, I think, in part because the two fighters are so very different, and in part due to the setting. Oh yeah, and the ending. Fuck. Probably the most shocking of any on this list.
#16) Sanjuro v Hanbei – Sanjuro
This is nearly as shocking as Mountain v Viper, not the least of which because Kurosawa (apparently) had a far bloody result than he anticipated. I’ve read that this scene is responsible for Tarantino’s approach to sword fights, as seen above in the Bride V the Crazy 88.
(The comments section is quite funny for a lot of these clips. The most popular under this: “that guy was going to die from high blood pressure any way it seems.”)
#17) Nikolai v two Chechen hitmen – Eastern Promises
This is a cheat. It is a knife fight. It is a fist fight. It is one of the best best, most visceral, most intense hand-to-hand scenes put to film. I originally had it high in the top ten, but if I put it there I have to include a whole bunch of martial arts films, starting with Bruce Lee and his nunchaku.
But this is my list, after all, so it makes the cut. (NSFW – includes a very naked Viggo Mortensen)
#18) Tigris of Gaul v Maximus – Gladiator
Pretty awesome fight in the arena, with added tigers.
#19) Nathan Algren v Several – The Last Samurai
We all like to give Tom Cruise a hard time – and for good reason – but he’s quite good here. Sword expert types have a lot of respect for it. There are quite a few duels in the movie, including this training scene.
#20) Zorro v Captain Esteban Pasquale – Mark of Zorro (1940)
Look, I had to put one of these old duels in. Apparently both these actors really knew how to fence. I do have respect old-school film making that has no special effects and – apparently – no stunt doubles. This is pretty good.