10 Violent Action Movie Scenes That Go Way Over The Top

Action movies are designed to get the adrenaline going and create a spectacle that will live on long after the credits roll. Explosions, high-speed car chases, and shootouts are all carefully designed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The actors and stunt people train for months, if not years, to ensure every fight scene is thrilling and realistic. Choreographing a sequence like this takes precision and planning, and if audiences feel immersed in the action, it means it was all worth it.

Some films not only fully embrace high-octane action but also lean into the violence aspect that comes with the genre. Whether the hero takes out a whole battalion of bad guys with just one weapon or destroys a whole building while carrying out their mission, there have been many times when these scenes pushed the boundaries to extremes. The more over the top, the better.

10

Die Hard (1988)

John McClane Vs Karl

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Not shying away from on-screen carnage, Bruce Willis’ character goes through a lot throughout the whole film. From cutting his bare feet on a lot of broken glass, single-handedly taking out multiple terrorists, and having a very bad time inside an air vent, John McClane had his fair share of ordeals by the time he faced Karl.

Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard

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He, in turn, held quite a grudge against the savvy police officer since he killed his brother and sent him down in an elevator, wearing a Santa hat. The fight seems like it should be one-sided, with McClane injured and bloodied, and the terrorist holding a gun to his head, but since he states that this is personal to him, he opts to lay down the weapon and opt for hand-to-hand combat.

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Die Hard

R

Action

Thriller

9.7/10

Release Date

July 15, 1988

Runtime

132 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Bruce Willis In The Premiere of Motherless Brooklyn

    Bruce Willis

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Bonnie Bedelia

During a holiday party, NYPD detective John McClane’s wife’s workplace is hijacked by German terrorists led by evil icon Hans Gruber. McClane (Bruce Willis), evades capture and fights to save hostages, including his wife, and foil Gruber’s elaborate heist initially without weapons, shoes, or a shirt.

Director

John McTiernan

Writers

Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E. de Souza

Main Genre

Action

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What ensues is a brutal show of force, with one painful punch following another. Blood spattered saliva oozes from McClane’s mouth as he gets knocked to the ground, before he repeatedly hits Karl’s head against some pipes. The savage two-minute fight ends with the antagonist hanging limply from a chain by his neck, leaving viewers stunned.

9

The Matrix (1999)

The Lobby Shootout

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This groundbreaking movie was action-packed with action, and boasts some of the best fight scenes in cinema history. The CGI allowed for thrilling sequences that featured some reality-bending moves that have influenced countless future productions.

The fact that they’re killing “innocent” people who are merely part of the Matrix makes the bloodshed all that more chilling.

As Neo learns how to master various forms of martial arts to take on the deadly agents, there are plenty of moments that live in memory because of their state-of-the-art effects and stunning visuals. In one of the more graphic scenes, Neo and Trinity go to a government building to save Morpheus, and are faced with an army of armed guards. With their bag of weapons, they proceed to bulldoze their way through the long marble lobby.

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The Matrix

R

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

ScreenRant logo

9/10

62

9.2/10

Release Date

March 31, 1999

Runtime

136 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Keanu Reeves In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Lionsgate's 'John Wick: Chapter 4'

    Keanu Reeves

  • Headshot Of Laurence Fishburne

    Laurence Fishburne

The Matrix, directed by the Wachowskis, stars Keanu Reeves as Neo, a hacker who discovers that reality is a simulated construct controlled by intelligent machines. Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss co-star as Morpheus and Trinity, who help Neo navigate and ultimately challenge the artificial world. The film blends action, philosophy, and groundbreaking visual effects, establishing itself as a pivotal entry in the science fiction genre.

Director

Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski

Writers

Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Main Genre

Action

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Climactically set to “Spybreak!” by the Propellerheads, they shoot countless rounds from shotguns, M16s and Uzis at anyone who stands in their way. The fact that they’re killing “innocent” people who are merely part of the Matrix makes the bloodshed all that more chilling. All that’s left in their wake are dead bodies and crumbling columns.

8

Oldboy (2003)

Hallway Fight

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The central themes of the film, like vengeance and endurance, are perfectly captured in this iconic fight sequence. Dae-su’s 15-year imprisonment made him into a desperate and ferocious fighter who would do anything to survive. While the movie includes many harrowing scenes, it’s this claustrophobic sequence that made it feel like a never-ending ordeal that neither the hero nor the audience would be able to emerge from.

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Oldboy

R

Mystery

Drama

9/10

Release Date

November 21, 2003

Runtime

120 Minutes

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Choi Min-sik

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Yoo Ji-tae

After 15 years of solitary confinement, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) hunts down his captors and falls in love with chef Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung), but soon realizes all the messed up reasons that led him to such a distressing predicament. The 2003 South Korean mystery thriller is the second installment in director Park Chan-wook’s The Vengeance Trilogy and the original South Korean movie that inspired Spike Lee’s eponymous 2013 American remake.

Director

Park Chan-wook

Writers

Park Chan-wook, Hwang Jo-yun, Lim Jun-hyung

Studio(s)

Egg Film, CJ Entertainment

Distributor(s)

Show East, DreamWorks Distribution

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The constant barrage of thugs in such a narrow and unrelenting hallway adds a suffocating feeling of dread and fear. The brutal fight is dirty and unfair, with Dae-su getting hit from all sides with no mercy. It’s clear that this particular style was very influential, with Marvel favoring a hallway skirmish in Daredevil, but the raw violence of Park Chan-wook’s masterpiece will live on in infamy.

7

Drive (2011)

Elevator Scene

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This slick and stylized action thriller is sparse with dialogue but filled with many beautiful shots and powerful looks. Ryan Gosling plays a seemingly unflappable and stoic character, whose exceptional skills behind the wheel allow him to moonlight as a getaway driver for extra cash. His latest job became more dangerous than he anticipated and left him with some very dangerous people on his tail.

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Drive

R

Drama

Crime

ScreenRant logo

9/10

10/10

Release Date

September 16, 2011

Runtime

100 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Ryan Gosling In The Paris premiere of 'The Fall Guy'

    Ryan Gosling

  • Headshot Of Albert Brooks In The Annual MOCA Gala

    Albert Brooks

Starring Ryan Gosling as an unnamed Hollywood stunt driver (identified only as “the Driver”) who moonlights as a criminal getaway driver, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive follows the enigmatic Driver as he finds himself hunted by a gang of violent criminals. After becoming close with his neighbors, the Driver offers to help Standard (Oscar Isaac), who was recently released from prison, settle a debt with a robbery. But the job is far more complicated than it seems, and the Driver is forced to use everything at his disposal to survive. 

Director

Nicolas Winding Refn

Writers

Hossein Amini

Studio(s)

FilmDistrict

Distributor(s)

FilmDistrict

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As he enters an elevator with Irene, the woman he has feelings for, they find an assassin waiting for him there. He kisses her because he knows what he’s about to do will horrify her, and it’s most likely his last chance. He then proceeds to brutally kick the assassin’s face into pulp. The sounds, the brief shot of the aftermath, and the visceral rage with which The Driver performs this murder were a lot for viewers to deal with.

6

Rambo (2008)

John Rambo Uses A 50-Caliber Machine Gun

Sylvester Stallone firing a mounted machine gun in Rambo 2008's finale

Since the franchise began in the 1980s, the Rambo films have been packed with violence and gore that many viewers have found to be excessive. Pushing boundaries from the start, John Rambo would unceremoniously dispose of a whole army of thugs without remorse. Whether he’s shooting buildings with a rocket or stealthily stabbing someone in the back, there is bound to be carnage.

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Rambo

R

Action

Thriller

War

ScreenRant logo

9/10

4/10

Release Date

January 25, 2008

Runtime

92 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Sylvester Stallone

    Sylvester Stallone

  • Headshot Of Julie Benz In The Holiday Road Family and Friends Preview Night

    Julie Benz

Rambo is the fourth film in the action franchise created by David Morrell. Directed and starring Sylvester Stallone, the 2008 film follows John Rambo as he is drawn out of retirement to lead a rescue mission in war-torn Burma. The plot centers on Rambo’s efforts to save a group of Christian missionaries held captive by a brutal military regime.

Director

Sylvester Stallone

Writers

Sylvester Stallone, Art Monterastelli

Main Genre

Action

Studio(s)

Nu Image, Emmett/Furla Films, Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH

Distributor(s)

Lionsgate

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The films have been known to include lengthy scenes where Rambo removes a bullet from inside his own body and proceeds to stitch it up himself, so it’s fair to say they enjoyed pushing audiences to the edge of their limits. Its fourth installment brought with it one of the more relentless onslaughts to the senses. As Sylvester Stallone takes out a group of Burmese soldiers, he does not simply kill them, but obliterates them, turning limbs into mist. It’s one of the most horrifyingly graphic scenes in not only the franchise’s history but film history in general.

5

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

The Osaka Continental Hotel Fight

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After kicking off the franchise with a dead puppy, it was clear that all rules of propriety were off. In one of the most relatable rampages, Keanu Reeves’ retired assassin rejoins the world he once left behind in order to find the perpetrators who destroyed his peace. By the fourth installment, he had already brutally killed hundreds of people, which took him to the Osaka Continental as he tries to prepare to face the High Table.

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John Wick: Chapter 4

R

Thriller

Crime

Action

ScreenRant logo

8/10

9.2/10

Release Date

March 24, 2023

Runtime

169 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Hiroyuki Sanada

    Hiroyuki Sanada

  • Headshot Of Clancy Brown In The Los Angeles premiere of 'Scrambled' at AMC Westfield Century City

    Clancy Brown

Following the events of Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John Wick Chapter 4 will see the titular character battle against some of his most dangerous foes yet. With a bounty on his head that continues to skyrocket, John decides to take the fight to the High Table on a global scale and battles across areas like Osaka and Paris to wipe out some of the strongest players in the underworld.

Director

Chad Stahelski

Writers

Shay Hatten, Michael Finch

Studio(s)

Lionsgate

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They, of course, find him, and what ensues is a mix of sword fights, gunfire, and even hand-to-hand combat. There is no let-up for the duration of the fight, with people losing limbs and arrows piercing flesh in every corner of the screen. John Wick’s stoic yet deadly demeanor is where the eye is always drawn to, as he wields all kinds of weapons with expert precision. It’s one of the most persistently violent of the franchise’s fight sequences, with high stakes and a lot on the line.

4

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

The Crazy 88 Fight

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Uma Thurman’s The Bride wakes up from a coma with the memories of being viciously assaulted by her former lover and team of fellow assassins. With a primal need for revenge, she goes on a quest to hunt down each member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, and ultimately to kill Bill.

Kill Bill's The Bride Stands with her sword drawn, before a background of Oren Ishii's eyes.

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Each fight scene in the movie is bloody and exciting, with some spectacular martial arts sequences, and a lot of Quentin Tarantino flair. His love of the genre he was honoring in this movie is evident, with carefully orchestrated scenes that pay homage to the source material while bringing a fresh take on a well-known style.

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Kill Bill

R

Thriller

Crime

Action

ScreenRant logo

9/10

41

9.1/10

Release Date

October 10, 2003

Runtime

111 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of David Carradine

    David Carradine

  • Headshot Of Michael Madsen

    Michael Madsen

Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill is a classic tale of betrayal and revenge. When the Bride (Uma Thurman) awakens from a four-year coma, she sets out to settle the score with the team of assassins that betrayed her at the behest of her former boss, Bill (David Carradine). Tracking and killing the world-class assassins isn’t easy, but the Bride uses all the tools at her disposal in her relentless pursuit of revenge.

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Writers

Quentin Tarantino

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The fight between The Bride and O-Ren Ishii’s bodyguards is a bloodbath. Parts of it were filmed in black and white, mimicking the style of old martial arts pictures and to keep the rating lower. But, with various limbs cut off and countless casualties, even this technique did not take away from the carnage that took place over the course of this epic fight.

3

Kick-Ass (2010)

Hit-Girl’s Introduction

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The beauty of Kick-Ass as a film lies with how unexpected a lot of it was. From Nicolas Cage’s flamboyant character to the extreme levels of violence, it was not what audiences were expecting from what looked like a fun and silly superhero movie. They were shown early on what they were in for, and the levels of shock only rose with each scene. One of the standout characters from the films is Hit-Girl, the murderous alter ego of middle-schooler, Mindy Macready.

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Kick-Ass

R

Action

Comedy

Crime

ScreenRant logo

9/10

8.3/10

Release Date

March 22, 2010

Runtime

117 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Aaron Taylor-Johnson In The World Premiere of

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Chloe Moretz

When average teen Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is mugged, he decides to take matters into his own hands and becomes the vigilante Kick-Ass. Armed with little more than a can-do attitude and nerve damage that makes him resistant to pain, the adolescent hero stumbles into a serious criminal organization. Teaming up with Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), Kick-Ass works to take them down, despite the fact that he’s in over his head.

Director

Matthew Vaughn

Writers

Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn, Mark Millar, John Romita Jr.

Main Genre

Action

Studio(s)

Lionsgate

Distributor(s)

Lionsgate

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Viewers first meet her as she’s shot by her father to test out a bulletproof vest, and the first time they see her fight she decimates a roomful of armed thugs with various sharp weapons. She also utters one of the strongest curse words in the dictionary, which gets used in films very sparingly, and is rarely uttered by a pre-teen child. The gleeful smile on her face as she cuts through human flesh is almost as chilling as the gore itself.

2

RoboCop (1987)

Murphy Getting Shot

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A dystopian Detroit is the setting for this campy yet violent action thriller. There are so many overtly rough scenes to sit through in the nearly two-hour film, including a brutal boardroom attack by a robot and a final fight that involves flesh-melting toxic waste. But, it’s the opening sequence which sets the tone for the rest of the movie. As two police officers chase down a criminal gang, one gets so brutally maimed, it leaves viewers wondering exactly why it needed to be quite so graphic.

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RoboCop

R

Action

Sci-Fi

Crime

10/10

Release Date

July 17, 1987

Runtime

102 Minutes

Cast

  • HeaDSHOT oF Peter Weller

    Peter Weller

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Nancy Allen

RoboCop is a 1987 science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a dystopian Detroit, the film follows Alex Murphy (Peter Weller), a critically injured police officer transformed into a cyborg law enforcement unit. As RoboCop, Murphy combats crime and corruption, while grappling with memories of his former human life. The film explores themes of identity, corporate power, and the ethical implications of advanced technology in law enforcement.

Director

Paul Verhoeven

Writers

Edward Neumeier, Michael Miner

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The antagonists are vile and barbaric, so this horrific attack is very much on brand for them. But the relentlessness of the violence proves to be a hard watch. The practical effects feel very realistic, and the gore is especially hard to look at. It’s an important scene that tees up the plot of the rest of the movie, and Paul Verhoeven ensured it was as shocking and memorable as possible.

1

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

The Church Fight

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A fresh and brash take on the espionage genre, the Kingsman franchise kicked off with this action comedy. It’s packed with suave characters, thrilling fight sequences, and an unexpected amount of violence. Colin Firth’s sophisticated spy, Harry, serves as a mentor to a younger, more uncouth Eggsy.

It was shocking to see Firth play out this scenario, which showed the horrors of what was about to be unleashed on humanity.

The audience first sees what he’s capable of as he fights off an unruly group of troublemakers at a pub, as he beats them up with the help of a very versatile umbrella. But, as Valentine tests out his murderous invention, Harry gets caught in the middle of it and succumbs to the violence and savagery that it inflicts on people.

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Kingsman: The Secret Service

R

Action

Adventure

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

8/10

10

7.3/10

Release Date

February 13, 2015

Runtime

2h 10m

Cast

See All

  • Shot Of Michael Caine In The World premiere of 'The Great Escaper' at BFI Southbank

    Michael Caine

  • Headshot Of Taron Egerton

    Taron Egerton

Based on the comic book series of the same name, Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of rebellious teen Eggsy (Taron Egerton) as he’s inducted into a top-secret spy agency by a man codenamed Galahad (Colin Firth). After learning that billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) plans to destroy the world, Eggsy and Galahad set out to avert international disaster and uncover widespread corruption that threatens to consume the Kingsman agency itself. 

Director

Matthew Vaughn

Writers

Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman

Studio(s)

20th Century

Distributor(s)

20th Century

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The fight in the church is a large scale bloodbath, with people randomly launching themselves at others, and Harry’s skills make him one of the deadliest aggressors there. It was shocking to see Firth play out this scenario, which showed the horrors of what was about to be unleashed on humanity. What happened after he left the church was perhaps the most shocking of all.