The hallway fight. It’s a thrill-inducing use of stunt choreography in a movie or TV show that instantly excites viewers. These unique and recognizable sequences have been used dozens of times throughout the decades in varying environments.They are typically a depiction of close-quarters combat between characters that makes for some entertaining and extremely well-executed action scenes, and they never get old.
They thrive in action movies or television shows, with some notable examples including the Netflix originalDaredevilseries and the iconic mind-bogglingChristopher Nolanfeature,Inception. The hallway settings can differ from deep space to a classic building hallway. But one thing never changes: the excitement they bring to a piece of media. These ten examples from movies and TV are some of the best hallway fights ever made.
10’The Defenders' (2017)
Created by Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez
The first of two TV shows fromThe Defenders Sagaon Netflix comes with the highly anticipated street-level team-up in the small-screen version ofThe Avengers. As the now iconic 2012 movie team-up became a fan favorite, so did the 2017 TV collaboration between Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones).
Seeing this unique group of heroes combine their powers was always going to be exciting, which meant the first time they teamed up needed to be fluid, and fluid it was. The moment came in episode three ofThe Defendersminiseries, where the four protagonists found their somewhat separate ways to Midland Circle and The Hand that resided within. What followed was a cleverly clumsy, accurately executed, enjoyable fight between the yet-to-be-formed Defenders and the series antagonists, and it’s entertaining from start to finish.
The Defenders
9’Iron Man 2' (2010)
Directed by Jon Favreau
Black Widow (Scarlet Johannson) has always been an impressive opponent in combat. She’s easily capable of standing her ground, finding it effortlessly easy to deal with a room, or hallway, of trained individuals trying to take her down, as proven in her first Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance.
Iron Man 2was released fifteen years ago in 2010 and brought about a continuation of the first film’s success.It introduced Natasha Romanoff by having her pose as Tony Stark’s new assistant while disguising her real work as an undercover spy for S.H.I.E.L.D. As the movie came to a head, her true colors were revealed as shetracked down villain Whiplash(Mickey Rourke) and made her way through multiple corridors of security guards while Happy (Jon Favreau) worked on one by the door the entire time. It’s a good sequence, and its classic Marvel comedic elements help make it all the more enjoyable.
Iron Man 2
8’Repo Men' (2010)
Directed by Miguel Sapochnik
Many people will knowJude Lawfor his work in more notable or reputable performances like those withThe Talented Mr. Ripley,Fantastic Beasts, orCaptain Marvel. However, his performance in the 2010 sci-fi featureRepo Menis severely underrated, even though the movie as a whole didn’t perform very well.
The futuristic premise ofRepo Menis that of a group of individuals trained to kill anybody who fails to repay after the acquirement of an artificial organ. But when Law’s character becomes one of those in debt after receiving a heart, he does whatever it takes to avoid those after him. The hallway fight inRepo Menis arguably its best scene.It contains nods to others before it and is perfect for anyone who loves some brutal and gore-centric action sequences. Knives, hacksaws, hammers, and guns create the violence, and it’s a perfectly filmed addition to an otherwise mediocre movie.
7’The Matrix' (1999)
Directed by The Wachowskis
The Matrix’s lobby fight isn’t necessarily like the other hallway fights on this list. However, it’s here as the characters fight from one end of a narrow area to the elevators on the other in a somewhat small and convoluted space.
As Neo (Keanu Reeves)and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss)enter the building, they are met by a team of security personnel who quickly realize they should’ve taken a sick day. What ensues is a hailstorm of bullets in every direction, surprise kicks to the face, and multiple bullet-riddled bodies as the pair make it to the other side and calmly enter the lift.There’s no other way to describe the scene than as chaotic perfection for those who love a good action-centric moment, andThe Matrixcontains some of the best from late 1990s action movies.
The Matrix
6’The Mandalorian' (2019-Present)
Created by Jon Favreau
This one isn’t just a fantastic hallway fight but an incredibly nostalgic trip down memory lane. ForStar Warsfans, the release ofThe Mandalorianon Disney+ kickstarted a new love or revitalized an old one when the series hit the streaming platform in 2019. Since then, it has become one of the most popular pieces ofStar Warsmedia to fans worldwide.
To close out the second season, a beloved member of theStar Warsuniverse returned, sending fans into a meltdown of pure nostalgia and overwhelming emotion. A young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) flew in to save the day, resulting in a cool, calm, collected, and forever memorable hallway fight in which he single-handedly took out multiple dark troopers like it was nothing but a walk in the park.It’s on the list as a great hallway fight, but this one means more to fans than simply just exciting stunt work.
The Mandalorian
5’Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' (2023)
Directed by James Gunn
The third movie in the fan-favoriteGuardians of the Galaxytrilogy may not have followed its predecessors in the way of an all-around funny feature film. But it certainly kept up the tradition of a perfect soundtrack over enjoyable action sequences, especially with a specific hallway fight close to the end of the movie.
After Rocket (Bradley Cooper) is saved and the team reunites, they decide to fight instead of retreat. This results in a brilliantly edited sequence of laser blasts, Groot skewers, and, of course, epic music to soundtrack the entire thing.This movie may have made everyone cry at least three times, but its brilliant action scenes just cannot be denied.It was a perfect endto the originalGuardianstrilogy.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
4’Inception' (2010)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Inceptionis one of the greatest sci-fi heist movies of all time. Christopher Nolan’s epic feature is known for its fantastic cinematography, gripping storytelling, and clever writing. But it also contains one of the most unique and impressive hallway fights ever seen on the big screen.
Taking place in the mindsof those in the van, this iconicInceptionscene takes viewers on a twisty-turney combat session as the walls of the hallway rotate, taking the hand-to-hand fight up, down, and all around the ceiling and walls as the characters fight to gain the upper hand. It’s a very complex shot and highly impressive to watch.
3’Daredevil' (2015-2019)
Created by Drew Goddard
The original NetflixDaredevilTV show quickly became known for its expert-level stunt choreography and gripping fight sequences. Incredible one-shots, hallway fights, and close-quarters combat made this show stand out as one of the best of its kind, as it continues to be today. The fight work in the latestDaredevil: Born Againseries is impressive, but the OG Netflix series will always hold the upper hand for many fans.
In all three seasons ofDaredevil, there were numerous occasions where the choreography would blow viewers away with the fluidity and sheer amount of work that went into creating the scenes. There’s a mind-blowing stairwell sequence that takes one-shot hallway fighting to multiple new levels in season two, an outstanding eleven-minute continuous oner in season three, and abrutal and bloody hallway fight with The Punisher(Jon Bernthal) in the second season, as well as multiple others.Daredevilwas and continues to be a shining example of what expert-level combat stuntwork should look like in TV shows.
2’The Raid: Redemption' (2011)
Directed by Gareth Evans
One unarmed man against four machete-wielding opponents may seem like overwhelming odds, but in the case ofThe Raid: Redemption, it’s merely a short workout session. This Indonesian thriller is one of the best action movies ever made, according to many of those who’ve seen it, and its fighting scenes are extraordinary, albeit not for the faint of heart.
The movie contains more than one hallway fight, and they’re all arguably just as brutal as each other, but that’s honestly a big part of what makes them work so well.The movements are fluid, and the choreography is flawless, encapsulating the viewer in the story and, of course, the action. It’s not hard to see whyThe Raidis such a globally highly praisedfeature, not just to international audiences.
The Raid: Redemption
1’Oldboy' (2003)
Directed by Park Chan-wook
Oldboydid things a little differently when it comes to modern-day generic hallway fights, yet it is arguably where the technique really took off. They made it a continuous one-shot down a corridor that became somewhat reminiscent of a 2D video game setting, and it worked just about as well as one could hope.
It’s one of the mostfamous fight scenes in moviesand is more than deserving of such fame. Filmed continuously with back-and-forth motions, there are no breaks or cuts in the shot, and the movements are effortlessly carried out. The character makes short work of those coming towards and behind in a non-stop motion as the camera continuously pans left and right.It is one of the most notable hallway fights ever filmed and will never get old.
NEXT:10 Action Movies of the 2010s With the Best Fight Choreography
