In honour of John Wick's return to the big screen in the spin-off film Ballerina, we’re trading words for fists, falling through cinema’s saloon doors and giving our eye witness accounts of the most bone-crunching, chair-smashing fight scenes of all time.

From the elegance of Chinese Wuxia to the grit of an old school brawl, the power of martial arts legends to the visual timing of a comedy icon, we explore how the on-screen punch up has evolved and what makes great big screen fisticuffs.

Tighten your kung-fu pyjamas, it's gonna get messy.

"Before we get started, does anyone wanna get out?" - Steve Rogers

Links to watch all featured fights:

Captain America - Elevator Fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYATf2A5GCQ&t=1s

Game of Death - Bruce Lee vs Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-RfY2H23o

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Jen vs. Shu Lien Sword Fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzkhVVFRIIg&t=15s

They Live - Really Long Fight - Rowdy Roddy Piper vs Keith David

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhr3TzEknzY

City Lights - Boxing Match - Charlie Chaplin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9NfXIXzgnA&t=5s

Undefeatable - Final Fight Scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqvuGqr-u2Y&t=28s

Nobody - Bus Fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2un1aU7mT0&t=7s

Top Secret! - Underwater Barfight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfRi-a8hPh0&t=1s

The Raid 2 - The Kitchen Fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Rp86b3CUMU&t=24s

Police Story - Mall fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B215g-Evv0U&t=2s

Follow the show:

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Letterboxd - MovieMambo

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With the live-action How To Train Your Dragon swooping into cinemas next week, we’re grabbing our shield and diving headfirst into the greatest quests that fantasy cinema has to offer.

From cursed swords to chosen ones, from ancient prophecies to dark sorcery, this episode is all about the epic journeys that define heroic fantasy. So whether you’re more Conan or Frodo, Ashitaka or Ash, there’s a sword and a saga waiting for you.

“I will avenge you, Father! I will save you, Mother! I will kill you, Fjölnir!" - Amleth

Follow the show:

Instagram @moviemambopodcast

TikTok - @moviemambo

Letterboxd - MovieMambo

BlueSky - @moviemambo.bsky.social

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, to celebrate the release of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Cesar and Greg tip their stetsons to the daredevils who leap off buildings, swing from helicopters, slide under trucks and somehow live to do another take.

From glass skyscrapers to collapsing houses, from shattered bridges to speeding trucks, this is stunt cinema at its boldest, wildest and most bone-shattering.

No CGI. No green screens. Just guts, gravity and a whole lot of bruises.

“I’m not afraid to get hurt. I’m afraid of making a bad movie.” - Jackie Chan

Follow the show:

Instagram @moviemambopodcast

TikTok - @moviemambo

Letterboxd - MovieMambo

BlueSky - @moviemambo.bsky.social

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.