For most fans of combat sports, the silver screen was the first thing outside of actual competition that taught them that fighting was cool. Fight scenes and fight choreography have been an integral part of film since the art form began.

But, just as with any reoccurring sequence in movies, the fight scene is done incorrectly more often than it is done right. Fight scenes can drag on too long without any significant changes to what's going on, jump-cut so fast that nothing can be seen, or simply be shot so flatly that they contain no emotional weight.

A proper fight scene requires that which is going on during the fight to be an expression of the characters and conflicts within it. The scene also must be dynamic, without consequence-free stalemates or too much repetition.

Below are the top five fight scenes of all time:

5. The Duel in Rob Roy-

Fencing is a combat sport often grouped apart from others. The game isn't as physical as MMA or boxing and often viewed in a different class of sport. So to with the sword fight scene. The climactic duel at the end of Rob Roy brings the feeling of combat back in to fencing. The characters get cut, show fatigue, and even express their personalities as the fight goes on. Also, this scene has something that few sword fights can boast- an illustrated sense of danger from the blade. The posturing and tension as the fight goes on conveys both the character conflicts and the simple and often lost fact that blades are sharp and can kill unceremoniously.

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4. The Hallway Fight in Oldboy

While the use of the term “realism” has to be taken with a grain of salt in a scene where one man takes out over a dozen in a brawl, the famous hallway fight in Oldboy remains the most visually plausible of any fight where one is against many in a melee. The fidelity of the scene is preserved with the very bold use of a single camera angle and persistent shooting throughout the entire scene. Also worth noting is how the mob is initially willing to rush the main character, but become more and more hesitant as their men take damage. This is a rare example of illustrated character dynamics in a mass fight scene.

3. The End Fight in Flashpoint

The best thing about the climax of Flashpoint is that it is, for all intents and purposes, the same kind of overly-long Hong Kong wire fest that has been ruining action movies for twenty years, but it's still fantastic. Everything about this fight scene is dynamic. The scenery, the pacing, the methods of attack, even the lighting are changing and flowing together as the scene progresses. This scene stands out as a moment of brilliance in what is essentially a cliché cop drama.

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2. Judo Match in Blood on the Sun

Admittedly, there are aspects to this fight that are cheesy, and the limitations of the budget are visible, but in some ways the problems just add to the scene. First, a fight scene heavily reliant on Judo is a rare treat that causes this movie the stand out over half a century after it was made. Also, the staggering and sometimes less than pretty moves are far more appropriate for the main character's personality than any level of technical perfection. Combined with the use of prolonged single shots, the imperfections of the fight add to the sense of genuine struggle.

1. Kyuzo's introduction in The Seven Samurai

If ever there was a way to introduce a character through action, the duel in The Seven Samurai is it. Simple and to the point, this scene says more about the steely supporting character than most dialogue can bring out in any movie. Once again, the brilliance of the scene is in the minimalism.

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