10 Best Epic Hollywood Punch-Ups
2. John McClane V Karl (Die Hard)
It’s the fight which pretty much epitomises everything that made Die Hard stand out from its action movie contemporaries back in the late 80s. No technique, no martial arts, no Adonis-style musclebound warrior.
Just hero John McClane (Bruce Willis), an ordinary (albeit very durable) cop having a bad day at the Nakatomi Plaza, devoid of shirt and shoes.
The fight with Karl (Alexander Godunov) is the culmination of a series of bloody battles with uber-villain Hans Gruber’s (Alan Rickman) henchmen. However, playing on the action-movie trope, there’s a brilliantly subversive element to the showdown, with Karl bent on revenge against McClane for previously killing his brother.
With an angry henchman and a hero who has just about reached the end of his weary tether, what ensues is a violent pummelling and, as the red mist descends upon McClane, we’re treated to a delightful verbal volley to accompany the pounding, and a killer move that chokes up Karl and leaves the audience in no doubt that Willis’ former Moonlighting persona has been given an all-action A list upgrade.