Summary
- The DCEU's fight scenes have been a mix of hits and misses, but they have consistently showcased unique character abilities and delivered memorable moments.
- Standout fight scenes include the Superman vs General Zod battle in Man of Steel and the 'Big 3' team-up against Doomsday in Batman v Superman, both of which had significant impact on character development.
- Other notable fight scenes include the Wonder Woman's No Man's Land sequence and the Justice League's epic battle against Steppenwolf in Zack Snyder's Justice League, demonstrating the strength and unity of the heroes.
The DC Extended Universe will soon be soft-rebooted into the DC Universe, but the franchise will be remembered for some fantastic fight scenes. The DCEU has, unfortunately, been a divisive continuity, with some installments being among the strongest and most resonant in the superhero film genre while others failed to land with critics or general audiences. Nevertheless, the franchise has been, for the most part, a love letter to DC’s comic mythos and, as such, features unique and memorable fight scenes that express the DCEU’s characters as much as they dazzle viewers.
For over a decade, the superhero film genre has been a dominant force in cinema, and thus, it may be difficult for certain superhero movies to stand out, particularly in their fight scenes. For the most part, the movie of the DCEU succeeded in delivering action sequences that give its heroes unique fighting styles and abilities that are tied into both the origins and character arcs. Of all the DCEU films, aside from the forthcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, here are their best fight scenes.
14 Man of Steel: Superman vs General Zod
Man of Steel not only succeeds as a Superman film, but it also breaks new ground by including numerous fight scenes between Superman and the extremist forces of General Zod. While all of Man of Steel’s fights are excellent, the best is in the finale, in which Superman and General Zod fight in Metropolis. The inexperienced Superman is outclassed by the well-trained and furious Zod, but he gets the upper hand and is forced to kill the General to save a human family. The choice devastates Superman and leads him to adopt a no-kill rule from that point on, making the fight a key moment in his DCEU story.
13 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: DC’s “Big 3” vs Doomsday
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice also features numerous fight scenes, including one of Batman’s best Batmobile chases and melee combat scenes. As promised by its title, the film includes a brutal grudge match between Superman and Batman, but ultimately, the film’s best fight scene is its last one, in which Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman team up for the first time to fight Doomsday. The fight scene is both cathartic and intense, with each of the three heroes using their unique abilities or gear against the Kryptonian monstrosity. While the trio wins, their victory comes at the cost of Superman’s life.
12 Suicide Squad: Batman vs Joker and Harley
While the titular team of 2016’s Suicide Squad has plenty of action scenes, the best one happens early on. In a flashback, Batman pursues The Joker and Harley Quinn in the Batmobile, making the scene one of the few battles between Batman and his two greatest enemies. The chase, while short, is an exciting clash between one of DC’s most iconic rivalries, ending with The Joker evading Batman and Harley Quinn getting captured.
11 Wonder Woman: No Man's Land
2017’s Wonder Woman is one of the strongest films in both the DCEU and the superhero film genre writ large. The earnest and comic-accurate film also includes numerous fight scenes, including a heartbreaking final encounter between Wonder Woman and Ares. The most iconic of Wonder Woman’s fight scenes, however, is the No Man’s Land sequence, in which Gal Gadot’s Diana Prince truly steps into her role of Wonder Woman, defeating the Germans in the trenches and a Belgian town. From Gal Gadot and Chis Pine’s performances to Patty Jenkins’s direction and Rupert Gregson-Williams’s score, the scene helps cement Wonder Woman as one of DC’s finest movies.
10 Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Battle of Pozharnov
The Justice League finally unites in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, with six of the DCEU’s heroes battling Steppenwolf and his Apokoliptian forces. While all of the film’s fight scenes are more than noteworthy, the film’s finale in Pozharnov is its greatest. All six of the Justice League heroes get a moment to shine, from Batman’s leadership and modified Batmobile to Cyborg’s dismantling of the Mother Boxes and The Flash using the Speed Force to undo Steppenwolf’s victory. Steppenwolf himself faces the combined might of Wonder Woman, Superman, and Aquaman, with the three overpowering him in spectacular fashion.
9 Aquaman: Aquaman vs Ocean Master
Of all the fight scenes in 2018’s Aquaman, the final battle between Arthur Curry and Ocean Master (his half-brother, Orm) is the film’s best. The fight properly concludes Arthur’s character arc, seeing him embrace both sides of his heritage and wield the Trident of Atlan, which amplifies his already incredible Atlantean abilities. Upon defeating Ocean Master, Aquaman chooses to spare him, embracing his new role as the King of Atlantis without adhering to a practice he does not believe in.
8 Shazam!: The Shazam Family vs Sivana
After failing to defeat Doctor Thaddeus Sivana in a humorous confrontation in a shopping mall, Billy Batson has his rematch at the end of the film. Not only does Batson save his family, but he also grants them the powers of Shazam, making them as powerful as he is. The ensuing fight scene in which the Shazam Family unites and defeats Savana and the Seven Deadly Sins was as cathartic as it was humorous.
7 Birds of Prey: Fun House Fight
In the over-the-top action-comedy Birds of Prey, Harley Quinn and Cassandra Cain unite with the Huntress, Black Canary, and Renee Montoya, all of whom share a common enemy in Black Mask (Roman Sionis). While the film features numerous action scenes, the most satisfying one takes place in a fun house, with the three heroines and Harley Quinn working together to take down Sionis’s enforcers. Even more satisfyingly, Black Canary, after a bit of buildup, uses her sonic “Canary Cry” to incapacitate a large number of Black Mask’s henchmen.
6 Wonder Woman 1984: Wonder Woman vs Cheetah
In Gal Gadot’s second solo outing as Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984, Barbara Ann Minerva gradually transforms into her familiar supervillain alter ego, the Cheetah. While she and a gradually weakening Wonder Woman clash in the White House earlier in the film, their final fight is straight out of a DC comic book. Cheetah battles Wonder Woman, with the latter wearing her iconic golden armor, giving her an edge in their brief but intense melee.
5 The Suicide Squad: Harley Quinn's Escape
Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn returns once again in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. Quinn’s escape from captivity in Corto Maltese is perhaps the most memorable action scene in the film, with Quinn fighting through a building of soldiers while "Just A Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody" by Louis Prima plays. Even more entertainingly, Quinn’s escape prevented a rescue attempt by her squadmates.
4 Black Adam: Teth-Adam's Release
After years of hoping to play the legendary Black Adam, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson finally plays DC’s famous anti-hero in 2022’s Black Adam. There are plenty of contenders for the action-packed film’s best fight scene, but perhaps the best one is Teth-Adam’s awakening early on in the film. Coming out of suspended animation, Teth-Adam lays waste to numerous Intergang soldiers with the powers of Shazam.
3 Shazam! Fury of the Gods: Philadelphia Battle
While Shazam! Fury of the Gods was, unfortunately, not a success critically or commercially, the film is a worthy follow-up to its heartfelt predecessor. Rather than bringing back Sivana or any other classic Shazam comic villain, Fury of the Gods pits the Shazam Family against the Daughters of Atlas, original villains to the DC mythos and based on Greek mythology. The film’s finale in Philadelphia mixes superhero action and genuine horror as the Daughters unleash mythical monsters upon the city’s civilians. While Billy Batson sacrifices himself to defeat the Daughters, he does so at the cost of his life (however briefly).
2 The Flash: The Flash vs Kryptonians
2023’s The Flash features one of the best Batman action scenes on film, with Michael Keaton’s Batman taking out soldiers in a Siberian facility. Ultimately, however, The Flash’s best fight scene is the combined assault of two Barry Allen iterations, Batman, and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl against General Zod’s Kryptonian extremists. Supergirl’s fight with Zod is emotionally charged and tragic, as is Batman’s battle with Nam-Ek. The fight scene is, ultimately, doomed to end in Zod’s victory, forcing the main timeline’s Barry Allen to simply undo his timeline meddling.
1 Blue Beetle: Battle at Pago Island
Although Jaime Reyes’s first fight with OMAC is spectacular, the best fight scene in Blue Beetle is the all-out assault on Pago Island, a spectacular end to one of the DC Extended Universe’s final films. Jaime’s family fends off Victoria Kord’s soldiers while Jaime himself masters his Scarab armor, using his variety of weapons against the upgraded Ignacio Carapax. Their battle becomes far more tragic, however, when viewers learn that Carapax has also been victimized by Victora Kord. The battle ends with Carapax sacrificing himself to kill Kord after being spared by Jaime.
