Imbalance of Power: 16 Cinematic Fights That Were Completely One-Sided

Fight scenes are supposed to keep an audience engaged. Sometimes, be it plot-driven or poor writing, battles are so one-sided that the winner is obvious. Yet, we can't help but watch, even as our eyes roll nearly out of our heads. Can't really picture a completely mismatched fight? Let us help with some of the best one-sided fights to hit the silver screen. 

1. The Predator vs Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Predator)

Sure, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch may have emerged victorious from his one-on-one against the infamous extraterrestrial being, but their fight was all but fair. It's not until Dutch goes all Home Alone on the Predator that he kind of gets the upper hand. Even then, the beast nearly outsmarts him. The Predator's brute strength allows it to toss Dutch around like a ragdoll, leaving the major bloodied and bruised until an accidental dip in the mud practically saves his life. 

As we've seen in most Predator media, few can stand up to the Yautja in a physical altercation. It's not until they start using their wits that the human brawler can stand up to their alien foe. Even then, though, the Predator cheats and activates a nuclear-sized blast that can render being the victor a moot point if they're not fast enough. 

2. Cliff Booth vs Hippies (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood)

In the climax of Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, the aging actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) are on the radar of key members of the Manson Family. In an alternate history twist, Susan Atkins, Tex Watson, and Patricia Krenwinkel target Booth and Dalton instead of Sharon Tate and her friends, and they get laid out quite properly. Tarantino uses excessive violence in a one-sided brawl to satirize the Manson murders in a way that takes away the glory and mystique of Charles Manson and his followers, instead making fun of them while giving us an ending where Tate is still alive. 

Despite being three against one, Booth holds his own with his canine companion, Brandy, lending a hand. This is the perfect climax to end the film, but it's not for the faint of heart. You'll appreciate this drawn-out battle if you like campy violence that is so ridiculous it's funny (nested in a legitimate social commentary). 

3. Beatrix Kiddo vs The Crazy 88s (Kill Bill Volume 1)

In this iconic fight scene from Kill Bill Volume 1, Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman) battles a group of masked Yakuza henchmen known as the Crazy 88s. They work for the main antagonist, O-Ren Ishii. While Beatrix (also known as The Bride) is a trained assassin, it's still unrealistic that she could take out an army of men armed with swords as she runs around performing impossible acrobatics and catching axes with her hands.

One by one, she slays them in a gruesome duel, but not once does another fighter sneak up on her as she's busy battling with another henchman. Nonetheless, the scene is brilliantly choreographed and remains one of the film's most iconic and memorable scenes. In the original U.S. release, the scene is shown in black-and-white, allegedly to appease the MPAA and avoid an NC-17 rating that would have marred its theatrical release.

4. Bane vs Batman (The Dark Knight Rises)

Arguably the most memorable fight scene in The Dark Knight Rises features Bane (Tom Hardy) dominating Batman (Christian Bale) in a one-sided brawl. The bout takes place in an underground cavern beneath Gotham City, where Bane's robust physique, impressive combat skills, and towering stature prove too much for Batman to handle.

Batman has already sustained injuries from previous fights, so he is not in peak physical condition. During their confrontation, Bane utters an iconic monologue about how he was brought up in darkness and molded by it. In contrast, Batman has merely adopted it, which is why the shadows betray him.

Bane has the high ground here, severely injuring Batman and even breaking his back. This fight leaves him bedridden, and he is left in this cavern, where he takes several months to recover before he can make the death-defying climb to escape.

5. Tyler Durden vs the Narrator (Fight Club)

In the final scene of Fight Club, the Narrator (Edward Norton) fights against his alter ego, Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). It is quite literally a one-sided fight because Tyler is a figment of the Narrator's imagination and cannot defeat him with physical force. As Durden beats the Narrator, tosses him around, and throws him down a flight of stairs, we can see from objective POVs, such as the security footage, that there is no Tyler Durden.

This scene represents how the more the Narrator tries to fight Durden, the more he gives into his delusions, which only causes this alternate identity to grow stronger. Only by finally coming to terms with the delusion that he is, in fact, the one responsible for all of Durden's acts can the Narrator overcome his adversary. 

6. Ivan Drago vs Apollo Creed (Rocky IV)

In Rocky IV, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) faces off against Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in an exhibition boxing match. The fight is one-sided because Drago has trained harder and is in better shape than Apollo, who has grown complacent and is not taking the fight seriously.

Drago, who is physically larger and stronger than Creed, has been using cutting-edge technology and scientific methods to improve his efficiency and effectiveness as a fighter. Drago is also fighting not only for his own ends but for the glory of the Soviet Union, giving him an extra level of focus and determination that Creed lacks.

7. Kevin McAllister vs Criminals (Home Alone)

In the iconic Christmas movie Home Alone, young Kevin McAllister (Macaulay Culkin) defends his home against a pair of bumbling burglars. The one-sided nature of the fights adds to the hilarity of these films, as the clever 8-year-old uses his wits and booby traps to outsmart the criminals, who fail to counter his elaborate traps. The movie is a brains versus brawn scenario, where the former is the clear victor.

My favorite scene is actually from the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where Kevin repeatedly hits criminals Harry and Marv with bricks he throws off the roof of his uncle's brownstone, which they never manage to dodge.

8. Darth Vader vs Luke Skywalker (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back)

In the iconic lightsaber battle in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) easily defeats Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in a one-sided fight. Vader is a highly skilled Sith Lord, while Luke is still learning the ways of the Force, making the battle incredibly one-sided. Having just learned that Vader is his father, Luke attacks with his emotions, throwing everything Master Yoda taught him during his training on Dagobah. 

Incidentally, Luke and Vader's rematch in Return of the Jedi is also quite emotionally charged. When Vader threatens to turn Luke's sister, Leia (Carrie Fisher) to the Dark Side, the young Jedi-in-training again strikes with anger. This time, though, he overtakes his father, severing his hand in return. 

9. Hutch vs The Bus Passengers (Nobody)

In Nobody, Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) takes on a group of rowdy bus passengers who harass a young woman. Hutch, who is a highly trained assassin, takes down each of the delinquent passengers who are no match for him because they are unskilled brawlers used to facing defenseless civilians.

While he does take some blows, he remains largely unaffected by them, as if they merely slapped him around. The men are armed with weapons such as a crowbar, a bat, and a knife, but Hutch manages to disarm them and incapacitate them using his skills in hand-to-hand combat. As a sign of confidence in his own abilities, Hutch even disarms himself before reengaging the group.

10. Beatrix Kiddo vs Pai Mei (Kill Bill Volume 1)

In Kill Bill Volume 1, Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman) faces off against her former master, Pai Mei (Gordon Liu). It is a one-sided fight because Pai Mei is a highly skilled martial artist who outmatches Beatrix in every way, but she manages to impress him with her determination and fighting spirit. Even though she is given the advantage of using sharp and dangerous weapons, Pai Mei expertly dodges them with ease.

At one point, he even takes hold of Beatrix arm and twists it into an excruciatingly painful position. This one move exposes how helpless and vulnerable Beatrix is in this moment. She is no match for Pai Mei, even though she mistakenly believed herself to be a worthy opponent. It is at this moment Beatrix agrees to undergo the arduous and grueling training regimens that Pai Mei prescribes so she, too, can learn this power.

11. John Wick vs Everyone (John Wick)

In John Wick, retired hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) takes on an entire Russian criminal underworld after they kill the dog left to him by his wife before her passing. Wick, who is a highly trained killer out on a relentless pursuit of revenge, plows through assassins with incredibly graphic violence and no remorse.

The entirety of John Wick is a one-sided fight, with the skilled and calculating Wick giving his enemies a run for their money, no matter how many men and women are thrown at him. Sure, a few may put up a good fight but Wick was always the one to walk away. 

12. Neo vs Agent Smith (The Matrix)

In the iconic fight scene between Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Agent Smith in The Matrix, Neo is able to effortlessly dodge and counter all of Smith's attacks. This is because Neo has realized his full potential as the “One” and gained extraordinary abilities within the Matrix, whereas Agent Smith is a program bound by rules.

The Matrix is riddled with unfair fights but Neo levels the playing field in the film's climax. Neo's power grows over the course of the film series, and by the final entry, we can see just how unmatched Smith was against Neo in the original.

13. Rocky Balboa vs Clubber Lang (Rocky III)

In Rocky III, the climactic fight between Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Clubber Lang (Mr. T) is one-sided in favor of Lang. Rocky is initially caught off guard by Lang's aggressive fighting style, and Lang is able to pummel Rocky with powerful punches, causing him to lose his focus and confidence.

Rocky is unable to recover from Lang's onslaught and ultimately loses the fight, leading to a period of soul-searching and training before the two fighters have a rematch. Lang is portrayed as a fierce and dominant opponent, making the fight a memorable and intense one-sided battle.

14. Achilles vs Hector (Troy)

In Troy, the fight between Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Hector (Eric Bana) is one-sided in favor of Achilles, who is portrayed as a nearly invincible warrior, which aligns with the mythology surrounding the real-life figure. As the story goes, Achilles was submerged in the River Styx, and gained invulnerability from its waters everywhere on his body but his heel. Achilles is much faster and more skilled than Hector and ultimately kills him in a brutal and one-sided fight.

15. Hulk vs Loki (The Avengers)

The fight between the Hulk and Loki in The Avengers is completely one-sided in favor of the Hulk. Loki attempts to use his magic to control the Hulk, but the Hulk is too strong and ultimately smashes Loki around like a ragdoll. Loki at first boasts about his grandiose status as a god and how everyone else is beneath him. The Hulk then picks up his body like a limp doll and smashes it against the ground until Loki is motionless and utters that he is a “puny god.”

16. Indiana Jones vs Giant Swordsmen (Raiders of the Lost Ark)