10 Worst Action Scenes In Superhero Movies

Although action sequences are typically the main attraction in most DC and Marvel superhero films, many fall short of their potential. These intense moments, usually battles between the hero and their arch-nemesis, tend to be the most memorable – for instance, the Leipzig-Halle Airport fight in Captain America: Civil War or the epic clash in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Such spectacular scenes set high standards that some movies struggle to meet. Consequently, it’s not surprising that the weakest action sequences often occur in the least popular superhero films.

In many superhero films, the least successful action scenes tend to receive similar negative feedback. These could be due to subpar visual effects (CGI), unimpressive fight coordination (choreography), or illogical jumps in plot logic that leave viewers confused. Here are some examples of such scenes and why they may not have captivated audiences as expected.

10. Black Panther’s CGI-Heavy Final Fight

The CGI Hampered An Otherwise Perfect Movie

In the final showdown, dethroned T’Challa and his ruthless relative, Killmonger, who goes by N’Jadaka, engage in a fierce battle over Wakanda’s throne and to halt Killmonger’s worldwide uprising. This confrontation pushes both characters to their limits, utilizing every ounce of power in their vibranium armor. Although these suits usually render them invincible, the advanced Wakandan train system becomes a crucial plot element as it disrupts the suits, revealing weak spots on their bodies, which ultimately leads to T’Challa defeating Killmonger by plunging a deadly blade into his cousin.

As a devoted cinematic enthusiast, let me share my thoughts on Black Panther, a film I deeply appreciate but can’t overlook certain moments that left a sour taste. Despite being the MCU’s top-rated movie, it isn’t invulnerable to subpar scenes, and one such fight stands out for all the wrong reasons in the minds of fans. The choreography was usually impressive, but the CGI rendering of their suits has sparked a significant amount of frustration. The way Black Panther portrayed the degradation of his vibranium suits was so distracting that it took away from the overall experience.

9. Superman Throws His “S” Symbol In Superman II

The Move Is Inexplicable

In the movie Superman II, we see the well-known conflict between Superman and General Zod, who comes to Earth seeking revenge on Kal-El, the last Kryptonian, after being trapped in the Phantom Zone. Their confrontation reaches a climax when Zod and his accomplices, Non and Ursa, storm Superman’s Fortress of Solitude for a final showdown. Before Superman outwits them all and strips them of their powers, he successfully counters Non’s initial assault by hurling an “S” shaped object made of cellophane at his attacker, momentarily disabling him.

In this acclaimed sequel’s most puzzling scene, Superman showcases an impressive array of abilities, including a questionable one such as the memory-erasing kiss. However, the S-symbol on his chest, though it adds to the mystery and seems unnecessary, is just as perplexing. This power, used only once in the movie, appears to serve primarily as a temporary nuisance for his adversaries.

8. Wolverine Fights “Deadpool” In X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Wade Wilson Is Unrecognizable In His Cinematic Debut

In the climactic battle of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I found myself squaring off against a formidable foe – a heavily modified Wade Wilson, infamously known as Weapon XI in the world of superhero cinema. This Deadpool variant was blessed with an assortment of powers from various mutants’ DNA, making him the most challenging adversary I’ve encountered yet. Despite the tough fight, I managed to gain the advantage by severing his head, a move that unfortunately didn’t prove fatal for Deadpool. The peculiar mix of powers he possessed in this version was quite bewildering, including one that seemed to defy the comics entirely.

Katana blades unsheathed from his skeleton.
Cyclops’ optic blasts.
Accelerated healing factor.
Teleportation.

Wolverine was particularly silly and disappointing, especially when compared to the character of Deadpool as depicted in that film. The portrayal of Deadpool in this movie deviated significantly from the humorous, fourth-wall breaking character we know from Marvel comics, which is unfortunate since it failed to live up to Deadpool’s iconic persona. Despite other parts of X-Men Origins: Wolverine being poorly received, this final fight scene was particularly disappointing and left a negative impression on the movie as a whole.

7. Green Lantern’s Space Fight With Parallax

Fans Felt That Parallax Was Underserved And Too Early

2011’s Green Lantern movie originally aimed to ignite DC’s first big-screen universe, following the success of Iron Man in kickstarting the Marvel Cinematic Universe three years prior. In the climactic battle, Ryan Reynolds’ character Hal Jordan confronts one of his major adversaries – a dragon-like figure symbolizing fear, represented by yellow energy as opposed to the green energy that signifies willpower. Despite being overpowered in raw strength, Hal ingeniously defeats the cosmic entity by leading it towards the sun, resulting in its destruction due to the intense heat.

The fight scene in its entirety underscores a common complaint about Green Lantern, being overly reliant on CGI and appearing unconvincing. Regardless of its grand setting, the climactic battle seems disappointingly underwhelming, as the demise of the colossal space creature seems too effortless. Supporters of the Green Lantern brand believe that the powerful adversary was unfairly treated, with many arguing that introducing Parallax as the initial antagonist for Green Lantern was a misstep.

6. The Suicide Squad Vs. Enchantress In Suicide Squad

The Gulf In Power Is Impossible To Overlook

Suicide Squad, a film within the DCEU, is considered its lowest-rated movie, with a large portion of criticism focusing on its main villain, Enchantress, and the climactic battle between her and the Suicide Squad. In this chaotic scene, Task Force X faced difficulty defeating an adversary who was distinctly mystical, bordering on divine, when their most powerful member, El Diablo, used his fire control to make a self-sacrificing move before the final challenge. However, Harley Quinn managed to outsmart Enchantress by pretending loyalty and then stabbing her from the chest, creating an opportunity for Deadshot and Killer Croc to demolish the world-destructive superweapon in a prolonged, slow-motion destruction sequence.

It’s challenging to follow this fight scene and become emotionally involved due to its imbalance. When Enchantress effortlessly destroys a massive warship and snatches the squad’s weapons using telekinesis, it’s hard not to notice that this battle seems predestined in her favor. Ignoring the vast power disparity between Enchantress and her opponents, the seemingly spontaneous camaraderie among Task Force X appears questionable, with their quick affection for each other stemming from a single doubtful conversation at a bar.

5. Barry Allen Rescues Babies In The Flash

The Action Scene Is Wildly Cartoonish

In an unusual twist for The Flash, there’s a scene showcasing a non-combat action sequence. This scene serves to highlight Barry Allen’s unique abilities. Here, The Flash saves newborn infants, a healthcare worker, and a therapy dog from a building on the verge of collapse. This scene underscores how the Speed Force effectively slows down time, enabling The Flash to perform extraordinary feats of speed and defy physics. He uses these powers to extricate the babies from dangerous predicaments and prevent their fall from the collapsing structure.

The situation appears quite disturbing, yet it seems to reflect a shift towards more humor in the DCEU. For instance, babies falling from a crumbling building, narrowly avoiding knives and being placed in a microwave might seem odd when compared to the rest of the scene where superheroes are rescuing them. Furthermore, the subpar CGI used for the babies enhances the Looney Tunes-like vibe of the entire sequence. Additionally, it emphasizes Flash’s goofy persona as a heroic moment is made comical instead.

4. Daredevil And Elektra Flirt-Fight In A Playground

The Whole Scene Feels Wildly Inappropriate

2003’s “Daredevil” showcased Ben Affleck’s character Matt Murdock and Jennifer Garner’s character Elektra Natchios, a well-known duo from the comics. In their initial, somewhat rocky interaction, persistent Matt tries to figure out Elektra’s name. This results in an intricately designed fight scene taking place in a playground for children. Throughout their verbal exchanges filled with corny lines, they both display their formidable abilities by creatively utilizing playground equipment during their skirmish. Eventually, Elektra emerges victorious and eventually reveals her identity to Matt.

The confrontation between Matt and Elektra seems justified following Matt’s persistence and his physical grip on Elektra’s wrist, which diminishes their appeal. Additionally, the scene appears extremely inappropriate as these adults are seen fighting violently in front of excited children, with suggestive expressions and wrestling moves. Viewed from a modern perspective, it’s hard not to squirm at this early Daredevil action sequence.

3. Rhino Is Taken Out By Buffalo & Kraven

Rhino Is Bested By Some Super-Buffalo

In the debut of Kraven the Hunter, he introduced several well-known villains from Spider-Man’s collection, with the Rhino being one of Kraven’s main rivals. Interestingly, in this portrayal, the Rhino was given a unique condition that transformed his body into extremely tough, stone-like skin. The movie reached its climax with an intense showdown between Kraven and Rhino, during which Kraven struggled to outmatch Rhino’s immense strength and resilience before locating a vulnerable spot, jabbing him, and pushing him into a stampeding herd of buffalo.

It’s quite perplexing, indeed, that the Rhino, who was often depicted as nearly invincible and powerful enough to halt a speeding truck, met his end at the hands of several buffalo. In the movie Kraven the Hunter, the Rhino appears to be poorly rendered with CGI, falling into the uncanny valley, and the scene where he is trampled by buffalo seems less than convincing. In the end, it was a herd of apparently super-strong buffalos that were able to destroy multiple heavy-duty vehicles, leading to Rhino’s demise.

2. Madame Web’s Final Fight

Madame Web’s Powers Aren’t Conducive To A Thrilling Showdown

In general consensus, Madame Web is often seen as one of the most poorly executed superhero movies. The climactic action scene serves as evidence for this viewpoint. During the final battle, Cassie Webb uses her psychic abilities to shield the trio of future Spider-Women from exploding fireworks on a crumbling, condemned structure and a ruthless Ezekiel Sims. At one juncture, We see her creating holographic copies of herself to provide assistance when the girls find themselves in perilous situations. Once they are safely removed, she guides Sims into a position where he is squashed by a collapsing Pepsi-Cola billboard.

In the climactic battle scene of Madame Web, the absurdity that pervades the film is most evident. It’s challenging to incorporate Madame Web’s predictive abilities into a fight, given she’s not skilled in hand-to-hand combat, as this sequence effectively showed. Additionally, her projections appeared perplexing and inconsequential, giving the impression they were forcedly included to amplify her powers’ allure. The ending was also unsatisfying, with Ezekiel Sims being swiftly dispatched by a blatant product placement move.

1. Catwoman Fights Laurel

This Is The Hammiest Of Superhero Fights

In the original plan, Catwoman was supposed to be a spinoff from Batman Returns, but instead, Warner Bros. decided to create a self-contained film with a unique, mystical backstory. The main antagonist is Laurel Hedare, a narcissistic cosmetics mogul who clashes with Patience Phillips, portrayed by Halle Berry, after falsely accusing her of a murder that Hedare herself had committed. Their battle, filled with gymnastics and witty remarks, concludes when Hedare plummets to her death from the building they were fighting in.

The final action scene is chaotically pieced together with rapid cuts, yet it strangely drags on. The movement and dialogue seem exaggerated and overdone, making it hard to care about their battle, as Hedare comes across as a dull villain throughout. Moreover, Patience’s sudden effort to rescue Hedare appears unnecessary given the lengths she took earlier to set her up in that dangerous situation initially.

2025-04-28 04:31