Comingsoon.net is looking to settle the score by selecting the very best rivalries ever put on film. Check out our selections in the gallery below!
A rivalry makes for an incredibly compelling film, no matter what the genre. Perhaps because they actually exist in real life, or maybe it’s because they date back to the oldest conflict imaginable—the fight between good and evil. No matter the reason, it’s worth taking a look at the very best rivalries in film.
Old friends-turned-enemies, a protagonist versus an antagonist, a human pitted against a creature, even a man up against his inner demons… these are just a few examples of some of the more engrossing stories that help contextualize these rivalries. Of course, there are some who might not care about the motivation—in which case, let’s get to the rivalries.
movie rivalries
-
Aliens (1986)
Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley has spearheaded the Alien series with an incredible amount of grit and vigor. James Cameron’s Aliens is no exception, with Ripley fearlessly going up against the xenomorphs like never before.
-
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Much like how Quentin Tarantino pays homage to the movies that made lasting impressions on him, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts movie that gives its respects to the formative Chinese films of the past. Of course, this means that there’s plenty of great fight scenes—namely, those who are with You Shue Lien and those who are against her.
-
Enter the Dragon (1973)
Definitely serving as a touchstone for both Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon is one of the most important martial arts movies ever made. It’s Lee against the evil Han here (accompanied by hundreds of prisoners, of course).
-
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Of all the duels in all the Star Wars films, the rivalry that remains the most iconic is the one between Luke and Darth Vader. This comes to a head in The Empire Strikes Back, most notably when the two go toe-to-toe with lightsabers drawn.
-
Fight Club (1999)
What’s most intriguing about Fight Club’s rivalry between Brad Pitt’s Tyler Durden and Edward Norton’s unnamed lead is the complexity of it all. The two compete for the same love and the same positions of power, one always one step in front of the other.
-
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Both parts of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill feature The Bride against all who wronged her, but Kill Bill: Vol. 1 remains the most impressive of the two. Uma Thurman is operating on all cylinders from the very start, fighting off each and every rival who crosses her path to revenge.
-
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
In the same vein as the duel between Luke and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith sees its final act come to a climax with a fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan. It’s one of the most engrossing battles in the entire saga, and one of the very best rivalries in film.
-
Rocky (1976)
Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky franchise continues to pump out installments over forty years since this first film. This is a true testament to just how gripping the film’s rivalry between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed is.
-
The Matrix (1999)
Neo and the rest of the group of rebels who take him in are seemingly the only people who’ve realized that reality is not what it seems. Naturally, those in charge want to put an end to them—more specifically, Agent Smith.
-
They Live (1988)
John Carpenter is one of a few kings of practical effects, an honor that still carries over from his heyday back in the 80s. They Live is a great example, featuring a humans-versus-aliens rivalry that remains incredibly memorable.
