The DCEU may not be as popular as the MCU but they have managed to give us some incredible action sequences. It may not be perfect but the DCEU does deserve some credit. It is time to list the best of the lot.
Justice League – Steppenwolf vs. the Justice League
There are ample reasons why this fight scene stands at the bottom of this list. The entire movie was massively rushed all thanks to Whyedon and Tsujihara’s mishap. The action scenes could have been way more climactic. Steppenwolf could have looked more menacing than how he walked the talk in the movie. And let us not even forget the moustache-gate affair. Putting that all aside, the final battle between the Big Bad Wolf of the movie and the Justice League was indeed a dream come true for many comic book fans! The fight scene itself did not have much in terms of the X-Factor unlike the rest of the entries here but it was still an iconic piece of pop culture history and that is the reason it occupies the number 10 spot.
Birds of Prey – The Police Station Fight
Birds of Prey showed the greatest strength of the DC Extended Universe – when things get down and dirty, the superheroes will drop right into the mud and get their hands dirty to get the job done. DCEU is known for its grounded action choreography and Birds of Prey showed it in all its vigour. The movie had ample number of fist fights. Harley Quinn is the one of the most gifted close combat fighters in the DC Universe. But in the Police Station Fight scene, even she takes a couple of hits. She goes down multiple times. But when she gets her hands on a baseball bat, it is when we see Harley unleash her fury in all its glory. Anyone that stands in her way gets mauled.
Aquaman – Underwater War
The DCEU has a history of screwing up its final fight scene. It was evident in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. To an extent, history repeated itself in Wonder Woman as well. The screw ups happen due to an amalgamation of errors – bad CGI coupled with a weak conclusion spells the death nail. But that was not the case for Aquaman’s final All-Out War scene. The entire scene was a festival of colours. It was extravagantly flashy and that is what made it memorable. James Wan managed to paint a very colourful picture of the world revolving around Atlantis throughout the movie. And the final war scene was where all the colours converged. It was epic. It was glorious.
Justice League – Steppenwolf vs. the Amazons
How does a band of warrior woman equipped with medieval weaponry stand toe to toe against a New God? What do the Amazonians have that the others do not? Why were they strong enough to have been entrusted with a piece of the Mother Box? In the fight scene between the Amazons and Steppenwolf, they show why. The Amazons do not have technology. But they more than make up for it in teamwork and careful execution. They had traps set all over the place to stop or at the very least slow down Steppenwolf. Their courage under-fire was also admirable. Many of the Amazon warriors perished because they chose to voluntarily sacrifice their lives rather than let Steppenwolf get what he wants.
Aquaman – Queen Atlanna fights Soldiers of Atlantis
That’s right. Her role in the larger DCEU might be limited. But Queen Atlanna, played by Nicole Kidman, has one of the greatest action scenes within the DCEU to her name. The scene proved that Queen Atlanna is not just a privileged pretty face. She has the skills to back up her claim to the throne. Atlantean Infantry are some of the fiercest foot soldiers on the face of the planet. Queen Atlanna did not just take one or two of them down. She took down an entire team of Atlantean soldiers on her own. And boy did she do it with style.
Man of Steel – Superman vs. Zod
This fight could have been at the top of this list. In fact, it could have been at the top of the list of all-time greatest action scenes of Hollywood. There’s a reason it did not. The fight had all the perfect ingredients. It perfectly set up Zod’s hatred for Superman. For the first time in history, we could actually understand why Zod’s actions were justified if you look at it from a neutral perspective. Kal El was the reason of the extinction of his entire race. The fight between Superman and Zod brings down an entire city to its knees. It shows just how small and tiny Earthlings are in front of these Kryptonian Titans. The only flaw in the fight was the abrupt ending. Superman snapping Zod’s neck like a twig was a massive plot hole.
BVS – Armoured Batman vs. Superman
Talking about abrupt endings, “MARTHA” is probably something you must have already been thinking right now when reading this entry. The Batman vs. Superman battle in BVS was epic for various reasons. Taken straight out of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, it will remain one of the greatest fights in DCEU history for multiple reasons. The most badass line in superhero history was spoken here “Tell me. Do you bleed?” Can anybody ever top that? If only Superman hadn’t uttered Martha’s name, we could have all slept peacefully. This fight showed that no matter how much Godlike Strength Superman might have, it only takes one man with careful planning and ‘prep time’ (come on you know that was coming :P) could take him down. All one needs is some super rare rock from an extinct alien planet. Easy Peasy!!
Man of Steel – Battle of Smallville
Man of Steel is one of the most underrated superhero movies to have been ever made. The action sequences in this movie instil suspense and excitement in ways no other movie before it could manage to. Man of Steel’s Battle of Smallville gives us too much to swallow within a matter of mere minutes. The Humans are attacking every Kryptonian on sight, including Superman. Faora Ul and Superman are already trading blows. Superman now has the additional task of keeping the nearby humans from becoming collateral damage. Faora Ul gives a stellar speech on why Humanity is made to be subdued by stronger species like the Kryptonians. After hearing her talk, anyone would fall down to their knees and beg to be taken in chains.
Wonder Woman – No Man’s Land
Why Wonder Woman is one of the greatest superhero movies ever made you ask? Watch the No Man’s Land scene and you will know. This scene extends out to the Battle of the Village of the Veld. Wonder Woman is a superhero that inspires. She stands for justice, honour, feminism, peace and harmony, but most important of all – compassion. She is a beacon of hope. After looking at the plight of the people caught between the crossfire of a war they never asked to be a part of, Wonder Woman jumps right into the deadly No Man’s Land. She braves the gunfire. She does not give a damn about the explosions. She has come to end it all. And she does.
BVS – Batman Rescues Martha
Why is Batman part of the Trinity? Why a mere mortal is seen as equals to a Kryptonian Titan and an immortal Greek God-Killer? The Martha Rescue scene of BVS says why. The Martha joke has made the movie into a running gag of sorts. But nobody ever understood the symbolism of that word. Batman, in the end, had become exactly what he was originally set out to stop. By saving Martha’s life, he would at least find some semblance of redemption. Batman shows off his magnificent close combat skills to the audience. He is as smooth as still water and as dynamic as a raging ocean as one scene flows to the next. Batman is no longer a mortal. We discover he is a God as well.
