Top 10 Hardest Movie Boss Fights Ever

“Rocky IV” (1985)
The bad blood between Rocky and Drago stems from the death of Rocky's best friend, Apollo Creed. Having never faced an opponent with the sheer power that Drago possesses, Rocky banks solely on his will to succeed as Drago's flurry of punches keep coming at a rapid pace. With the much younger Drago refusing to let up from his combination of speed and accuracy, Rocky has no choice but to absorb all the abuse Drago throws his way, reducing him to a bloodied mess. Knowing his opponent has no quit in him, Drago goes on to make Rocky his personal punching bag. Being the hero of this story, Rocky ultimately perseveres through his never-say-die attitude but has to go through hell to win this fight.

“Furious 7” (2015)
As the protagonist, Dominic Toretto has a habit of steamrolling through his enemies. However, Deckard Shaw poses his greatest challenge yet, as Dom's usual reliance on strength is far from enough. In the climactic battle between the two enemies, Dom starts using his trademark moves, which work for a while until Shaw roars back with his skills as a former special-ops agent. Having no answer to Shaw's incredible melee skills, Dom survives only by going into defensive mode. Out for blood due to Dom's role in harming his brother, Shaw doesn't let up from his barrage until Dom's strength proves to be the turning point. Although Shaw is unable to beat Dom, the fight ends only when Mose Jakande interferes to hand Dom the advantage.

“Shanghai Knights” (2003)
The final battle in Jackie Chan movies is usually a setup for an easy villain defeat, but Chon Wang is completely outclassed in this movie. Having foiled Lord Rathbone's plans, the villain decides to take down the heroes as his measure of revenge. For his part, Chon puts up a good show of defense that gives Rathbone a fight that he begins to relish. Almost like a predator playing with his food, Rathbone decides to prolong his dominance of Chon due to his enjoyment of their sword fight. By the end, it's clear Chon has no way of beating Rathbone's skills and decides to take Rathbone down with him. Ultimately, it's pure luck that allows the hero to win this boss fight.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2” (2011)
After a decade-long buildup, Harry and Voldemort finally put it all on the line. Upon the reveal that Harry is alive, an incensed Voldemort launches a tirade of attacks against Harry and his friends. Harry is no match for Voldemort when it comes to pure wizarding skill, as the Dark Lord easily dispatches Harry's spells and unleashes his fury. Since Voldemort's final Horcrux, Nagini, still lives, Harry doesn't have anything to permanently put Voldemort down. Eventually, he has no choice but to take Voldemort to the skies as a last ditch effort to rattle his adversary. It's only after Neville destroys Nagini that Harry gets his opening and vanquishes the Dark Lord thanks to the Elder Wand's allegiance.

“Man of Steel” (2013)
Zod's plan against Earth fails when his forces are sucked into the Phantom Zone. Left with nothing but vengeance, he decides to end all life and intends to start with Superman. As Zod begins to manifest the powers from Earth's yellow sun, Superman has to to hold his foe off until they fully develop. Zod still proves to be more than a match by using his powers to phenomenal lengths, resulting in the near destruction of Metropolis. Zod also gains the upper hand due to his military skills and instinct, forcing Superman to take the battle into space and back. The difficulty in fighting Zod is an emotional one for Superman as well, as taking Zod's life means he just lost another piece of Krypton.

“The Matrix Revolutions” (2003)
Neo had an incredibly difficult boss fight against the Smith clones in the second movie, but the villain was technically cheating on that occasion. In their final battle, the empowered Smith chooses to face Neo alone, with the adversaries matched even as their clash begins in the pouring rain. After Neo beats Smith in their hand-to-hand fight, the latter decides to make use of his superpowers, which Neo has little to counter against in terms of offense. No matter how many times Neo gets back into the fight, Smith's invulnerability proves too much to handle as he brings Neo down with a crash. Eventually, Neo has to cause his own demise as a way for the machines to stop Smith for good.

“The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)
Batman usually has the upper hand in physical matchups during “The Dark Knight” trilogy. This makes him completely unprepared for an opponent who demonstrates zero fear of him. Effectively trapped with Bane, Batman attempts to use all his skills learnt from the League of Shadows, only to realize that Bane knows every trick he knows and then some. We watch as Batman tries all of his patented moves, including his use of the dark, yet this brings him little success as Bane easily manhandles him. Even more daunting is the fact that Bane's strength penetrates Batman's armor, proving there's nothing he can do against his enemy. After both praising and mocking Batman's stand, Bane proceeds to break the Dark Knight's back to seal his victory.

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)
The first movie's boss fight seemed to be the worst Sarah Connor could ever face, (xref) but the T-1000 turns out to be in a league of its own. Having never had any difficulties in facing the heroes, the T-1000 chases them into a steel mill where he plans on terminating them for good. The Terminator proves to be too primitive in terms of technology compared to the T-1000 and is constantly beaten during their fight. While Sarah and John try to assist, their attempts to hold their foe off don't last long either. With the T-1000 shrugging off every attack against it, it comes down to the Terminator getting an opening long enough to finally blindside the villain and ensure the heroes' survival.

“Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi” (1983)
Luke's clash against Darth Vader is too one-sided in “Episode V” where Vader makes short work of him. Their battle in the follow-up is more evenly matched, making it a true fight in all senses of the word. Vader is again a formidable opponent for the hero, using his powers of the Dark Side to anticipate his son's attacks and frequently gain the upper hand. Luke's task is challenged further due to Palpatine's manipulation of the battle and his own reluctance to fight his father. This stacks multiple consequences against Luke, whose newfound aggression leads to his resurgence against Vader's onslaught. Despite his victory against Vader, Luke's momentary embrace of the Dark Side means Vader's original intention to corrupt him does briefly come to pass.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Kylo Ren, “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens” (2015)
Because It Takes the Combined Efforts of Rey & Finn to Hold Him Off

Kurse, “Thor: The Dark World” (2013)
You Know You’re in Trouble When You Need Your Little Brother to Save You

Jaws, “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977)
Because This Behemoth Nearly Choked the Living Daylights Out of Bond

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019)
The climactic battle of MCU's Infinity Saga comes to pass when Thanos initiates the Battle of Earth. Angered by the Avengers' Time Heist to restore the universe, Thanos arrives with bloodlusted intent to claim the gauntlet. Despite the combined efforts of the three main protagonists, Thanos' strength and skill is too overpowered for them to make a dent on him. Even after the arrival of heroes from across the universe, Thanos keeps finding ways to beat his opponents through effective strategy and quick thinking. He recovers every time he's pushed back, taking on multiple heroes at the same time. In the end, it's Iron Man's act of outsmarting Thanos that finally spells his doom, but at the cost of Tony's own life.