Best (western) sword fighting movies of each year
I love sword fights! I love movies! I collected this list of movies, mainly one from each year, which have the best sword fights in them (or any sword fights in them). Some year may have more than one, if there's just too many good sword fighting movies which have to be listed. Some years may not have any movies and some may have really bad movies if there's only one movie for a certain year which features a sword fight in it.
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- DirectorSimon RawsonStarsLee StarkeyLamin TambaRoxanne GregoryOne lonely Roman general is wounded in battle. He heads toward the woods to die like a wounded animal. Once entering the woods he is granted another day by the gods. He meets an Egyptian slave who has left his camp and both men meet in a death ridden forest and are tested. They travel through the northern lands not knowing what awaits them. The roman gripped by death and the slave wary of his every move.A short film, which I haven't seen yet. (Ancient swords)
Other sword movies of 2016:
Kubo and the Two Strings (3D-animation) (katanas) - DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaOscar IsaacAs a new threat to the galaxy rises, Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to search for the one hope of restoring peace.Ok film, mediocre fighting scenes. (Lightsabers)
Other sword movies of 2015:
The Fencer (Finnish / Estonian film) (modern sport fencing)
Enemy of Man (medieval swords)
Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha (medieval swords)
Girl King (Finnish / Swedish film) (modern period swords)
Forbidden Empire (modern period swords)
Last Knights (medieval swords)
Northmen: A Viking Saga (viking swords)
Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse ("medieval" swords)
Dragon Blade ("Roman" and "Chinese" swords)
Duel Club (Medieval and modern period swords) - DirectorRidley ScottStarsChristian BaleJoel EdgertonBen KingsleyThe defiant leader Moses rises up against Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II, setting six hundred thousand slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.Excellent film, good fighting scenes. (Ancient Egyptian swords)
Other sword movies of 2014:
Hercules ("ancient Greek" swords)
The Legend of Hercules ("ancient Greek" swords)
Maleficent ("medieval" swords)
How to train your Dragon 2 ("viking" swords)
Noah ("ancient" swords)
300: Rise of an Empire ("ancient Greek" swords)
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies ("medieval" swords)
Dracula Untold (medieval swords)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ("ninja" swords)
Seventh Son (medieval swords) - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsIan McKellenMartin FreemanRichard ArmitageThe dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, their homeland, from the dragon Smaug.Decent film, should've been better, ok fighting scenes. ("Medieval" swords)
Other sword movies of 2013:
Machete Kills (machetes)
The Wolverine (katanas)
Thor: The Dark World ("viking" swords)
Kick-Ass 2 (some kind of blades)
Epic ("medieval" swords)
Jack the Giant Slayer (medieval swords)
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters ("medieval" swords)
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters ("ancient Greek" swords)
47 Ronin (katanas)
Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (French / German film) (modern period swords)
Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies (machete) - DirectorMark AndrewsBrenda ChapmanSteve PurcellStarsKelly MacdonaldBilly ConnollyEmma ThompsonDetermined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.Good film, although more bow action than sword fighting. (Medieval swords)
Other sword films of 2012:
John Carter (fantasy swords)
Wrath of the Titans ("ancient Greek" swords)
The Hunger Games (ancient Roman swords + others)
Snow White and the Huntsman (medieval swords) - DirectorRob MarshallStarsJohnny DeppPenélope CruzIan McShaneJack Sparrow and Barbossa embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too.Good film, not the best of the series, good fighting scenes. (Pirate swords)
Other sword films of 2011:
Conan the Barbarian ("medieval" swords)
The Three Musketeers (modern swords)
Sucker Punch (katana + medieval swords)
The Eagle (Roman swords)
Machete (machetes, some sword sized ones)
Puss in Boots (rapier)
Season of the Witch (medieval swords)
Red Riding Hood (medieval swords)
Immortals ("ancient Greek" swords)
The Raid: Redemption (Indonesian film) (machetes) - DirectorRidley ScottStarsRussell CroweCate BlanchettMatthew MacfadyenIn twelfth-century England, Robin Longstride and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power.Excellent film, good fighting scenes. (Medieval swords)
Other sword movies of 2010:
Centurion (Roman swords)
Tangled (medieval swords)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (katana)
Machete (machetes)
Clash of the Titans ("ancient Greek" swords)
Kick-Ass (some kind of blades)
Alice in Wonderland (medieval swords)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (middle-Eastern swords)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (medieval swords)
How to Train Your Dragon ("viking" swords)
Shrek Forever After ("medieval" swords)
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief ("ancient Greek" swords)
Resident Evil: Afterlife ("katana")
The Book of Eli (machete)
Predators (machete) - DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsMads MikkelsenMaarten StevensonAlexander MortonForced for some time to be a fighting slave, a pagan warrior escapes his captors with a boy and joins a group of Crusaders on their quest to the Holy Land.Danish movie. ("Viking" swords)
Other sword movies of 2009:
Solomon Kane (modern swords)
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans ("medieval" swords)
Dark Horizon (has some type of swords in it)
Friday the 13th (machete) - DirectorAndrew AdamsonStarsBen BarnesSkandar KeynesGeorgie HenleyThe Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to once again help ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the land's throne, Prince Caspian.An ok movie, decent fighting scenes. (Medieval swords)
Other sword movies of 2008:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (modern period swords)
The Spiderwick Chronicles (saber)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (lightsabers)
Meet the Spartans ("ancient Greek" swords)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Chinese swords)
The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior ("ancient Egyptian" swords)
The Forbidden Kingdom (Chinese swords)
10,000 BC ("prehistoric" swords)
Outlander (fantasy swords)
A Viking Saga: Son of Thor (Danish movie) (viking swords)
Sauna (or Filth or Evil rising, a Finnish movie) (medieval / modern swords)
Rambo (machete) - DirectorGore VerbinskiStarsJohnny DeppOrlando BloomKeira KnightleyCaptain Barbossa, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, find Jack Sparrow, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle.Good film, good fighting scenes. (Pirate swords)
Other sword movies of 2007:
Beowulf (medieval swords)
The Last Legion ("Roman" swords)
Pathfinder ("viking" swords)
Highlander: The Source ("medieval" swords)
Shrek the Third (medieval swords)
Stardust (fantasy swords)
Severed Ways (viking swords)
1612 (Russian film) (modern period swords)
Epic Movie (has some type of swords in it)
Undead or Alive: A Zombedy (has some type of swords in it)
Resident Evil: Extinction (kukris) - DirectorMel GibsonStarsGerardo TaracenaRaoul Max TrujilloDalia HernándezAs the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.Excellent looking film, although terribly inaccurate, good fighting scenes. (Mayan swords)
Other sword movies of 2006:
300 ("ancient Greek" swords)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (pirate swords)
The Fountain (conquistador swords)
Tristan & Isolde (medieval swords)
Underworld: Evolution ("medieval" swords)
Eragon ("medieval" swords)
Alatriste (Spanish film) (modern swords)
Jade Warrior (Finnish / Chinese film) (Chinese swords)
Casino Royale (machete)
Motor Home Massacre (machete) - DirectorTerrence MalickStarsColin FarrellQ'orianka KilcherChristopher PlummerThe story of the English exploration of Virginia, and of the changing world and loves of Pocahontas.Excellent movie, highly accurate too, good fighting scenes. (Modern period swords)
Other sword movies of 2005:
Kingdom of Heaven (medieval swords)
The Legend of Zorro (modern swords)
Beowulf and Grendel (viking swords)
Casanova (modern swords)
The Chronickes of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (medieval swords)
The Brothers Grimm ("medieval" + modern swords)
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (lightsabers)
Into the Blue (has some type of swords in it) - DirectorOliver StoneStarsColin FarrellAnthony HopkinsRosario DawsonAlexander, the King of Macedonia and one of the greatest army leaders in the history of warfare, conquers much of the known world.Excellent movie, highly accurate too, really good fighting scenes. (Ancient Greek swords)
Other sword movies of 2004:
Troy ("Mycenaean" swords)
The Passion of the Christ (Roman swords)
King Arthur ("Roman" swords)
The Phantom of the Opera (modern period swords)
The Alamo (modern period swords)
Kill Bill: Volume 2 (katana)
Van Helsing (fantasy swords)
Hellboy (fantasy swords)
Shrek 2 ("medieval" swords)
The Ring of the Nibelungs ("viking" swords)
Blade: Trinity (fantasy swords)
Berserker: Hell's Warrior (South African movie) ("viking" swords)
Van Helsing (fantasy swords) - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.Excellent film, good fighting scenes. (Medieval swords)
Other sword movies of 2003:
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (pirate swords)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (modern swords)
The Last Samurai (katanas)
Shanghai Knights (modern swords)
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (Middle Eastern swords)
The Matrix Reloaded (katana + fantasy swords)
Kill Bill: Volume 1 (katana)
Gods and Generals (modern period swords)
Peter Pan (pirate swords)
Underworld (fantasy swords)
Fanfan la Tulipe (French movie) (modern swords)
When the sun was a god (Polish movie) (viking swords)
Secondhand Lions (has some type of swords in it)
Freddy vs. Jason (machete) - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenViggo MortensenWhile Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.Excellent film, good fighting scenes. (Medieval swords)
Other sword movies of 2002:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ("medieval" sword)
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (lightsabers)
The Scorpion King ("ancient Egyptian" swords)
Blade II (fantasy swords)
Return to Never Land (pirate swords)
The Count of Monte Cristo (modern swords)
Die Another Day (modern swords + katana + medieval swords)
Spider-Man (fantasy swords)
Men in Black II (has some type of swords in it)
CinéMagique (has some type of swords in it)
28 Days Later (machete)
Jason X (machete) - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenOrlando BloomA meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.Excellent film, good fighting scenes. (Medieval swords)
Other sword movies of 2001:
The Musketeer (modern swords)
The Mummy Returns ("ancient Egyptian" swords)
A Knight's Tale (medieval swords)
Shrek (fantasy swords)
The Mists of Avalon (medieval swords)
Planet of the Apes (fantasy swords)
Black Knight (medieval swords)
Rush Hour 2 (Chinese swords)
The Majestic (has some type of swords in it)
The Pool (machete) - DirectorRidley ScottStarsRussell CroweJoaquin PhoenixConnie NielsenA former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.Excellent film, good fighting scenes. (Roman swords)
Other sword movies of 2000:
The Patriot (modern swords)
Highlander: Endgame ("medieval" swords + katanas)
Dragonheart: A New Beginning (medieval swords)
Dungeons & Dragons (fantasy swords)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Chinese movie) (Chinese swords)
Dragonheart: A New Beginning ("medieval" swords)
Witchblade (fantasy swords?) - DirectorJohn McTiernanMichael CrichtonStarsAntonio BanderasDiane VenoraDennis StorhøiA man, having fallen in love with the wrong woman, is sent by the sultan himself on a diplomatic mission to a distant land as an ambassador. Stopping at a Viking village port to restock on supplies, he finds himself unwittingly embroiled in a quest to banish a mysterious threat in a distant Viking land.Decent movie and fighting scenes, not historically accurate though. (Viking swords)
Other sword movies of 1999:
The Mummy ("ancient Egyptian" swords)
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (medieval swords)
Titus ("Roman" swords)
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (lightsabers)
Beowulf (fantasy swords) - DirectorMartin CampbellStarsAntonio BanderasAnthony HopkinsCatherine Zeta-JonesA young thief seeking revenge for his brother's death is trained by the once-great, aging Zorro, who is pursuing his own vengeance.Good movie and fighting scenes. (Modern swords)
Other sword movies of 1998:
The Prince of Egypt (ancient Egyptian swords)
Quest for Camelot ("medieval" swords)
Mulan (Chinese swords)
The Man in the Iron Mask (modern swords)
Blade (fantasy swords) - DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsTate DonovanSusan EganJames WoodsThe son of Zeus and Hera is stripped of his immortality as an infant and must become a true hero in order to reclaim it.Good animated film, but overall not a the best year for sword movies.
Other sword movies of 1997:
Warriors of Virtue (Chinese swords)
Amistad (modern period swords)
Deus Volt (medieval swords)
Kull the Conqueror (fantasy swords)
On Guard (French film) (modern period swords)
The last Viking (Danish film) (viking swords) - DirectorRob CohenStarsDennis QuaidSean ConneryDina MeyerThe last dragon and a disillusioned dragonslaying Knight must cooperate to stop an evil King, who was given partial immortality.Good film and fighting scenes. (Medieval swords)
Other sword films of 1996:
Hamlet (modern swords)
Aladdin and the King of Thieves (Middle Eastern swords)
Beastmaster III: The Eye of Braxus (fantasy swords)
God of Cookery (Hong Kong film) (machete) - DirectorMel GibsonStarsMel GibsonSophie MarceauPatrick McGoohanScottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.Good although historicalle inaccurate film, good fighting scenes. (Medieval swords)
Other sword movies of 1995:
Rob Roy (modern swords)
First Knight (medieval swords)
Cutthroat Island (pirate swords)
The Viking Sagas ("viking" swords)
Solomon & Sheba ("ancient" swords)
Pocahontas (Disney's) (modern period swords)
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (machete) - DirectorGabriel AxelStarsGabriel ByrneHelen MirrenChristian BaleAn old Norse legend of revenge, power and human spirit, that subsequently inspired William Shakespeare on his tragedy - Hamlet.Danish movie. (Viking swords)
Other sword movies of 1994:
Highlander: The Final Dimension (Highlander III: The Sorcerer) (fantasy swords)
Guinevere (medieval swords) - DirectorMel BrooksStarsCary ElwesRichard LewisRoger ReesA spoof of Robin Hood in general, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) in particular.Another bad year for sword movies, so much so that I had to pick a comedy movie to the top. Even though this is a very funny movie, and fun fighting scenes as well. (Medieval swords)
Other sword movies of 1993:
The Three Musketeers (modern swords)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III ("ninja" swords)
Hot Shots: Part Deux (medieval swords)
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (machete) - DirectorRidley ScottStarsGérard DepardieuArmand AssanteSigourney WeaverChristopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.Excellent film, don't remember how much action the swords actually saw in this one. (Modern period swords)
Other sword movies of 1992:
Bram Stoker's Dracula (medieval swords)
Army of Darkness (medieval swords)
Aladdin (Middle Eastern swords)
The Three Musketeers (modern swords)
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (modern swords)
Bonus: The Bodyguard (features a famous scarf cutting scene with a katana, but no sword fighting)