The Top 10 Best Movie Swordsmen
These Movie Swordsmen Are the Best of the Best.
When it comes to fights on the big screen, few are as exciting or dynamic as the ones featuring master swordsmen. Early movies featured swashbucklers swinging on ropes, grinning and laughing wildly as they swung their rapiers at villains. Knights protected their kingdoms clad in armor and clashed long swords as they fought for honor. Samurai would unleash lightning-fast slashes with their katanas. Swordsmen of all shapes, sizes, and genders (yes, there are swordswomen) have fought their way across the silver screen and into our hearts over the decades, which is why I’m honoring the best movie swordsmen of all time. My rules for this list are simple, the swordsmen must be from a live-action, theatrically released movie. I also tried not to just fill the list with samurai wire-fu masters. So, unsheath your blades, because this list is ready to cross swords!
10. Westly – The Princess Bride
Kicking off this list of movie swordsmen is a man fighting for true love. Having spent years on the high seas under the tutelage of the Dread Pirate Roberts, Westly amassed a number of skills making him one of the most dangerous men in the kingdom. The most notable of which was his skills with a rapier. He’s so good that he actually starts his duels lefthanded. So, what you might ask? Well, the secret is that he’s not left-handed. He does this just to give his opponents a fighting chance. He easily defeats one of the most skilled swordsmen in the Kingdom, Spaniard Inigo Montoya (who goes on to defeat the King’s greatest warrior). Not only are his abilities unmatched, but his iron will and determination make him one man you don’t want to find on the other end of your sword.
9. Connor MacLeod – The Highlander Franchise
To be fair, the original Highlander films didn’t have the most awe-inspiring swordplay in them. However, I have to pay respect to Connor MacLeod because he ends up being the last man standing in a deadly game pitting immortal swordsmen against each other. MacLeod is an odd duck because he was a Scotsman trained by a Spaniard (played by a Welshman) to use a Katana. While he might seem like a bit of a “mutt” because of that, it doesn’t negate the fact that he’s the big dog when it comes to this tournament of immortals and found himself receiving The Quickening for his efforts. While Christopher Lambert’s cinematic sword skills weren’t that impressive, rumor has it that director Chad Stahelski, of John Wick fame, is going to be bringing us a reboot which will probably solidify his spot on this list.
8. Achilles – Troy
For those of you who don’t know the legend of Achilles, he was a hero of the Trojan war. Rumored to be the greatest warrior on the planet because he was dipped in the River Styx as an infant. In the movie Troy, he’s played by Brad Pitt and is an unstoppable force with a blade. When Hector accidentally kills Achilles’ cousin Patroclus, Achilles sets out for revenge. Arriving outside the gates of Troy, he calls out Hector to fight him in single combat. Unfortunately for Hector, Achilles is there to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and bubble gum wasn’t invented yet. His weapon of choice was the Xiphos, a Greek short sword wielded with one hand. Even with Hector using a spear, Achilles handed him his ass and in doing so earned a spot on this list of the best movie swordsmen.
7. Aragorn – The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Not only was Aragorn one of the greatest movie kings, but he was also one hell of a swordsman. Considering he was in one of the greatest sword and sorcery epics of all time that’s saying something. Though he was of royal lineage, he spent most of his time as a Ranger honing his skills with a blade as he hunted orcs and even served in a few armies. It was because of his skills that he was chosen to join the fellowship as they set out to destroy the evil ring. It’s a good thing too, because without him it’s not certain whether they would have succeeded or not. Of course, a great swordsman deserves a great sword and he wielded Andúril, which supposedly shinned with the light of the sun and the moon. It was hard to tell though with all that blood on it.
6. Beatrix Kiddo – Kill Bill Vol 1 and Vol 2
While I might hate Quentin Tarantino with a fiery passion, I have to admit that Uma Thurman’s The Bride is one of the greatest swordsmen in movie history. Yeah, I get that swordsman isn’t exactly PC, but you get my point. A deadly assassin with a terrifying strength of will, The Bride sets out for revenge against her former comrades who betrayed her. While she might have unparalleled skills, she’s still more than a little outnumbered. That’s why she turns to legendary sword maker Hattori Hanzō to forge the perfect weapon to achieve her vengeance. With that legendary katana in hand, she carves a path of destruction killing anyone who gets in her way. The Bride is one of the bloodiest movie swordsmen in cinema making her a scary addition to this list.