‘Nobody’ Bus Fight Scene Voted Best of the 2020s

Nobody, the action thriller starring Bob Odenkirk, has cemented its bus fight scene as an absolute milestone of the genre in the 2020s. Released a few years before 2026, the film capitalized on Odenkirk’s fame as lawyer Saul Goodman for a brilliant twist: turning an ordinary man into a fighting machine. The sequence, which unfolds in the first act of the story, is celebrated not only for its brutal choreography but for the emotional depth it gives protagonist Hutch Mansell. As such, it has become a must-see benchmark for any action fan, resetting expectations with its raw realism and visceral storytelling.

Its relevance in 2026 remains high, as it represents a turning point in how violence is portrayed on screen. While franchises like John Wick favor a highly choreographed style, the fight in Nobody embraces improvisation, exhaustion, and pain. The protagonist, played by Bob Odenkirk, is no invincible superhero but a rusty man who rediscovers his identity through chaotic conflict. That is why the film’s legacy endures, fueling debate about the evolution of action set pieces and standing as a powerful counterpoint to more stylized blockbusters.

What makes this fight scene so special?

The great strength of the bus sequence is its psychological build-up. The story does not introduce Hutch as a hero from the start, but as a seemingly ordinary, frustrated family man shaped by a petty break-in. Yet the loss of his daughter’s bracelet becomes the spark that unleashes a dormant beast. When a group of drunk men starts harassing a female passenger, Hutch finds the perfect excuse his subconscious was craving. The deliberately clumsy, exhausting choreography then shows a man fighting with whatever is at hand, from a knife to a purse strap, in a claustrophobic space that amplifies every impact.

Moreover, the scene’s climax surprises by trading gratuitous brutality for an unexpected act of mercy. After neutralizing his opponents, Hutch performs an emergency tracheotomy on one of the attackers using a straw. This moment of grotesque tenderness completely redefines the character, showing that violence for him is not an end but a means of protecting something. In other words, the scene is more about revelation than brawling, a nuance that made it memorable. In doing so, it manages to move and shock in equal measure, a rare feat in the genre.

The success of the sequence reverberated, shaping the conversation about what makes a great action scene in the years that followed, including in 2026. Odenkirk’s performance, backed by rigorous physical training, proved that action leads do not need to be traditional athletes, but actors capable of conveying inner conflict. Therefore, even years after its release, ‘Nobody’ and its bus duel remain a prime example of how to tell a story of redemption through combat, rising above mere spectacle to deliver something truly cathartic.