Best Martial Arts Movies

[Guinness]

Obviously you can insert anything with Bruce Lee in here but was curious as to what other films people really liked in this genre.

I recently watched Ip Man which was made in 2008 and based loosely on the man who was Bruce Lee's master. It was quite good and would make the cut for my list.

Leaving aside the Bruce Lee films here are some of my other choices:

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ip Man
Enter the Ninja
Fearless
House of Flying Daggers
The Last Dragon (Bruce Leroy!)
Bloodsport
Big Trouble, Little China. (Not sure if this classifies as a purely martial arts movie)
Ninja Assassin

 

[armory]

Check out:

Ong Bak: Thai Warrior (but not the sequels, which are awful) - one of the coolest, most unique styles of martial arts out there
13 Assassins - which is really just a Seven Samurai remake, not really much martial arts but an awesome samurai movie
Kung Fu Hustle - one of the best Asian films ever! It's hilarious, yet manages to have a solid plot & decent drama, but mostly it has some of the best, most creative fight scenes I've seen.

All three are foreign, but judging by that list that's not an issue.

PS - To anyone else; NEVER watch dubbed versions of these films, they are always god awful & ruin the entire movie.

 

[moqui]

Check out:

Ong Bak: Thai Warrior (but not the sequels, which are awful) - one of the coolest, most unique styles of martial arts out there
13 Assassins - which is really just a Seven Samurai remake, not really much martial arts but an awesome samurai movie
Kung Fu Hustle - one of the best Asian films ever! It's hilarious, yet manages to have a solid plot & decent drama, but mostly it has some of the best, most creative fight scenes I've seen.

All three are foreign, but judging by that list that's not an issue.

PS - To anyone else; NEVER watch dubbed versions of these films, they are always god awful & ruin the entire movie.

Ong Bak is awesome, as is Kung Fu Hustle

guiness, Big Trouble in Little China is one of my guilty pleasures

my additions will be Jackie Chan's Police Story series. Police Story 3 was released in the US as Supercop and led to his conquering the North American market

Check out the outtakes from Police Story 3 to see just how insane Chan's film making was when he was working in Taiwan:

 

[Guinness]

I love Big Trouble in Little China. It is one of those movies that never leaves my DVR.

 

[moqui]

the overlooked gem of the Kurt Russell/John Carpenter collaboration

 

[BlazeOrange]

If you're gonna put in Bloodsport, you also need Kickboxer
I'll also add:
Lone Wolf McQuaid
Five Deadly Venoms
Master Killer aka Shaolin Master Killer aka The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Does Kill Bill count?

 

[JJReddawg]

Legend of Drunken Master
Riki Oh: The Story of Ricky
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

 

[Marsh01]

I love Big Trouble in Little China. It is one of those movies that never leaves my DVR.

Dude I have watched this movie at least 100 times and it was a college weekly viewing movie. Classic.

I was always partial to the karate kid myself.

 

[moqui]

I guess you have to put The Matrix in there, if you ignore how badly the two sequels damaged the brand.

and let me be the first to nominate Roadhouse

 

[Marsh01]

I always liked Kiss of the Dragon

 

[jekelish]

I realize this is almost unfair throwing this film in there, and the "any film by Bruce Lee" was already mentioned, but "best martial arts movies" begins and ends with Enter the Dragon.

But if we want some underrated martial arts movies, I'll toss out Brotherhood of the Wolf. Awesome movie, and soooooo supremely badass.

 

[Eric15]

I can't believe no one has mentioned "The Next Karate Kid" with Hilary Swank.

(kidding, worst movie in history)

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[tbonezone]

i thought jet li in HERO was pretty good

 

[PeteCalvin]

I still don't know how that team lost the Cannonball Run. They had the fastest car and could kick the crap out of everyone. I think it's because they distracted themselves with "Behind the Green Door". Never bring a Betamax on a road race.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Two lousy films, but I loved them as a kid:

Kill or Be Killed
Kill and Kill Again

And another early dud that Cinemax used to show: Search and Destroy

What about Michael Dudikoff as the "American Ninja"? The "Officer and a Gentleman" of martial arts films.

Hard to believe that no one has yet mentioned The Octagon with Mr. Chuck Norris.

And what about "They Call Me Bruce"?

 

[victor]

Watching an Indonesian martial arts film called The raid:redemption on STARZ. Beast martial arts fighting I have ever seen.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Shaolin Soccer anyone?