Top 10 Martial Arts Movies

The Night Comes for Us (2018)

This movie seamlessly blends horror and martial arts elements to create a film that boasts superb fight choreography as well as endless amounts of blood and gore. It stars Indonesian actors: Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais, who are both well-known from the critically acclaimed series The Raid. Joe Taslim plays Ito who betrays his gang to save a little girl. Iko Uwais plays the antagonist of the film, Arian who is tasked with the mission by the gang to kill Ito. Both of these characters used to be friends who joined the gang together to move up in the world. This is a rare occurrence where Iko Uwais plays the villain role and he nails it perfectly.

Police Story (1985)

The Police Story movie series is special to me because I had the VHS tape of the first Police Story during my childhood. The film is about a virtuous Hong Kong cop who is framed by a drug lord as a dirty cop. Then he goes on the run while trying to clear his good name in the movie. The premise is simple almost to a fault but is made up for through Jackie Chan's signature choreography and comedy. My family and I would rewatch this movie multiple times and my favorite parts of the movie were the mind-numbing stunts. This is a must-watch if you want to see how Jackie Chan acts in Hong Kong cinema besides his Hollywood productions.

Raging Fire (2021)

Donnie Yen is a famous actor who is well-known for playing Ip Man in the Ip Man series but he also has a star-studded filmography that is popular in Hong Kong and China. Raging Fire is one of these films and has elements which I find does better than the Ip Man series. This is a serious movie that has betrayal, law vs. crime, moral ambiguity and not to mention amazing sequences and fight choreography which makes it stand out as one of the best films Donnie Yen has ever produced and played in.

Enter the Dragon (1973)

This is a classic Bruce Lee film and was the last full film Bruce Lee was able to complete before he died. This honestly does not need an explanation on why you should watch it. It's BRUCE LEE. Just. Watch. It.

Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

If you know martial arts cinema, then Jet Li is a household name to any fan. This film series has classic themes of martial arts going against the modern world and emphasizes the deep traditional roots of Kung fu as well as some kick-ass choreography to go along with it. The series is a classic in Chinese and global cinema as a whole.

Ip Man (2008)

This movie was the movie which made Donnie Yen famous in the West. Donnie Yen plays the historical figure Ip Man, who was famous for being Bruce Lee's teacher and a master of Wing Chun. In the movie Donnie Yen plays a pacifist role at first, being a humble but skilled master who even has other masters truly respect his skills. However, when the Japanese army invades China, he has no choice but to use his skills to save his people.

Flash Point (2007)

Flash Point is another movie by Donnie Yen where he plays Ma Jun, a Hong Kong cop known for his violent behavior. Him and 3 other cops are working together to take down a powerful group of Triad drug dealers but when he finds out that one of the 3 cops are working with the organization, he is forced to take action. This is a must-watch movie that showcases the violence and aggressiveness Donnie Yen can perform and has one of the best dog fights in martial arts cinema history.

The Raid (2011)

The Raid is an Indonesian martial arts action film series that put Iko Uwais on the map. A small, but highly skilled group of special forces is tasked with infiltrating a drug den to take down an infamous drug lord. However, when their cover is blown, the group has to fight against the drug lord's goons in an all-out battle inside the apartment complex. This movie showcases the fierceness and finesse of Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat which Iko Uwais utilizes as he battles his way through the floors of the drug den.

Fist of Legend (1994)

This is a classic Jet Li movie meant to be a remake of Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury. Jet Li plays Chen Zhen, who is living in Japan as an engineering student. He faces discrimination from his Japanese classmates due to his Chinese heritage and because he is dating a Japanese girl from the same school. When he finds out that his Kung Fu master died, he immediately goes back to Japan-controlled Shanghai to find out the truth. This movie showcases the skills of the multi-talented Jet li as he battles against Japanese discrimination and martial artists to defend his people.

Ong Bak (2003)

Ong Bak is Thai actor Tony Jaa’s breakout film as a lead role, and he executes it perfectly. When a sacred statue is stolen from his village, Tien (Tony Jaa) follows its trail to Bangkok where he has to fight against the gang to take it back to its rightful place. This movie is unique in the way that Tony Jaa utilizes a traditional form of Muay Thai called Muay Boran. This movie is a mus-watch if you like Muay Thai and want to see how it performs in its traditional form. Tony Jaa also does his own stunts and showcases his amazing parkour skills which gives even gives Jackie Chan a run for his money.

Do you agree with my list? Disagree? Let me know in the comments and feel free to add your own movie recommendations! Thank you for reading.