The Greatest Martial Arts Movies of ALL TIME (in our opinion)

Jun

The Greatest Martial Arts Movies of ALL TIME (in our opinion)

By: Dale Norfolk

The Greatest Martial Arts Movies of ALL TIME (in our opinion)

Ah now who doesn’t enjoy a good movie, and if you find me the person who doesn’t, I shall show you the hollowest husk of a creature. Following on from my blog on ‘Inspiration0’, where I went into a little detail on how you as a martial artist you could adjust/augment your style through a bit of research, here’s something that’s a little less like actual work.

In this list, and maybe others to come. I shall go through a few good and or entertaining martial arts movies where you can revel in some good old fashion action for your delectation.

So, with the purpose, set out before us. Let’s grab some popcorn or lentil chips (if you are indeed a sadist) and let’s get some movies watched.

Now, two seconds there my friend. It would not indeed be one of my blogs if there were not a bit of research and data around these things, don’t you yawn I see you there at the back. So, to begin with, I’m not going to just throw content at you and go, boom there it is. I’m going to tell you why I have chosen the movie with some other bits, just for the giggles. Then you can come back and say ‘Wow! that was great, thanks’ or ‘Booo I hated that, it was two hours of my life I’m not getting back, you dink’

I’m also, as a keen martial artist, going to focus on the things that have a toe in the realism camp. Therefore, as much as I love them, I will not be covering the massive ‘wire-work1’ epics. (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon2. I’m looking at you)

Finally, yes yes, I’m coming to the list. A big disclaimer right here.

***NB The movies on this list are going to be a mixture of certifications with all sorts of lovely content and juices in them. If you are a junior type person (under the age of 18), DO NOT look up the films that are outside of your age range or attempt to download them, I will know***

So, in no discernible order, I’m not going to argue which is the very best, as its subjective and I’ve seen people get all kind of butt hurt over these things and interest message boards filled with badly reasoned and poorly thought out arguments, with people with the intellect of a cheese toasty maker.

Movie 1

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Title: Best Of The Best (1989)

Certificate: 15

Starring: Eric Roberts3

Martial Art Focus: Karate4/Tae Kwon Do5 (Japanese/South Korean)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096913/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:

  • I’ve always seen this as kind of the Rocky6 of martial arts movies
  • Surprisingly good action despite stars not known for martial arts
  • The ending is superb
  • See that ridge hand in the bar fight, that’s quality that is.
  • This is a serious one, played heavy on the sternness
  • Being an 80s movie, there is a training montage.


Movie 2

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Title: Police Story aka Ging Chaat Goo Si (1985)

Certificate: 15

Starring: Jackie Chan7

Martial Art Focus: Kung Fu8/Wushu9 (Chinese)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089374/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:


  • Well let’s start by saying Jackie Chan, and I could fill a list with his films alone.
  • Early Jackie Chan = Good Jackie Chan
  • Has its moments of humour
  • The flow of the fights
  • The fight in the shopping centre
  • Jackie Chans Free Running10 before it was a thing
  • The bus scene

Movie 3

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Title: The Raid aka Serbuan Maut (2011)

Certificate: 18

Starring: Iko Uwais11

Martial Art Focus: Pencak Silat12 (Indonesian)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1899353/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:

  • The word brutal in all its meaning (No juniors, not for you)
  • Hard to say which fight is the best
  • The use of environment
  • Gripping from beginning to end
  • Like Die Hard13, but more insane

Movie 4

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Title: Once Upon A Time in China aka Wong Fei Hung (1991)

Certificate: 15

Starring: Jet Li14

Martial Art Focus: Kung Fu/Wushu (Chinese)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103285/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:

  • Jet Li at the height of his powers
  • Smooth buttery fight scenes
  • The restraint fight scene
  • Golden Era Hong Kong15 martial arts movie

Movie 5

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Title: Way of The Dragon aka Meng Long Guo Jiang (1972)

Certificate: 18

Starring: Bruce Lee16

Martial Art Focus: Kung Fu/ Jeet Kun Do (Chinese/American)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068935/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:

  • It's Bruce Lee
  • ...It's Bruce Lee
  • For my money, has something more over Enter the Dragon17
  • The fight in the alley, kicking technique
  • Chuck Norris18
  • The final fight

Movie 6

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Title: The Streetfighter aka Gekitotsu! Satsujin Ken (1974)

Certificate: 18

Starring: Sonny Chiba19

Martial Art Focus: Karate (Japanese)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073756/

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=537MurkV2uU

Why:

  • A cult classic
  • That music
  • Sonny Chiba
  • The dojo fight (watch for the massive inside sweep, the double chop, the dragon sweep)

Movie 7

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Title: Above The Law (1988)

Certificate: 18

Starring: Steven Seagal20

Martial Art Focus: Aikido21 (Japanese)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094602/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:

  • Not often you see aikido in movies
  • Steven Seagal, the amazing fighting wardrobe
  • The Asian store seen (Watch the movement, watch the savage ridge hand)
  • The bar fight
  • The final boss scene

Movie 8

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Title: Ong Bak (2003)

Certificate: 18

Starring: Tony Jaa22

Martial Art Focus: Thai Boxing23 (Thai)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368909/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:

  • The tree contest
  • The bar fight clubs
  • The use of knees and elbows
  • The acrobatics (no wires were used here)

Movie 9

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Title: Drive (1997)

Certificate: 18

Starring: Mark Dacascos24

Martial Art Focus: Mixed (Dacascos is schooled in various styles)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116147/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_3

Trailer: Included on IMDB

Why:

  • The boat scene
  • The motel scene
  • The club scene
  • Fast paced, sci fi premise

Movie 10

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Title: Warrior King aka Tom Yum Goong (2005)

Certificate: 18

Starring: Tony Jaa

Martial Art Focus: Thai Boxing (Thai)

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427954/?ref_=tt_rec_tt

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NyT2AEyvvA

Why:

  • Tony Jaa again because of the craziness
  • The tower fight (it's all one shot)
  • The temple duel (Vs Capoeira25)
  • The final fight
  • The poor villain bones broken
  • Those knee strikes, dear god the knee strikes.

References

0 Insert Link to ‘Inspiration’ blog

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_fu

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crouching_Tiger,_Hidden_Dragon

3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Roberts

4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate

5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taekwondo

6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky

7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan

8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_fu_(term)

9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wushu_(sport)

10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freerunning

11 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iko_Uwais

12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencak_Silat

13 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard

14 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_Li

15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Hong_Kong

16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Lee

17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enter_the_Dragon

18 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Norris

19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Chiba

20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Seagal

21 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Jaa

23 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muay_Thai

24 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Dacascos

25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira