Martial arts film - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film

Action film

Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...

, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently featured in training scenes and other sequences in addition to fights. Martial arts films commonly include other types of action, such as stunt

Stunt

A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...

work, chases, and/or gunfights.

As with other action films, martial arts films are dominated by action to varying degrees; many martial arts films have only a minimal plot and amount of character development and focus almost exclusively on the action, while other martial arts films have more creative and complex plots and characters along with action scenes. Films of the latter type are generally considered to be artistically superior films, but many films of the former type are commercially successful and well received by fans of the genre.

Martial arts films contain many characters who are martial artists, and these roles are often played by actors who are real martial artists. If not, actors frequently train in preparation for their roles, or the action director may rely more on stylized action or filmmaking tricks like camera angles, editing

Film editing

Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...

, doubles

Stunt double

A stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television , and for other sophisticated stunts...

, undercranking

Time-lapse

Time-lapse photography is a cinematography technique whereby the frequency at which film frames are captured is much lower than that which will be used to play the sequence back. When replayed at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing...

, wire work

Wire fu

Wire fu is an element of Hong Kong action cinema. It is a combination of two terms: "wire work" and "kung fu". Wire fu is used to describe a sub-genre of Kung-Fu movies where the stuntmen's skill is augmented with the use of wires and pulleys, as well as other techniques, in many cases to perform...

, and computer-generated imagery

Computer-generated imagery

Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...

. Trampolines and springboards can also be used to increase the height of jumps. These techniques are sometimes used by real martial artists as well, depending on the style of action in the film.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the most visible presence of martial arts films was the hundreds of English dubbed kung fu and ninja

Ninja

A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...

films produced by the Shaw Brothers, Godfrey Ho

Godfrey Ho

Godfrey Ho is a former Hong Kong-based prolific film director and screenwriter, sometimes considered the Ed Wood of Hong Kong cinema. Ho is believed to having directed more than one hundred films, including over 80 movies from 1980 to 1990, but only one film since 1995, apparently retiring from...

, Joseph Lai, and other Hong Kong producers. These films were widely broadcast on North American television on weekend timeslots that were often colloquially known as Kung Fu Theater, Black Belt Theater, or variations thereof.

Martial arts films have been produced all over the world, but the genre has been dominated by Hong Kong action cinema

Hong Kong action cinema

Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...

, peaking from 1971 with the rise of Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...

until the mid 1990s with a general decline in the industry.
Other notable figures in the genre include Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...

, Jet Li

Jet Li

The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...

, Sammo Hung

Sammo Hung

Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...

, Yuen Biao

Yuen Biao

Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...

, and Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...

.

Sonny Chiba

Sonny Chiba

, also known as Sonny Chiba, is a Japanese actor, singer, film producer, film director and martial artist.Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.- Early life :Born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka,...

has appeared with karate

Karate

is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...

and jidaigeki

Jidaigeki

is a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. The name means "period drama" and is usually the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—Portrait of Hell, for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular...

from Japan of the 1970s. Hollywood

Cinema of the United States

The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...

has also participated in the genre with actors such as Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris

Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...

, Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...

, Steven Seagal

Steven Seagal

Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...

, Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee

Brandon Bruce Lee was an American actor and martial artist. He was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee...

(son of Bruce Lee), Wesley Snipes

Wesley Snipes

Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...

, Gary Daniels

Gary Daniels

Gary Edward Daniels is a British kickboxer and martial arts actor. Daniels appears mostly in action-oriented B-movies. Daniels has been in over 50 films since his start as an extra in an episode of the 1980s television series Miami Vice. He is best known for playing Kenshiro in the live-action...

, Mark Dacascos

Mark Dacascos

Mark Alan Dacascos is an American actor and martial artist. He won numerous karate and various styles of kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18....

, and Jason Statham

Jason Statham

Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...

. In recent years, Thailand's film industry

Cinema of Thailand

The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...

has become an international force in the genre with the films of Tony Jaa

Tony Jaa

Tatchakorn Yeerum , formerly Panom Yeerum , better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and monk...

, and the Indonesian and Vietnamese film industries have followed suit with Merantau
Merantau (film)
Merantau is an Indonesian martial arts film released on August 6, 2009, produced by Merantau Films, directed and written by Gareth H. Evans, and starring Iko Uwais...

starring Iko Uwais

Iko Uwais

-Early life:Born in Jakarta, Indonesia on February 12, 1983, Uwais Qorny is of the Betawi descent. He has been learning Indonesian traditional martial art, Pencak Silat, since he was 10 years old at his uncle's Silat school, Tiga Berantai, which uses the distinctive Betawi style of Silat. In...

and The Rebel (2007 Vietnamese film)
The Rebel (2007 Vietnamese film)
The Rebel is a 2007 Vietnamese martial arts film directed by Charlie Nguyen and starring Johnny Tri Nguyen and Dustin Nguyen. It premiered on April 12, 2007 at the Vietnamese International Film Festival in Irvine, California...

and Clash (film)
Clash (film)
Clash is a 2009 Vietnamese martial arts/action film directed by Le Thanh Son.-Plot:Trinh codename Phoenix , a mercenary, must complete a series of organized crime jobs for her boss Hac Long in order to win the release of her kidnapped daughter...

starring martial artist and film star Johnny Tri Nguyen

Johnny Tri Nguyen

Johnny Tri Nguyen is a Vietnamese American film and television actor, stunt double, and martial artist. He left Vietnam at the age of 8 with his mother, father, elder brother, and elder sister and moved to Los Angeles, CA. He is half Vietnamese and half Chinese, with his mother being...

. Women have also played key roles in the genre, including such actresses as Kathy Long

Kathy Long

Kathy Long is an American retired five time world kickboxing champion and mixed martial arts fighter.- Biography :Long was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was raised in Sunny Mead, California...

, Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng is a Hong Kong-based Malaysian Chinese actress, well known for performing her own stunts in the action films that brought her to fame in the early 1990s....

, Angela Mao

Angela Mao

Angela Mao is a martial arts film actress best known for the string of kung fu films in which she starred during the 1970s. She is also known as Mao Ying, Angela Mao Ying, and Mao Fu Ying...

, and Cynthia Rothrock

Cynthia Rothrock

Cynthia Rothrock is an American martial artist and actress specializing in martial arts films. -Martial arts achievements:Rothrock is five-time World Karate Champion in forms and weapons between 1981 and 1985...

. In addition, western animation has ventured into the genre with the most successful effort being the internationally hailed DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...

film franchise, Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda (film series)
The Kung Fu Panda film series from DreamWorks Animation, consists of two films: Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2 . Two Annie Award-winning shorts, Secrets of the Furious Five and Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special , were also released...

, starring Jack Black

Jack Black

Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...

and Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...

Subgenres

Kung Fu films are a significant movie genre in themselves. Like westerns for Americans, they have become an identity of Chinese cinema. As the most prestigious movie type in Chinese film history, Kung Fu movies were among the first Chinese films produced and the wuxia
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...

period films(武俠片) are the original form of Chinese Kung Fu films. The wuxia period films came into vogue due to the thousands of years popularity of wuxia novels(武俠小說). For example, Jin Yong and Gu Long

Gu Long

Xiong Yaohua , better known by his pen name Gu Long , was a Chinese novelist and screenwriter. Xiong is best known for writing wuxia novels and novel series, which include: Juedai Shuangjiao, Xiaoli Feidao Series, Chu Liuxiang Series, Lu Xiaofeng Series and Xiao Shiyilang...

, their wuxia novels directly led to the prevalence of wuxia period films.

In Chinese-speaking world, martial arts films are commonly divided into two subcategories - the wuxia
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...

period films(武俠片), and the more modern Kung fu films(功夫片, best epitomized in the films of Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...

List of notable martial arts films

Year	Title
1928	The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple is a Chinese silent film serial directed by Zhang Shichuan. The film, adapted from the novel The Tale of the Extraordinary Swordsman, focuses on the rescue of a commander held captive in a temple full of traps....
1949	The True Story of Wong Fei Hung Kwan Tak Hing Kwan Tak-hing, MBE was a Hong Kong actor who played the role of martial artist folk hero Wong Fei-hung in at least 77 films, between the 1940s and the 1980s. No-one else in cinema history has portrayed the same person as many times. In total he made over 130 films. He was elected to be the...
1966	Come Drink with Me Come Drink with Me Come Drink with Me is a 1966 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by King Hu. Set during the Ming Dynasty, it stars Cheng Pei-pei and Yueh Hua as warriors with Chan Hung-lit as the villain, and features action choreography by Han Ying-chieh. It is widely considered one of the best Hong Kong films ever made...
1966	Dragon Inn
1967	The One-Armed Swordsman
1969	Chinese Boxer Jimmy Wang Yu Jimmy Wang Yu is a Chinese actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He shot to fame with the Shaw Brothers Studio's martial arts film, The One-Armed Swordsman, in 1967...
1970	Vengeance Vengeance (1970 film) Vengeance is a 1970 kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh, and starring David Chiang and Ti Lung. The film is set in 1920 Peking, and centers on a revenge plight of Chiang...
1971	The Big Boss The Big Boss The Big Boss, previously known by its U.S. title Fists Of Fury is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts action crime thriller film. The Big Boss was Bruce Lee's first major film. It was written to star James Tien; however, Lee's strong performance relegated Tien, already a star in Hong Kong, to second...
1971	Billy Jack Billy Jack Billy Jack is a 1971 action film. It is the second, and highest grossing, in a series of motion pictures centering on a character of the same name, played by Tom Laughlin who also directed and co-wrote the script. Filming began in Prescott, Arizona, in fall 1969, but the movie was not completed...
1972	Fist of Fury Fist of Fury Fist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss... (aka) The Chinese Connection
1972	Way of the Dragon Way of the Dragon The Way of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film written, produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee.- Plot :Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help his friend's niece Chen Ching Hua, and family friends, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local Mafia, which has been...
1973	Karate Kiba Karate Kiba is a martial-arts film starring Sonny Chiba, released in 1973 and based on an action manga by Ikki Kajiwara.A recut version was released in the U.S...
1973	Enter the Dragon Enter the Dragon Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
1974	The Street Fighter The Street Fighter , literally Clash, Killer Fist!, is a Japanese martial arts film released in 1974 and produced by Toei Company Ltd. It was released in the US by New Line Cinema and became one of the first films to be a commercial success for the distributor.... series
1975	Champion of Death Champion of Death , also known as Karate Bullfighter, is a Japanese martial arts film made by the Toei Company in 1975. It was the first in a trilogy of films based on the manga Karate Baka Ichidai , a manga based on Masutatsu Oyama's life by Ikki Kajiwara, Jiro Tsunoda and Jōya Kagemaru.Sonny Chiba stars as his...
1975	Karate Bearfighter Karate Bearfighter is a Japanese martial arts film made by Toei Company in 1975 and directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi. It is the second installment of a trilogy of films based on the manga Karate Baka Ichidai by Ikki Kajiwara, Jiro Tsunoda and Jōya Kagemaru.In the film, a piece of grindhouse cinema, Sonny Chiba...
1977	Karate for Life Karate for Life Karate for Life is a 1977 Japanese martial arts film about the martial arts master Mas Oyama starring Sonny Chiba.-Cast:Sonny Chiba as Mas OyamaKôjirô Hongo as Shuzô FujitaHideo Murota as Great YamashitaYôko Natsuki as Reiko...
1977	Doberman Cop
1977	Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon is a 1977 action movie starring Sonny Chiba as the international assassin Golgo 13. It was the second live-action movie based on the Golgo 13 manga.-Plot:...
1978	Shogun's Samurai Shogun's Samurai also "Intrigue of the Yagyu clan" and "Yagyu Clan Conspiracy," is a 1978 Japanese historical martial arts period film, directed by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is one of a series of period films by Fukasaku starring Sonny Chiba as Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi....
1978	Five Deadly Venoms Five Deadly Venoms Five Venoms aka Five Deadly Venoms is a cult 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chang Cheh, starring the Venom Mob, and produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio, about five kung-fu fighters with unique animal styles: The Centipede, The Snake, The Scorpion, The Lizard and The Toad...
1978	The 36th Chamber of Shaolin The 36th Chamber of Shaolin The 36th Chamber of Shaolin , also known as The Master Killer and Shaolin Master Killer, is a 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Liu Chia-liang and starring Gordon Liu....
1978	Snake in the Eagle's Shadow Snake in the Eagle's Shadow Snake in the Eagle's Shadow is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping his directorial debut, who has since gained international stardom as the action choreographer for films such as Iron Monkey, Fist of Legend, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix series, Kill...
1978	Drunken Master Drunken Master Drunken Master, also known as Drunk Monkey In The Tiger's Eye, is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and starring Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang Lee...
1979	G.I. Samurai
1979	Knockabout Knockabout (film) Knockabout is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Sammo Hung and starring Hung and Yuen Biao.-Plot:...
1981	Samurai Reincarnation Samurai Reincarnation Samurai Reincarnation is a 1981 film directed by Kinji Fukasaku and starring Sonny Chiba. The film was based on the novel Makai Tensho....
1982	The Prodigal Son The Prodigal Son (film) The Prodigal Son , also released as "Pull No Punches," is a 1981 Hong Kong kung fu comedy film directed by Sammo Hung, starring Yuen Biao and Lam Ching-ying and featuring Hung in a supporting role...
1982	Shaolin Temple
1983	Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is a 1983 Hong Kong supernatural fantasy film directed by Tsui Hark, who attempts to combine Hong Kong action cinema with Western special effects technology...
1983	Project A Project A Project A is a 1983 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film written and directed by Jackie Chan, and starring Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao....
1983	Winners and Sinners Winners and Sinners Winners and Sinners is a 1983 Hong Kong action comedy film directed, co-written by and starring Sammo Hung. It was the first in the Lucky Stars series of films - a highly successful series in Hong Kong....
1984	The Karate Kid
1985	Mr. Vampire Mr. Vampire Mr. Vampire, also known as Geung-si Sin-sang, is a 1985 Hong Kong comedy horror film directed by Ricky Lau and produced by Sammo Hung. The film's box office success led to the creation of a Mr...
1985	Yes, Madam Yes, Madam Yes, Madam is a 1985 Hong Kong action film directed by Corey Yuen and starring Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock. The film is Yeoh's first major action role and Rothrock's first appearance in a feature film....
1985	Police Story Police Story (film) Police Story is a 1985 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by and starring Jackie Chan and written by Chan and Edward Tang. It is the first of the Police Story series featuring Chan as a Hong Kong police detective named "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui.Chan began work on the film after a...
1988	Bloodsport Bloodsport (film) Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The...
1989	Best of the Best Best of the Best Best of the Best is a 1989 martial arts film. The plot revolves around a team of Americans facing a team of Koreans in a taekwondo tournament. Several sub plots pop up in the story - moral conflicts, the power of the human spirit triumphing over adversity are some themes...
1989	Kickboxer Kickboxer (film) Kickboxer is a 1989 martial arts film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and former world Kickboxing champion, Dennis Alexio. Like Van Damme's previous film, Bloodsport, it showcases Van Damme's martial arts fighting abilities...
1991	Once Upon a Time in China Once Upon a Time in China Once Upon a Time in China is a Hong Kong martial arts action/adventure film franchise directed, written, and produced by Tsui Hark. The stories are based on the life of the legendary kung fu master, Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, and Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung...
1992	Under Siege Under Siege Under Siege is a 1992 American action film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Steven Seagal as a former Navy SEAL who must stop a group of mercenaries, led by Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey, on a U.S. Navy battleship...
1992	Supercop
1992	Rapid Fire (1992 film) Rapid Fire (1992 film) Rapid Fire is a 1992 action film starring the late Brandon Lee. Lee was reportedly in talks with 20th Century Fox about making Rapid Fire 2, prior to his death. School scenes were filmed at Occidental College in Los Angeles...
1993	The Bride With White Hair The Bride with White Hair The Bride with White Hair is a 1993 Hong Kong film directed by Ronny Yu and starring Brigitte Lin and Leslie Cheung.The film's main character, Lian Nichang, is loosely based on the protagonist of Liang Yusheng's novel Baifa Monü Zhuan, which had earlier served as source material for the 1982 film...
1993	Iron Monkey
1993	Only the Strong
1994	Timecop Timecop Timecop is a 1994 science-fiction thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson was also executive producer...
1994	Fist of Legend Fist of Legend Fist of Legend is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Gordon Chan and features action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping, and also produced by and starring Jet Li. It is a remake of the 1972 film Fist of Fury, which starred Bruce Lee as the lead character...
1994	Drunken Master II Drunken Master II Drunken Master II is a 1994 Hong Kong kung fu action film directed by Lau Kar-Leung and Jackie Chan, who stars as Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung. It was Chan's first traditional style martial arts film since The Young Master...
1995	Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat (film) Mortal Kombat is a 1995 American action and adventure film directed by Paul Anderson. Based on the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, the film was the first part of the Mortal Kombat film series...
1995	Rumble in the Bronx Rumble in the Bronx Rumble in the Bronx is a 1995 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film starring Jackie Chan and Anita Mui. Released in the US in 1995, Rumble in the Bronx had a successful theater run, and brought Chan into the American mainstream...
1996	Kickboxer
1997	Mortal Kombat Annihilation
1998	Rush Hour
1999	The Matrix The Matrix The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
2000	Shanghai Noon Shanghai Noon Shanghai Noon is a 2000 American martial arts action comedy western film starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. The film, marking the directorial debut of Tom Dey, was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar....
2000	Romeo Must Die Romeo Must Die Romeo Must Die is a 2000 martial arts film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak. Starring Jet Li, Aaliyah, Anthony Anderson, Delroy Lindo, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, and features action and fight choreography by Corey Yuen...
2000	Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a 2000 wuxia film. An American-Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-production, the film was directed by Ang Lee and featured an international cast of ethnic Chinese actors, including Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen...
2002	Hero Hero (2002 film) Hero is a 2002 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC....
2002	Undisputed
2003	Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior , also known in the United States as Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is a 2003 Thai action film. It was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, featured stunt choreography by Panna Rittikrai and starred Tony Jaa. Ong-Bak proved to be Jaa's breakout film, with the actor hailed...
2004	Kung Fu Hustle Kung Fu Hustle Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 action comedy film directed and produced by, and starring Stephen Chow. The other film producers were Chui Po-chu and Jeffrey Lau, while the screenplay was written by Huo Xin, Chan Man-keung, and Tsang Kan-cheung...
2004	New Police Story New Police Story New Police Story is a 2004 Hong Kong action film starring Jackie Chan and directed by Benny Chan.The film is a reboot of the Police Story series. New Police Story relies much more on drama and heavy action than its predecessors.-Plot:...
2004	Fighter in the Wind Fighter in the Wind Fighter in the Wind is a 2004 South Korean film. It is based on the Japanese book Karate Baka Ichidai which is an account of karate competitor Choi Yeung-Eui who went to Japan after World War II to become a fighter pilot but found a very different path instead...
2005	SPL: Sha Po Lang SPL: Sha Po Lang SPL: Sha Po Lang , , is a 2005 Hong Kong martial arts and crime film written and directed by Wilson Yip, starring Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Simon Yam and Jing Wu...
2005	Tom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong (Thai: ต้มยำกุ้ง, is a 2005 Thai Martial arts Action film starring Tony Jaa. The film was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, who also directed Jaa's prior breakout film Ong-Bak. As with Ong-Bak, the fights were choreographed by Jaa and his mentor, Panna Rittikrai...
2006	Hak kuen Fatal Contact (film) Fatal Contact is a 2006 Hong Kong martial arts film that was written and directed by Dennis Law and stars Wu Jing as a young man who is trained with the fighting techniques of Sanshou martial arts, and lured into the world of illegal martial arts fighting...
2006	Undisputed II: Last Man Standing Undisputed II: Last Man Standing Undisputed II: Last Man Standing is a 2006 direct-to-video sequel to the 2002 action film Undisputed. The film stars Michael Jai White, Scott Adkins, Eli Danker and Ben Cross, and was directed by Isaac Florentine...
2006	The Rebel The Rebel (2007 Vietnamese film) The Rebel is a 2007 Vietnamese martial arts film directed by Charlie Nguyen and starring Johnny Tri Nguyen and Dustin Nguyen. It premiered on April 12, 2007 at the Vietnamese International Film Festival in Irvine, California...
2006	Fearless Fearless (2006 film) Fearless, known in Chinese as Huo Yuanjia and Jet Li's Fearless in the United Kingdom and the United States, is a 2006 film directed by Ronny Yu and starring Jet Li...
2007	Flash Point Flash Point (film) Flash Point is a 2007 Hong Kong film directed by Wilson Yip, featuring fight choreography by the film's producer and star Donnie Yen. Yen portrays Ma Jun, a police sergeant who plants his friend and partner, Wilson, as a mole in a pursuit against a triad led by three Vietnamese brothers .Flash...
2008	Kung Fu Panda Kung Fu Panda Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
2008	Chocolate Chocolate (2008 film) Chocolate , also known as Zen, Warrior Within, is a 2008 Thai martial arts film starring Yanin "Jeeja" Vismistananda in her debut film performance. It is directed by Prachya Pinkaew, with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai...
2008	Ong Bak 2 Ong Bak 2 Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is a 2008 Thai martial arts film co-directed by and starring Tony Jaa. It is a follow-up to Jaa's 2003 breakout film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. Initially claimed to be a sequel to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Ong Bak 2 was then announced to be a prequel to its predecessor...
2008	Ip Man Ip Man (film) Ip Man is a 2008 Hong Kong semi biographical martial arts film very loosely based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and master of Bruce Lee. The film focuses on events in Ip's life that supposedly took place in the city of Foshan during the Second Sino-Japanese War...
2008	Never Back Down Never Back Down Never Back Down is a 2008 action film starring Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, and Djimon Hounsou. It was theatrically released on March 14, 2008. The film's respective tagline is "Win or lose.....
2008	The Forbidden Kingdom
2008	Redbelt Redbelt Redbelt is a 2008 martial arts film written and directed by David Mamet and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. The film opened in wide release in the United States and Canada on May 9, 2008.-Plot:...
2009	Chandni Chowk to China Chandni Chowk To China Chandni Chowk to China , shortened as CC2C is a Hindi film which released on 16 January 2009. It is directed by Nikhil Advani and stars Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles, with Hindi cinema veteran Mithun Chakraborty and Hong Kong action cinema veteran Gordon Liu among the co-stars...
2009	Merantau Merantau (film) Merantau is an Indonesian martial arts film released on August 6, 2009, produced by Merantau Films, directed and written by Gareth H. Evans, and starring Iko Uwais...
2009	Ninja Assassin Ninja Assassin Ninja Assassin is a 2009 American martial arts film directed by James McTeigue. The story was written by Matthew Sand, with a screenplay penned by J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5. The film stars South Korean pop musician Rain as a disillusioned assassin looking for retribution against his...
2009	Raging Phoenix Raging Phoenix Jeeja Due Suai Du , also known as Raging Phoenix, is a 2009 Thai martial arts film starring Yanin "Jeeja" Vismistananda, in her second film performance...
2010	True Legend True Legend True Legend is a 2010 martial arts film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, starring Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, Jay Chou, Michelle Yeoh, Andy On, David Carradine, Guo Xiaodong, Feng Xiaogang, Cung Le, Gordon Liu, Bryan Leung and Jacky Heung....
2010	Undisputed III: Redemption Undisputed III: Redemption Undisputed III: Redemption is the third installment to the 2002 action film Undisputed. The film stars Scott Adkins, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Mark Ivanir and Hristo Shopov, and was directed by Isaac Florentine.-Plot:...
2010	Ip Man 2 Ip Man 2 Ip Man 2 is a 2010 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film loosely based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun. A sequel to the 2008 film Ip Man, the film was directed by Wilson Yip, and stars Donnie Yen, who reprises the leading role...
2010	The Legend Is Born – Ip Man The Legend is Born – Ip Man The Legend is Born – Ip Man is a 2010 Hong Kong semi-biographical martial arts film based on the events in the early life of Wing Chun master Yip Man . The film's story is not related to Wilson Yip's Ip Man starring Donnie Yen; however both Sammo Hung and Fan Siu-wong are featured in the film, but...
2010	Shaolin Shaolin The shào in "Shaolin" refers to "Mount Shaoshi", a mountain in the Songshan mountain range and lín means "forest". With sì , the name literally means "monastery/temple in the woods of Mount Shaoshi"....
2010	The Karate Kid (2010) The Karate Kid (2010 film) The Karate Kid is a 2010 American martial arts film and remake of the 1984 film of the same name. Directed by Harald Zwart, produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan...
2010	Ong Bak 3 Ong Bak 3 Ong-Bak 3 is a 2010 Thai martial arts film directed, produced and written by Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai. The film's story is a follow-up to Ong Bak 2, where Tien is brutally beaten before being put to death by Lord Rajasena 's men. His body is recovered by his Master Bua who revives him...
2010	Reign of Assassins Reign of Assassins Reign of Assassins is a 2010 wuxia film directed by Su Chao-pin and co-directed by John Woo. The film is shot in China and set during the Ming Dynasty. The film stars Michelle Yeoh, who plays an assassin who tries to return to a normal life after being counseled by a priest...
2010	Tekken
2011	Kung Fu Panda 2
2011	Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown

External links

Martial Arts subgenre at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
martial arts at IMDB
The 20 Greatest Fights Scenes Ever at Rotten Tomatoes
The 50 Greatest Fight Scenes of Film at Progressiveboink.com
The Five Best Fight Scenes Ever Filmed at Esquire.com

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Subgenres

List of notable martial arts films

See also

External links