Everyone, and I repeat, everyone, has come across some typeof martial arts movie or action star at some point in their lives. Whether itwas a late night chop socky fest on cable, a double or triple feature at yourlocal hometown theatre (remember those?) or the latest crop of high wire/floatthru the air/land on roof tops and tree branches/defy the laws of gravity,physics and motion, somewhere you walked away fully entertained, ready topurchase the DVD and spread the word to your friends.Since this is a compilation of the best martial arts movies,or at least a collection of martial arts movies you should watch, purchase,rent or borrow from a friend and forget to return (wink, wink), here they arein no particular order. On a side note, this list does not relate to ticketsales or gross earnings, but the level of entertainment value as well as itsimpact on mainstream viewership.
Everyone, and I repeat, everyone, has come across some type of martial arts movie or action star at some point in their lives. Whether it was a late night chop socky fest on cable, a double or triple feature at your local hometown theatre (remember those?) or the latest crop of high wire/float thru the air/land on roof tops and tree branches/defy the laws of gravity, physics and motion, somewhere you walked away fully entertained, ready to purchase the DVD and spread the word to your friends.
Since this is a compilation of the best martial arts movies, or at least a collection of martial arts movies you should watch, purchase, rent or borrow from a friend and forget to return (wink, wink), here they are in no particular order. On a side note, this list does not relate to ticket sales or gross earnings, but the level of entertainment value as well as its impact on mainstream viewership.
Let’s dive in. And no, I didn’t give away any plot spoilers. I want you to enjoy each one fresh without knowing the outcome.
Enter The Dragon – How can any martial arts list not contain Bruce Lee’s greatest American/world wide triumph? As an exceptionally crafted piece of cinema, this 1973 film exalted Bruce to the top of his already legendary Asian wide status, and provided him a huge measure of retribution for being passed over for the starring role as Caine in TV’s Kung Fu. Enter The Dragon opened everyone’s eyes to the influence of the martial arts. How open? Think the original Matrix. It was that big.
Throw in Fist of Fury, The Chinese Connection, along with Return of the Dragon, featuring Bruce against a very pre-Walker, Texas Ranger Chuck Norris, and your collection of a martial arts legend is set in stone.
A Force of One, An Eye for an Eye, The Octagon, Forced Vengeance – After the death of Bruce Lee, a void was itching to be filled. With the number of Asian stars ready to step up to the plate, Hollywood desired its own home grown creation. Chuck Norris admirably filled the vacancy. Where Bruce was a man who took action and made sure the villains knew it, Chuck’s movies portrayed a man pushed to the brink before he opened a six pack of whup-ass. As Lee Van Cleef’s character quoted in The Octagon, “To take no action, is an action.” Watch these four late ’70’s thru early ’80’s movies and you will have an idea of Chuck Norris well before the Cordell Walker days.
The Big Brawl – Like Bruce, Jackie Chan was well known in Hong Kong/Asian circles. His American coming out party was 1980’s The Big Brawl. The very first fight scene in the back alley of a food market immediately cemented his status as a very talented, athletic martial artist who seamlessly blended action and comedy, and performed his own stunts. For younger fans well aware of the Rush Hour series, The Big Brawl is a must watch.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – This film is responsible for bringing the martial arts cinema genre back into modern day mainstream. This is the Enter The Dragon of 2003. Winning over 40 awards, it stands alone as a cinematic masterpiece. A fantastic screenplay, the cinematography is breathtaking, and a cast of extremely capable actors on top of their game gave this movie legs. It expertly blends a touching love story, well crafted characterization and events, a touch of mysticism, and one of the best fight scenes on screen between Michele Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi. If you didn’t watch this one on the big screen, you’ll walk away asking “How did I miss this one?”
House of Flying Daggers – Similar in style to Crouching Tiger, this movie has it all. Action, a love desired, a love denied, treachery, drama, a fantastic story line and lush, colorful cinematography. The look and authenticity of the film stands on its own merits quite proudly. The interaction between Takeshi Kineshiro and Zhang Ziyi gives the story its own Ryan O’Neal-Ali McGraw Love Story quality, and does not disappoint. An excellent movie to add to your collection.
Iron Monkey – Quentin Tarantino backed and presented its American release in 2001. Once you have a taste for Yuen Woo-ping’s style of action choreography, what holds the movie’s pace is the quality mixture of story telling, characterization and great martial arts being performed. Watching Yu Rong Guang and Donnie Yen in action is worth the rental/ownership of this movie.
Zatoichi The Blind Swordsman – this 1998 version of Zatoichi is billed as a Zatoichi/Sonatine double feature. Beat Takeshi portrays the swordsman with more darkness and violence than the original 1960’s version. And he delivers! I didn’t know what to expect until the very first fight scene, where Zatoichi squares off against a band of robbers. After that, my attention was riveted to the screen. The swordplay was direct, to the point and Wow! The entire movie makes you feel as if you are there in the time period and lifestyle. The story isn’t exactly for young children, definitely more of an adult level. Watch and definitely enjoy.
The Seven Samurai – Akira Kurosawa’s 1952 epic masterpiece of honor and duty, the grandfather of all movies and anime containing the same theme, including Hollywood’s western remake, The Magnificent Seven. Watch it with reverence.
The next three movies I am including wouldn’t fit as the best martial arts movies of all time, but they are worth watching for what they offer. Consider them honorable mention, loaded with a reason to watch.
The Yakuza – Directed by Sydney Pollack, this 1975 auctioneer is number one on my all time list of movies I can endlessly watch for the rest of my life and never complain. The running theme of the movie is honor, broken promises, and ‘giri’, the debt that can never be repaid. While the movie doesn’t fall under the typical karate movies many have come to know, the swordplay is realistic, and the screenplay weaves the characters within and against each other. Friendships are test, broken and forged. If the word ‘honor’ has meaning to you, this movie belongs in your collection.
The Killer Elite – One of my two favorite James Caan movies. Before CGI, special effects, and George Lucas’ ILM, Hollywood movies relied on two main thrusts to sustain the life of the picture. A story that holds the viewer’s attention and stars who could pull it off. James Caan and Robert Duvall fit the bill nicely. Directed by Sam Peckinpah, known for his slow motion action, cut to a different scene altogether, cut back to the action technique of his, this action-thriller is a mixture of the martial arts, which is part of Caan’s on screen character against a group of assassins (tastefully done) hellbent on halting Caan and his mission.
Redbelt – David Mamet’s 2008 character study of a jujitsu master remaining true to the spirit of the art while others around him sell out to the almighty dollar. Does the true philosophy and integrity of the discipline win out over financial glory? Watch and find out.
There are other fine movies worth mentioning, such as Jet Li’s Legend series, Once Upon a Time In China series, and Twin Warriors, Tarantino’s Kill Bill, the gunslinger on a mission of vengeance. And let’s not forget Steven Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle, a well done tongue in cheek martial arts cross between The Three Stooges meets Looney Tunes.
