Kung Fu(martial arts) movies
My ranking base purely on my personal enjoyment of the films, not on a critical level. I use the term "kung fu" movie here kind of loosely, as I've decided to include other types of martial arts as well as Asian action and/or fantasy films.
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- DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsWenzhuo ZhaoXun ZhouAndy OnChina, 1861: After rescuing the Qing prince from rebels, General Su retires to start a martial arts school. His foster brother betrays him and Su barely survives. Su has a new enemy to defeat.First off, the dubbed version of this is amazing, by far the best quality dubbed movie I've ever seen! What a surprisingly great film this was, where the action is top notch and the story was beautiful yet unconventional.
The drunken fist style in this was really fun to watch, and the ending fight is possibly the most flashy drunken fist style I've ever seen in a kung fu movie.
I've heard a few people complain about the final act of the film, which I couldn't disagree with more! There is a point in the movie where the protagonist's wife says "You always searching for a worthy opponent. Now you have found two: Yuan and yourself". The final act is all about conquering himself, and redemption. The movie literally spells it out for the audience that this movie isn't just about fighting the "bad guy", yet people still don't understand the final acts place and meaning. I think western audiences will just have too much a problem with the movie not ending after defeating the "bad guy".
I've seen people say "the movie was suppose to be about the invention of drunken fist, but it was only in there for 10min". These people are completely missing the point of the film. The reason the drunken fist wasn't til the last act was because we needed the first part of the movie to show how such a great/nobel man could became a drunkard/"the beggar". A man doesn't become a drunkard because he wants to learn cool looking kung fu, he becomes a drunkard because he's lost himself and the hope he had. It's more a movie about the transition from noblemen to drunk beggar and how drunken fist resulted from such, rather than the simple invention of the style. The working title of the film was "The True Legend of Beggar Su", so the story really was intended to be about the creator of the drunken fist, rather than the invention of drunken fist itself. To me learning our protagonist's motivation behind creating the art form is far more interesting and important. - DirectorRoy Hin Yeung ChowStarsSammo Kam-Bo HungEddie PengLuodan WangAn orphan, whose father has been killed by dark power, attempts to bring justice back to the town.Having the same writer as "True Legend", I suppose it's not a surprise I absolutely loved this film. The only nit-pick I have on the film would be the low quality special effects, but just like True Legend everything else was so fantastic it didn't bother me or pull me out of the movie at all.
I can't express how much this movie truly impressed me, it's not just another kung fu flick, it's a genuinely beautiful story that happens be to have kung fu. Easily my favorite film about Wong Fei-hung, who is debatably the most famous kung fu legend.
Prior to Marvel studios creating their current cinematic universe, super hero movies were just "super hero" movies. Marvel decided to make really great quality genre movies that just happen to be about the a super hero/es. I feel that's just what Rise of the Legend managed to accomplish, you could change Wong Fei-Hung's character to having a different name and the movie would still be just as good. The fact that this amazing story happens to feature Wong Fei-Hung as the protagonist really is just the icing on the cake! - DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenSimon YamSiu-Wong FanDuring the Japanese invasion of China, a wealthy martial artist is forced to leave his home when his city is occupied. With little means of providing for themselves, Ip Man and the remaining members of the city must find a way to survive.This is the kung fu movie I recommend to people that are not already fans of the genre. It has wide appeal, as it's not a niche as films like "True Legend" or "The Forbidden Kingdom". Not being as niche is not a bad thing in this case at all either, as Ip Man is high quality in every sense of the word. Both the story and action are phenomenal! The fight choreography is tight and very real looking; the fights do have a wuxia element to them at times but is played so low key it actually feels very real and practical.
Despite the story being a very loose version of the true life of Ip Man, I have to admit the story was told expertly! The story itself is a great one, but really the way it's told is what makes it so amazing. Great character development and build up to a very satisfying climax. - DirectorRob MinkoffStarsJackie ChanJet LiMichael AngaranoA discovery made by a kung fu obsessed American teen sends him on an adventure to ancient China, where he joins up with a band of martial arts warriors in order to free the imprisoned Monkey King.I don't know why but I just assumed this would be a bad movie, at least one I wouldn't like. I almost didn't watch it even, just decided to check out 5min of it since it was on netflix. I was completely blown away how much I fell in love with this film. This movie is an absolute love letter to kung fu movie fans! There are more "easter eggs" in this movie for big kung fu film fans than any marvel movie has for it's fans. This movie isn't the cash grab I expected it to be, but a flim made by a true kung fu movie fan for other kung fu movie fans!
- DirectorBenny ChanStarsShaoqun YuChen ZhiuiXing YuAfter ambushing and killing his rival, losing everything in the process, dispirited warlord Hou Jie turns to a Shaolin monastery seeking salvation.Some how it's always the kung fu movies I don't expect to be anything special that end up being my absolute favorites. It's a film that is paying tribute to other shaolin films, yet in my opinion becomes the best shaolin related film I've seen.
The story is such a beautiful one, right up there with "True Legend" and "Bodyguards and Assassins" story quality-wise. While the meaningfulness isn't always that subtle, I really didn't mind at all as it completely felt earned. - DirectorJoseph KuoStarsJack LongYi-Min LiJeanie ChangThe brother of a winery owner, who's a drunken Kung Fu master, trains two young thieves in the art of the drunken kung fu after he catches them stealing from his brother's winery.Watched this movie back in college and it blew me away; felt like it was personally made for me! Got me interested in old school kung fu films.
- DirectorTeddy ChanStarsXueqi WangTony Ka Fai LeungJun HuIn 1905, revolutionist Sun Yat-Sen visits Hong Kong to discuss plans with Tongmenghui members to overthrow the Qing dynasty. But when they find out that assassins have been sent to kill him, they assemble a group of protectors to prevent any attacks.I am so guilty of judging kung fu movies by their cover/title! Having a title like Bodyguards and Assassins with Donnie Yen on the cover dressed like a ninja, I just expected this to be a stylized schlockfest(which I can enjoy). Again, I find myself so wrong about the content, as this movie is really about grand social change based on real Chinese history. While this isn't a happy movie by any means, it certainly is a meaningful one! The fighting is good(not great) and really a smaller part of the film. The real meat of film is how emotional and inspiring it can be at times!
Sidenote: Donnie Yen is in this film, but unlike I was lead to believe he is not at all the main character. - DirectorRashane LimtrakulStarsJeeJa YaninKazu Patrick TangNui SaendaengA violent gang is abducting and killing women around Thailand. Sanim and his friends, having had loved ones abducted, have joined together to break the gang of kidnappers. In a botched kidnap attempt, Deu is saved by Sanim's crew. After learning their unique martial arts style, Deu helps lure the gang into an epic battle to save the women across Thailand.After being pretty disappointed by "Chocolate", I didn't have high hopes for Raging Phoenix. I'm very happy to say I was wrong, and that this movie was wonderful! Features a drunken fighting style I've not seen previously, not Chinese "drunken fist/boxing", but rather what seemed like drunken muay thai crossed with taekwondo; they called this drunken style "meyraiyuth". Watching the meyraiyuth was very entertaining, but the story really is what drove this film. I personally thought the writing/story was of FAR higher quality than that of "Chocolate".
I so badly wanted Chocolate to finally be a martial arts movie with a female lead that was a legit great film, not just "pretty good for having a woman lead". Thankfully, Raging Phoenix isn't just pretty good for having having a woman lead, it's the real *beep* deal! - DirectorJohn WooStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiTakeshi KaneshiroFengyi ZhangThe first chapter of a two-part story centered on a battle fought in China's Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.).The world "epic" is often overused, but in the case of this film it is 100% fitting! Any fan of the dynasty warriors game will get a lot out of this film, but I can also say anyone not a fan still has plenty to take in and enjoy as well!
- DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsTony JaaPhetthai VongkumlaoPumwaree YodkamolWhen the head of a statue sacred to a village is stolen, a young martial artist goes to the big city and finds himself taking on the underworld to retrieve it.The fighting style in this film makes love to the camera! I love a martial arts movie with a style that looks unique or unconventional(ex. drunken fist), and this movie highlights how unique muay thai can be in spades! A simple, but very well done story to accompany the action as well.
- DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Hui LiuLieh LoYue WongA man studies kung fu at the Shaolin Temple to fight back against the oppressive Manchu government.This is a kung fu movie that proves martial art movies are capable of having even more substance than they do style.
- DirectorChia-Liang LiuJackie ChanStarsJackie ChanHo-Sung PakLung TiA young martial artist is caught between respecting his pacifist father's wishes or stopping a group of disrespectful foreigners from stealing precious artifacts.I have a really hard time deciding if I like this more than Drunken Master 1, as there are aspects I love from each. Though, I think I have to give the edge here to Drunken Master 2 for having a better story/writing.
- DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsJackie ChanSiu-Tin YuenJeong-lee HwangWong Fei-Hung is a mischievous yet righteous young man, but after a series of incidents his frustrated father has him disciplined by a master of drunken martial arts.Another movie I discovered in college and really love. This isn't a perfect movie, as there are some problems. Yet, the parts of it that are good, are so good I feel they more than make up for the issues I have with the film.
- DirectorChi Leung 'Jacob' CheungStarsBingbing FanXiaoming HuangWenzhuo ZhaoStory of two lovers, the White-Haired Witch and Taoist leader Zhuo Yihang and their love that could change the fate of the nation.This movie was so much better than I expected, it just tickled my "fancy". The film really is a love story, and I thought a great one at that. The ending I thought was beautiful, but I feel a lot of people might not "get it"(while not complicated, it's quite unconventional). I want to explain what makes the ending so great, but it would require giving away big spoilers.
I've still never seen a foreign film with good CGI/green screen, so I try to be much less harsh and more accepting it in these types of films. This film had moments of poor looking CGI, but much like in "True Legend" with having such a great story it has me so engaged in the movie, the poor CGI actually doesn't pull me out of the film at all! - DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Hui LiuYuka MizunoYasuaki KurataA Chinese man (Liu) marries a Japanese woman through an arranged marriage and manages to insult all of her Japanese martial arts family by issuing a challenge to her that is misinterpreted by the others. He must then prove how good Chinese Kung Fu really is through a series of duels with the seven Japanese martial artists who come to meet the challenge.I don't know why, but I just love a kung fu film in which we get to see a good variety of styles/weapons being used. Heroes of the East delivers on this big time, with a great selection on display!
- DirectorJet LiStarsJet LiErkang ZhaoJia SongJet, a young soldier at the end of the second World War must overcome some abusive Americans who are bullying him as well as the Chinese people.If you're one of those people that believe every single American military personnel is a hero and incapable of acting evil, then you are going to hate this movie! While this takes place in WWII, it's oddly topical as Japan is currently protesting US military personnel taking base in Okinawa. Where there have been rapes and murders, even of a 12year old girl(in 1995) by US military personnel. Obviously this thing happening is not the norm, but it's ignorant to think it doesn't happen, just because it's our military.
To get back on track here, I loved this movie! It's everything I could ask for from an 80's action flick. This my favorite Jet Li film by far! - DirectorYimou ZhangStarsZiyi ZhangTakeshi KaneshiroAndy LauA romantic police captain breaks a beautiful member of a rebel group out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.Everything about this film was high qulity, the filmography, the acting, the story, sets, costumes, even the wire work was noticeably top notch! If you can appreciate a good love story in wuxia/kung fu movie, then this film is a must see!
- DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsJackie ChanSiu-Tin YuenJeong-lee HwangAn orphan who has been raised at a kung fu school, where he is treated as little more than a dogsbody and practice target for the students, has a life-changing experience after helping an old peripatetic beggar.A high quality old school kung fu film, with a good story.
- DirectorStephen FungStarsDaniel WuShu QiTony Ka Fai LeungYang Luchan marries the Chen style kung fu grand master's daughter in Chen village in 1800s China, so he can learn Chen style kung fu/tai chi. The deputy governor wants the village.It's official, Angela Yang Ying is the most beautiful person to ever be in a kung fu film! Again she was the highlight of the film for me, I just wish she was in it even more!
This film is great pay off to balance the build up we saw in the prequel Tai Chi Zero. Visually pleasing, it will pull at your heart, has a bit of great humor, and well used stylization. This film has a lot to offer, and I loved it. - DirectorStephen FungStarsHark-On FungXiaochao YuanStephen FungYang travels to Chen Village to learn a powerful form of Tai Chi. Though villagers are forbidden from teaching outsiders, Yang becomes their best hope for survival when a man arrives with a plan to build a railroad through the village.I had mixed feelings the first time watching this, but after seeing it's sequel(Tai Chi Hero) I have so much more respect for this film! I VERY HIGHLY recommend watching the two films consecutively, as the two movies truly are two parts of the same story. If you were to only watch Tai Chi Zero you might feel a bit unsatisfied upon reaching the end. It's important to remember this movie is more of a prequel.
Side note: The subtitles for this film are pretty bad at times, probably the worst I've come across so far. It's not bad enough you can't understand what's going on, but enough to constantly keep pulling you out of the movie experience. During an english speaking part, I noticed in the subtitles the word "I" when the character said the word "you", which while seemingly a small mistake, they really have totally different meanings. That's just one example of the many, many mistakes made with the subtitles.
Angela Yang Ying is crazy beautiful though, her hotness alone makes up for the poorly done subs. She really was the highlight of the movie personally. - DirectorBrett RatnerStarsJackie ChanChris TuckerKen LeungA loyal and dedicated Hong Kong Inspector teams up with a reckless and loudmouthed L.A.P.D. detective to rescue the Chinese Consul's kidnapped daughter, while trying to arrest a dangerous crime lord along the way.Guilty pleasure movie
- DirectorCheh ChangStarsKuan Tai ChenFeng LuPhillip Chung-Fung KwokThree men who have been physically disabled by an evil warlord and his physically-disabled son become friends and learn kung fu so that they can seek revenge with help from an elderly martial-arts teacher and his mentally-disabled pupil.When I hear the words "old school kung fu movie", this is the quintessential movie that comes to mind!
- DirectorTi TangStarsSiu-Tin YuenYi-Min LiTien-Hsiang LungA wealthy man sends his young son away to learn Kung Fu from the drunken master. When he returns he gets involved in a fight between a local thug, who employs various fighters to do away with the boy and his father and take control of the local area.A must see for any fans of the drunken fist style.
- DirectorJimmy Wang YuStarsJimmy Wang YuTien Wu ChuKang ChinAfter his students are killed by the One Armed Boxer, a vengeful and blind Kung Fu expert travels to a village where a martial arts contest is being held and vows to behead every one armed man he comes across.This isn't your parents old school kung fu movie!
- DirectorRobert ClouseStarsBruce LeeJohn SaxonJim KellyA Shaolin martial artist travels to an island fortress to spy on an opium lord - who is also a former monk from his temple - under the guise of attending a fighting tournament.A classic for a reason!