Some Martial Arts Movies

Inspired by Dwill who mentioned The Karate Kid in my Cinema Fantastique poll, here are some martial arts films. Even if you've only seen one of these, feel free to vote, and multiple votes enabled for those who like more than one. I haven't seen all of these, but they are generally well regarded and I had at least heard of all of them (I did do film studies). I had wanted to include Drunken Wu-Tang, but added some more mainstream choices at the bottom of the list instead.



Feel free to mention any others not on the list, but mention any that you think you might have seen and like from this list please.

Edited by Logan - July 21 2018 at 22:16

I regard Blade trilogy to be martial art based superhero movies whom is carried on the strength of Wesley Snipes martial art training. And has real martial art movie honorary sequences

two words

Love Drunken Master, David. I actually love some of Jackie Chan's Buster Keatonesque comedy choreoggraphy, it's quite clever. My wife's uncle was nicknamed Drunken Master. I have seen American Ninja, and I had been hoping to put various questionable films in the list.

Micky, Chuck Norris I thought of, but then I couldn't think of any good movies. In Sociology, I wrote a paper about ideology and propaganda, and that was one of the films that I delved into. Like Charlton Heston, I do find hhis politics rather off-putting, but I still like movies he's in, and unlike Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris doesn't seem a nice person (you can be a sweetheart and do martial arts). One will also notice an absence of Van Damme. Had a friend who loved The Delta Force. That said, I don't have to like a person, mind you, to enjoy their films and appreciate their artistry. I have problems with Roman Polanski, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy his films.

My favourites are Kill Bill-- Quentin Tarantino plundered from a few films on this list methinks. Course that's kind of the point.   Anyway, I really love it. I think of it as one movie, which is how Taranatino wanted it to be released, but Part 2 is my favourite part.

I really like Enter the Dragon -- first film I saw when we got a converter for our TV set which enabled me to see some more channels based in Washington.
Drunken Master as said. Also Iron Monkey, Hero, Crouching Tiger, the Bride With White Hair, Equilibrium is cool. I do like the Matrix. etc. Won't vote, though, at least at this time, since that seems kind of weird in my own lists to vote.

And Icarium, yep Blade definitely would have fit. I thought of it and then forget. I prepared this quickly Some I remembered, and I used a couple of resources to remember ones since while there are martial arts movies that I love, it's not a really specialty of mine (I know much more about art house and sci-fi films).

Edited by Logan - July 22 2018 at 10:11

Your clip convinced me; will watch that one. Thanks. :)

Incidentally, some ones that I considered:

Gymkata



american Commando Ninja:



As well as Shaolin Youth Possee. The Crippled Masters was on my list but I decided against it as I don't know if it's empowering for people with physical challenges or exploitative (could be both).

Atavachron wrote: Both of Chan's Drunken Master flicks are awesome.   Zhang Yimou's Hero and House of Flying Daggers are superb, and Bloodsport is surprisingly good considering it stars JCVD. Voted for Drunken Master 1 and 2 .

Second time you've mentioned a film in these polls that I can't believe I missed.    House of Flying Daggers is excellent, and Zhang Yimou is one of my all-time favourite directors, so it becomes a more glaring omission.

Guldbamsen wrote: As an aside or merely a riff on the topic at hand, I would really like to see more flicks using the Keysie fighting style that was populized in a huge way through the recent Batman movies. Personally I'd love to see a more realistic setting for this fascinating and highly efficient style of fighting. Come to think of it, some of the stuff Liam Neeson does in Taken reminds me of Keysie although it most likely has more to do with the Filipino Arnis.

Interesting, I'm not familiar with that style, and while my wife was born in the Philippines, I'm not familiar with Arnis.

As another aside:

The only martial artist that I know or remember that was born in the Philippines is the diminutive Weng Weng. He made a number of Filipino films such as The Cute... the Sexy n' the Tiny, The Impossible Kid of Kung Fu, For Y'ur Height Only, Agent 00, and Chopsuey Met Big Time Papa (as Big Time Papa, cause he's little, get it?)

Apparently he was a frequent visitor to the Marcos' residence. Side-note, wish I hadn't named my son Marcus, some Filipinos assume that he was named after Ferdinand Marcos.



Edited by Logan - July 22 2018 at 14:13

"36 Chambers" is the only martial arts movie I ever liked

Icarium wrote: Guldbamsen wrote: As an aside or merely a riff on the topic at hand, I would really like to see more flicks using the Keysie fighting style that was populized in a huge way through the recent Batman movies. Personally I'd love to see a more realistic setting for this fascinating and highly efficient style of fighting. Come to think of it, some of the stuff Liam Neeson does in Taken reminds me of Keysie although it most likely has more to do with the Filipino Arnis. are you refairing to Bale Batmans fighting style or Afleck Batman fighting style, both had quite brutal bone crushing styles.

I'm sure he means the Bale--  Dawn of Justice had okay choreography but it was meant more for the camera, whereas the Nolan scenes were unusually realistic for two big guys with body armor like both the main characters wore.   Less freedom of movement, so traditional martial arts and the Brazilian-based groundfighting that has become so popular is not practical in the Batman world.



Edited by Atavachron - July 22 2018 at 18:05