10 Greatest Martial Arts Movies Of The 2000s

The martial arts subgenre has been around for quite some time, with the 2000s being a particularly significant year that produced many memorable films. Martial arts films found early success during the ’70s and ’80s, with Hong Kong producing the most notable films. Thanks to the work of martial artists like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen, martial arts films had a sort of revival from the late ’90s into the 2000s.

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Many of the best martial arts films of the decade have left an indelible mark on the action genre, inspiring other parts of the world to try their hand at creating neatly choreographed sequences on par with Eastern films. The best martial arts films are not only influential in the film industry, but they also balance electrifying fight scenes with striking visuals and a compelling story.

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From Bruce Lee to Keanu Reeves, some martial arts movie performances have been truly memorable and impressive, standing out in the genre.

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10 The Hidden Blade (2004)

Set In Edo-Era Japan With Minimal, But Impactful Action

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Light on action compared to other great 2000s martial arts films is The Hidden Blade — the second installment of director Yoji Yamada’s Samurai Trilogy. Set during a time of cultural assimilation in 1860s Japan, The Hidden Blade tells the story of a lower-class samurai caught in between a world of violence and a desired romantic relationship. The Hidden Blade is more of a character-driven tale, but the film is not without violence. The sparse action scenes throughout the film are captured with a style unique to Yamada and add to the film’s emotional stakes.

Mutsuo Naganuma’s cinematography efforts throughout the rest of The Hidden Blade are just as eye-catching and make for an engaging film on top of a strong narrative and excellent acting performances. The Hidden Blade‘s predecessor, The Twilight Samurai, earned higher levels of critical praise — receiving a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Awards. However, The Hidden Blade is still lauded by critics and was given three notable awards in Japan for the film’s direction and performances.

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9 Kung Fu Panda (2008)

An Animated Film Inspired By Live-Action Classics

Differing from the other great martial arts films of the 2000s is DreamWorks’ animated film Kung Fu Panda. With Jack Black as the voice of Kung Fu Panda‘s endearing protagonist, an anthropomorphic panda named Po, the film is a lively and heartfelt tale about an unlikely hero. Premiering in 2008, Kung Fu Panda is the first addition of a multimedia franchise, and it’s easy to see how the first film led to such great lengths of success. Kung Fu Panda is inspired by wuxia martial arts films and martial arts comedies.

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Po’s hero’s journey, the visuals of the film, and the martial arts sequences themselves are said to have been inspired by earlier 2000s martial arts films, including House of Flying Daggers and Hero. In addition to the film’s clear appreciation of the technical and visual aspects of the martial arts subgenre, Kung Fu Panda invites audiences of all ages to enjoy the movie. Despite being marketed as a film for kids, Kung Fu Panda‘s compelling villains, charming team of heroes, and well-written comedy are things older audiences can appreciate too.

8 House Of Flying Daggers (2004)

A Classic Romantic Action Film With Impressive Visuals

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Many 2000s martial arts films have become influential pieces of work due to inventive action sequences and engrossing narratives. However, there are some films, like House of Flying Daggers, that are excellent because of their visual elements. House of Flying Daggers sees two police officers get tangled up in a love triangle with a rebel helping prevent the Tang dynasty from controlling China. The story offers up some interesting character dynamics, but while the story isn’t terrible, it’s also not a highlight of the film for many critics.

Instead, critics and audiences have enjoyed House of Flying Daggers for its vibrant color palette — something director Zhang Yimou is known for implementing in several of his films. Like Zhang’s previous film Hero, House of Flying Daggers incorporates wuxing color theory, which sees colors like red, black, and yellow associated with the five elements of traditional Chinese metaphysics. The colorful and detailed visuals in the film, from the costuming to the set design, immerse audiences in a stylized world full of action and romance.

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7 Fearless (2006)

Details The Real-Life Story Of Huo Yuanjia

Responsible for some of Jet Li’s best fight scenes is Fearless. Loosely based on the life of Chinese martial artist Huo Yuanjia, Fearless tells the story of the martial artist’s journey to restore nationalism by fighting various foreign enemies. The numerous confrontations Huo finds himself in allow for a range of innovative approaches to martial arts that ensure the back-to-back action sequences don’t feel repetitive. Choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, the action is quick and precise, giving plenty of room for Li and others to show off their skills.

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Most of Fearless‘ action scenes avoid using weapons and instead focus on hand-to-hand combat and hasty kicks. However, as exciting as the action in Fearless is, there are also some valuable lessons to be learned. Though not entirely accurate, Fearless does paint a substantial portrait of the Qing dynasty’s final years. Fearless does a great job of balancing a historical tale with an epic adventure, resulting in an undeniably entertaining film.

6 Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003)

A Simple Quest With Stunning Action

Some martial arts films, like Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, tend to prioritize flashy action sequences over a compelling narrative or dynamic characters. This can often lead to tiresome fight scenes that are repetitive and fail to bring anything new to the subgenre. However, that’s not the case with Ong-Bak‘s action. The film’s story, which follows a rural villager fighting a series of characters to retrieve a stolen statue, is fun, but largely predictable. Instead, many critics and audiences have admired Ong-Bak over the years because of its inventive fight choreography.

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Ong-Bak‘s craziest stunts and impressive confrontations are choreographed by Panna Rittikrai and brought to life by the film’s star, Tony Jaa. A Thai martial artist himself, Jaa brought the art of Muay Thai to international audiences. As a result, much of Ong-Bak is filled with numerous Muay Thai techniques, with a few additional martial arts styles being represented in Ong-Bak and its sequels. For his commitment to action, opting out of using mechanical assistance or CGI, Jaa earned praise and positive comparisons to martial arts legends like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.

5 Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

A Thrilling Revenge Story Inspired By ’70s Martial Arts

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Several American directors have been inspired by classic martial arts films, with their appreciation of such films being seen in their own work. One of these directors is Quentin Tarantino, whose Kill Bill: Volume 1 is inspired by numerous martial arts films from the ’70s. Uma Thurman leads the film as one of Tarantino’s best movie characters, the Bride, who is out for revenge against the group of assassins that threatened her life. Kill Bill, which was split into two parts with the second half releasing a few months later, has gone on to become a fan-favorite of movie lovers.

Kill Bill has a gripping and well-written revenge story, fascinating characters, and incredible action scenes. The action sequences in Kill Bill are not only expertly choreographed by Yuen Woo-Ping, but they are eye-catching as well — further proving Tarantino’s prowess for stylized violence. Another signature element of Tarantino’s films includes pop culture references, which can be found in the aforementioned martial arts inspiration. Various filmmaking techniques, character outfits, and names are inspired by prominent martial arts figures like the Shaw Brothers Studio and Bruce Lee.

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4 Ip Man (2008)

The Story Of Wing Chun’s Most Famous Teacher

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Wilson Yip’s Ip Man serves as a biographical martial arts film. Donnie Yen stars as the titular master of Wing Chun, who is a widely influential figure in the martial arts world, with his most prominent student being Bruce Lee. Ip Man tells a simple, yet engaging story that essentially details Ip’s early days as a promising martial artist. Rounding out a successful decade for Yen, Ip Man earned much acclaim as the figure’s story and Yen’s performance captivated critics and audiences. In the years that followed, Ip Man became a film series that continued to build upon the story.

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Ip Man helped bring the style and techniques of Wing Chun to a larger audience and was executed extremely well thanks to the choreography efforts of martial artist Sammo Hung and stunt coordinator Tony Leung Siu-hung. With every new sequel comes even better action, but the first Ip Man has some of the best fights. The choreography is fast-paced and truly remarkable, establishing Ip’s skill and innovation when it comes to close-range combat.

3 Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

A Comedic Approach To Martial Arts

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Ranking high alongside the best martial arts comedies is Kung Fu Hustle. Directed by Stephen Chow, Kung Fu Hustle is the follow-up to his successful sports comedy Shaolin Soccer. Chow’s film, partially inspired by the director’s childhood dream of being a martial artist someday, follows an aspiring gangster hoping to join the infamous Axe Gang. Kung Fu Hustle‘s action is delightfully over-the-top, and it’s evident that those involved with the film have an immense appreciation for martial arts, both as a film subgenre and as a system of combat. The choreography in Kung Fu Hustle is done by the influential Yuen Woo-ping.

Kung Fu Hustle takes full advantage of CGI and wire work, creating some truly exciting action scenes. For as absurd as Kung Fu Hustle can get, it’s never too much for audiences to handle. Most of the film’s humor is executed through references to other pieces of work and cartoonish special effects. These special effects are balanced with a memorable score, performed by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and featuring many traditional Chinese songs.

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2 Hero (2002)

A Nameless Swordsman Defeats Three Assassins

Like Zhang Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers, the wuxia martial arts film Hero is covered in vibrant colors meant to represent various themes such as desire, jealousy, and friendship. Hero tells the story of Jet Li’s character, Nameless, after he is summoned by the king to explain how he defeated the three assassins trying to kill the king. Hero has a non-linear structure, as Nameless’ time with the king is interposed with his confrontations with the assassins. One of these fights is against Donnie Yen’s Long Sky, which sees the swordsman characters flying through the air and leaning off poles.

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As effective as rough, gritty action scenes can be, what makes those in Hero most memorable is the way they are presented with style. The choreographed movements are fluid and have been described by some critics as poetic, with the famous battle between Nameless and Long Sky being a great example. Hero‘s action scenes and cinematography complement one another well, creating an immersive world for audiences to be a part of. Hero earned several nominations at significant award ceremonies, including the Academy Awards and the Hong Kong Film Awards.

1 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

The Highly Acclaimed Tale Full Of Martial Arts And Romance

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Arguably the best wuxia film and one of the most appreciated martial arts films is Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Starring Michelle Yeoh as the film’s protagonist, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon follows Yeoh’s Yu Shu Lien on a quest to retrieve her lover’s stolen sword. Fusing multiple genres, such as fantasy, martial arts, romance, and drama, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon still feels grounded, and much of the credit goes to Yeoh. The Academy Award-winning actress is supported by incredible actors like Chow Yun-fat and Zhang Ziyi. However, Yeoh’s status as an action hero was truly cemented by Lee’s film.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has a solid story, polished visuals, and masterful fight sequences, influencing many of the other martial arts films that would follow within the decade. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon influenced Hong Kong filmmakers but made just as strong of an impact on Western audiences as well. The film popularized wuxia films, introducing the genre to audiences largely unfamiliar with typical narratives and themes. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was also extensively celebrated at award ceremonies like the Academy Awards, receiving the most nominations for a non-English-language film until 2018.

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