The martial arts subgenre is overcrowded, making it easy for some films to receive undeservedly less love or attention. Often the movies that get lost in the mix are those that don’t have notable stars or a lasting impact behind them. Audiences are likely to prioritize movies featuring top martial artists over movies starring lesser-known action movie stars, such as One-armed boxer either The city of violence. However, these films have action sequences as exciting as the most well-known martial arts films and deserve praise.
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Shelved sequels and films directed by actors who have yet to establish themselves are just a few examples of martial arts films that have been overlooked over the years. The release of martial arts films spans multiple decades and regions around the world, meaning there is almost always a new, underrated martial arts film waiting to be appreciated by audiences.
10 Showdown (1993)
Directed by Robert Radler
There are many similarities between The karate kid and Confrontationlike the relationship between Billy Blanks and Kenn Scott that mirrors that of Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio. Still, there’s enough to separate the film from the early ’90s and make it worthy of more appreciation. Confrontation follows Blanks’ character, a school janitor, and his efforts to turn the new student (Scott) into a martial arts prodigy to better defend himself against bullies.
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Confrontation It has all the ingredients of a beloved ’90s action movie with cheesy dialogue and memorable training sequences. Despite its derived elements, Confrontation He has a lot of heart. Scott’s character’s journey is inspiring and there is compelling on-screen chemistry between him and Blanks.
9 One-armed Boxer (1972)
Directed by Jimmy Wang Yu
At the end of the 60s, The one-armed swordsmanfrom the Shaw Brothers studio, introduced the idea of a male antihero in wuxia films with a predilection for bloody fights against others. Jimmy Wang Yu played the main character in The one-armed swordsmanand just a few years later, the martial artist would play a similar character in a similarly titled, underrated film of his own. One-armed boxer.
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Although the films have no connection to each other in terms of plot, both films see Wang Yu fully committed to the role of the one-armed wrestler by keeping his arm tied behind his back in the fight scenes. One-armed boxer follows Wang Yu’s Tien, a skilled martial artist who seeks revenge against those who attacked his martial arts school. Like many of the best martial arts movies, One-armed boxer It has a balance of humor and action that makes it an entertaining watch in every way.
8 Real Warriors (1986)
Directed by David Chung
In the line of duty is a series of action-packed martial arts films that began with Yes, ma’am! The film is best known for featuring Michelle Yeoh in her first leading role. Therefore, the next movie, real warriorstends to be overlooked a little more. Yeoh returns to the film and teams up with an Interpol agent (Hiroyuki Sanada) and an airport security guard (Michael Wong) to thwart the hijackers’ plans mid-flight.
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real warriors It has one of Yeoh’s best martial arts fight scenes. The level of chaos and brutality throughout the film is like no other. However, the action remains structured and allows the film’s protagonists to show their skills. Balancing the non-stop action is a romantic subplot involving Yeoh and Wong’s characters, although it doesn’t always work with the film’s overall tone.
7 Chocolates (2008)
Directed by Prachya Pinkaew
The martial arts film comes from Thailand Chocolatefeaturing inspiring fight choreography by Panna Rittikrai, the choreographer best known for his work in Ong-Bak: Muay Thai warrior. ChocolateYanin “Jeeja” Vismistananda’s protagonist makes her film debut as Zen, an autistic martial artist who has superhuman reflexes that allow her to save her mother when she is kidnapped by an infamous gangster.
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While not as old as other martial arts films mentioned, Chocolate It has an outdated handling of the issue of autism. Still, as Ong-Bak: Muay Thai warriorthe strongest elements of Chocolate They are his action scenes. These scenes easily capture the audience’s attention, and Vismitananda is as strong a protagonist as could be. It makes audiences wish that the Thai star had an extensive filmography comparable to his peers.
6 The Fate of Lee Khan (1973)
Led by King Hu
The small cast and restricted environment within The fate of Lee Khan It allows fluid tension to be generated and the audience to become involved in the relationships between its characters. The fate of Lee Khan is directed by wuxia director King Hu, best known for films such as The brave and Dragon Inn. The film takes place during the end of the Yuan dynasty and sees two opposing groups of people fighting inside an inn over a crucial map.
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Alternating scenes that advance the plot and those that deal solely with the fight between characters, The fate of Lee Khan It has a favorable rhythm that continues until the end. During the film’s climax, the light action bits from the beginning of the film lead to an explosive fight sequence. This scene impresses with its choreographed movements and the way it is framed.
5 The City of Violence (2006)
Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan
the story in The city of violence is simple and easy to follow: a former gangster is murdered and four of his childhood friends attend his funeral. While there, two of them, Suk-hwan and Tae-soo, decide to further investigate the circumstances surrounding their friend’s murder and set out on a path of revenge. Although the story is not entirely original, its simplicity acts as a solid foundation for its elaborate action scenes, which are the most engaging parts of the film.
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Having learned from one of South Korea’s best directors, Park Chan-wook, Ryoo Seung-wan’s direction is highly stylized and the fighting is as well-structured as it is exciting to watch. Besides, The city of violence has compelling performances and the emotional weight behind Suk-hwan and Tae-soo’s actions is easily felt on screen.
4 The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
Directed by John G. Avildsen
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The Karate Kid Part II It was a box office success and became one of the highest-grossing films the year it was released. However, it has since been considered inferior to other entries in the karate kid franchise, such as the 2010 film and television series Cobra Kai. While there are reasonable complaints about the sequel’s story and antagonists, there’s also a lot to enjoy. Too often, sequel films renew the story of their successful predecessor, but they do not The Karate Kid Part II.
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In the sequel, Mr. Miyagi travels back home with Daniel to visit his dying father. While there, an old rivalry arises between Miyagi and his former friend Sato. Daniel also has a new enemy in Sato’s nephew Chozen, resulting in one of the best fights in the world. karate kid franchise. Furthermore, the relationship between Miyagi and Daniel progresses positively, as does the latter’s martial arts skills.
3 Jackie Chan’s First Punch (1996)
Directed by Stanley Tong
After years of stardom in Hong Kong, Jackie Chan made his breakthrough with American audiences after the release of Rumble in the Bronx. However, the following year, Chan had another film aimed at American audiences: Police story 4: first attackalso known as Jackie Chan’s first hit. The martial arts comedy film is the fourth in the Police history series. Chan has an extensive filmography and a handful of memorable films released around the same time as First hit.
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Therefore, First hit is consistently and undeservedly left out of the conversation when talking about great martial arts movies. The plot is a bit chaotic, but what’s hard to deny is First hitThe ability to entertain. A healthy mix of comedy and action runs throughout the film, and Chan’s commitment to those parts is evident and commendable.
2 headshot (2016)
Directed by The Mo Brothers
Iko Uwais is best known for The raid movies, but Head shot is a film of his that deserves so much love and attention from martial arts fans. Head shot follows a protagonist with amnesia (Uwais) and focuses on the mystery of his identity, having many similarities with the Jason Bourne cinema. Once it is discovered who Uwais’ character is, he finds himself embroiled in one fight after another with those who refuse to let him off the hook so easily.
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The intensity of Head shot’The action scenes increase as the film progresses, becoming bolder and bloodier with each new encounter. As demonstrated by his previous films, Uwais is a strong martial artist who handles the physical and emotional sides of his character like an expert. The journey that Uwais’ character takes to escape his previous life of violence in Head shot It’s compelling and makes for a complete action story.
1 Black Dynamite (2009)
Directed by Scott Sanders
Michael Jai White is an action star and martial artist best known for his starring roles in superhero films. Spawn and the HBO movie Tyson. black dynamiteAlthough well received by critics and celebrated by White fans, he is still largely underrated in the martial arts subgenre. The film centers on White’s character, a former CIA agent who uncovers a government conspiracy while seeking revenge against those who killed his brother.
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The action throughout the film is playfully choreographed and the humor is intense throughout, as black dynamite seeks to pay homage to and parody many of the well-known blaxploitation films of the ’70s. Part of this was, naturally, to replicate the feel of low-budget blaxploitation films, which meant that several “mistakes” were left in the film, such as the appearance of a boom microphone on the screen and the incorporation of stage direction into the dialogue.
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