You may remember me mentioning ‘The List‘.
‘The List’ is something I found on IMDb (Internet Movie Database). It lists what is (in the opinion of the writer) the top 250 greatest martial arts movies of all time. The writer, ‘Eric-Scissorhands’, describes it on the page as:
“A genre as horrendous as it is pure genius, no one can deny that Martial Arts Action Movies have influenced some of the finest directors of the past 3 decades. This is the definitive list of the Top 250 Greatest Martial Arts Movies from The East, to West, And Back Again….
Movies that fall under my (Eric Scissorhands’) “Martial Arts” category and will be considered and included here are as follows: Hand to Hand Combat, (Kung Fu, Hapkido, Filipino Kali, Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai, Karate, Pankration, MMA, Etc…) Samurai, Ninjas, and Anything to do with Weapon Use & Swordplay.”
I was pretty intrigued so I read through the whole list and made the decision, to start watching the movies in this list. After more thought I made the decision:
“I’ll really make something of it. I’ll watch every single movie, in ascending order (loosely, I’ll throw a few in out of order, plus some movies are harder to find), then review and discuss it online and encourage others to join me!”
I also plan on creating a list of my own, of the most entertaining movies I’ve reviewed, so with each review a movie will be added to list, where I think it suits!
So that’s why I started this website, and in case you’re wondering whats on the list, I’ve put it below. This list may not be the current list (it does get updated occasionally), but this is the list I will be using, as well as throwing in a couple of movies not on the way that may or may not be on the list (everyone needs a break right?).
The List
And so below is the list! The title of the movies is followed by any notable Martial Arts actors (that I know of anyway!). I’ve also created my own list of movies I’ve reviewed so far, ranking them in order of what I found the most entertaining.
- Fist of Fury – Bruce Lee
- Fearless – Jet Li
- Ip Man – Donnie Yen
- The Legend of Drunken Master – Jackie Chan
- Enter the Dragon – Bruce Lee
- Fist of Legend – Jet Li
- Kung Fu Hustle – Stephen Chow
- Ong Bak – Tony Jaa
- Way of the Dragon – Bruce Lee
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeow
- Drunken Master – Jackie Chan
- Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey – Bruce Lee (You guessed it!)
- Police Story – Jackie Chan
- Chocolate – Yanin JeeJa
- Supercop – Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh
- Hero – Jet Li, Donnie Yen
- Dragons Forever – Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez
- Heroes of the East – Gordon Liu
- Tom Yum Goong (aka The Protector) – Tony Jaa, Lateef Crowder, Jon Foo, Nathan Jones, Johnny Nguyen
- Wheels on Meals – Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung
- Once Upon a Time in China – Jet Li
- 8 Diagram Pole Fighter – Gordon Liu
- House of Flying Daggers – Zhang Ziyi
- The 36th Chamber of Shaolin – Gordon Liu
- Tai Chi Master – Jet Li & Michelle Yeoh
- Project A– Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung
- The Raid Redemption
- Ip Man 2 – Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung
- The Big Boss – Bruce Lee
- Legendary Weapons of China
- Unleashed – Jet Li
- Come Drink With Me
- Iron Monkey – Donnie Yen
- The Streetfighter – Sonny Chiba
- Warriors Two – Sammo Hung
- A Touch of Zen
- My Young Auntie
- 13 Assassins
- Wing Chun – Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen
- The Legend 2 – Jet Li
- Shaolin Soccer – Stephen Chow
- Kill Bill Vol 1.
- Kill Bill Vol 2.
- Kill Zone – Donnie Yen, Jacky Wu Jing, Sammo Hung
- Operation Condor – Jackie Chan
- Flash Point – DonineYen, Collin Chou
- Five Deadly Venoms
- Shaolin – Jackie Chan, Jacky Wu Jing
- Seven Samurai
- Dragon Inn
- Shogun Assassin
- Dao
- The Matrix
- Once Upon a Time in China 2 – Jet Li, Donnie Yen
- Dragon (aka Wuxia or Swordsmen) – Donnie Yen
- Fist of White Lotus – Gordon Liu
- Goeman
- Project A Pt 2 – Jackie Chan
- Kiss of the Dragon – Jet Li
- Lady Snowblood
- The Legend – Jet Li
- Knock About – Biao Yuen, Sammo Hung
- The Man from Nowhere
- The One Arm Swordsman
- Police Story 2 – Jackie Chan
- Dynamite Fighters – Michelle Yeoh
- Zatoichi
- True Legend – Michelle Yeoh
- District B13
- The Prodigal Son – Biao Yuen, Sammo Hung
- The Forbidden Kingdom – Jackie Chan, Jet Li
- Kung Fu Wing Chun – Collin Chou
- Odd Couple – Sammo Hung
- Reign of Assassins – Michelle Yeoh
- Shaolin Temple 2: Kids from Shaolin – Jet Li
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons
- Karate for Life
- Fighter in the Wind
- Red Cliff
- Five Fingers of Death
- Master of the Flying Guillotine
- Spooky Encounters – Sammo Hung
- Taken
- Azumi
- Warrior
- The Martial Club (aka Wu Guan)
- Undisputed 3: Redemption – Scott Adkins, Lateef Crowder
- The Victim – Sammo Hung
- Arahan
- The Bourne Ultimatum
- Executioner from Shaolin
- Merantau
- SF: Episode One
- Riki Oh: The Story of Ricky
- The Iceman Cometh – Yuen Biao
- Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen – Donnie Yen
- Fatal Contact – Jacky Wu Jing
- Shaolin & Wu Tang
- The City of Violence
- The Rebel
- Harakiri
- Gladiator
- The Twilight Samurai
- Crippled Avengers
- 300
- Legend of the Fox
- Miracles – Jackie Chan
- The Sword of Doom
- Batman Begins (martial arts? yeah right! don’t think so)
- The Executioner – Sonny Chiba
- Rumble in the Bronx – Jackie Chan
- Ashes of Time
- Five Element Ninja
- Magnificent Butcher – Sammo Hung
- The Young Master – Jackie Chan
- The Shaolin Temple – Jet Li
- Eastern Condors – Sammo Hung
- Bloodsport – Van Damme
- The Legend is Born: Ip Man
- Dragon Tiger Gate – Donnie Yen
- Curse of the Golden Flower – Chow Yun-Fat
- Yojimbo
- Cowboy Bebop the Movie
- Snake in the Eagles Shadow – Jackie Chan
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril
- Who Am I? – Jackie Chan
- In the Line of Duty – Michelle Yeoh
- Zatoichi meets the One Armed Swordsman
- Pedicab Driver
- Kung Fu Panda
- Undisputed 2 – Last Man Standing – Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White
- Bodyguards and Assassins – Donnie Yen
- Last Hurrah for Chivalry
- Ninja Scroll
- 5 Shaolin Masters
- Black Dynamite – Michael Jai White
- Boxer from Shantung
- Legendary Assassin – Wu Jing
- Dirty Ho – Gordon Liu
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades
- Robin-B-Hood – Jackie Chan
- 14 Blades – Donnie Yen
- Twin Dragons – Jackie Chan
- The Lady Hermit
- The Tattooed Swordswoman
- Flag of Iron
- Samurai Rebellion
- Lightning Fists of Shaolin
- Sanjuro
- Legend of the Red Dragon – Jet Li
- District 13: Ultimatum
- Equilibrium
- Hapkido
- Ong Bak 2: The Beginning – Tony Jaa
- Ninja Assassin
- Hanna
- Bruce Lee My Brother (aka The Young Bruce Lee)
- Musa
- Shaolin Mantis
- City Hunter – Jackie Chan, Richard Norton
- Blood and Bone – Michael Jai White
- The Storm Riders
- The Book of Eli
- Return of the One Armed Swordsman
- Righting Wrongs – Yuen Biao
- Kick Ass
- The Lost Bladesman – Donnie Yen
- Sword of the Beast
- Two Champions of Shaolin
- The Duel
- The Millionaires Express – Sammo Hung
- The Bride with White Hair
- Moon Warriors – Sammo Hung
- Seven Swords – Donnie Yen
- Last Hero in China – Jet Li
- The Invincible Armour
- Dreadnaught – Yuen Biao
- The Killing Machine
- Once Upon a Time in High School
- Gorgeous – Jackie Chan
- The Last Dragon
- The Banquet – Zhang Ziyi
- In the Line of Duty 4 – Donnie Yen
- Brotherhood of the Wolf
- The Sensei
- Blade 2 – Wesley Snipes
- Ichi
- Butterfly and Sword – Mihcelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen
- Return to the 36th Chamber
- Legacy of Rage – Brandon Lee
- The Enforcer – Jet Li
- Karate Warriors
- Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
- Xian si Jue
- Samurai 3: Duel at Ganryu Island
- Shadowless Sword
- The Chronicles of Riddick
- Versus
- Rush Hour – Jackie Chan
- Raging Phoenix – Yanin Jeeja
- The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate – Jet Li
- Tiger Cage 2 – Donnie Yen
- Shanghai Noon – Jackie Chan
- So Close
- The Master – Jet Li
- The Buddhist Fist
- Sex and Fury
- Enter the Fat Dragon – Sammo Hung
- 7 Grandmasters
- Love on Delivery – Stephen Chow
- Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain – Biao Yuen
- The Kick -Yanin Jeeje
- Return of the Streetfighter
- The Kid with the Golden Arm
- Ninja in the Dragon’s Den
- Dragon Lord – Jackie Chan
- Forbidden City Cop – Stephen Chow
- The Mystery of Chess Boxing / Ninja Checkmate
- Iron Angels
- Born to Fight
- Punch Lady
- Taboo
- The Streetfighter’s Last Revenge
- The Sorcerer and the White Snake – Jet Li
- Black Belt
- The Green Hornet
- Haywire – Gina Carano
- Sting of the Dragon Masters
- The Last Samurai
- Wu Tang Vs Ninja
- House of Fury
- Red Belt
- Romeo Must Die – Jet Li
- Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon – Sammo Hung
- The One – Jet Li, Jason Statham
- Yes, Madam! Michelle Yeoh
- Sister Street Fighter
- The Warriors Way
- The Fearless Hyena – Jackie Chan
- Mortal Kombat
- Jackie Chan’s First Strike -uh, Jackie Chan?
- Rapid Fire – Brandon Lee
- The Man from Hong Kong
- Ninja – Scott Adkins
- The Karate Kid – Jackie Chan
- Never Back Down
- Kickboxer – Van Damme
- No Retreat, No Surrender – Van Damme
- Sugata Sanshiro
- OldBoy
I search for these movies in the ‘martial arts’ section on Amazon.co.uk(since I’m Australian, their Blurays are the same region as ours), and failing that I’ll go onto the Amazon.com Martial Arts Movies Section watch them on my region free Bluray/DVD Player.
Keep checking back for more info on how to keep up to date with what’s being watched, and how you can get a hold of more movies easily.
If you want to check the original list out for yourself, it can be found here.
Okay… It’s a fine list… I love the fact that “Bourne ultimatum” is on the list, though it could be higher, Also “Bourne supremacy” deserves a spot. Donnie yen’s “in the line of duty 4” definitely deserves a higher spot… Also some classics are missing, namely: Jet li’s “defender”, Cynthia rothrock’s and biao yen’s “Above the law”, “So close” Donnie yen’s “SPL”, “SPL 2”, Jet Li’s “Evil cult”, Donnie yen’s “swordsman”, “Grandmaster”, Scott Adkins “Undisputed 4” , Iko Uwais’s “Raid”,And Mark Dacascos’s “Drive”.
Feng shen bang (2. IMDb. Inspired by the true story known as the Mekong Massacre- -two Chinese commercial vessels are ambushed while traveling down the Mekong River …
The most interesting part of this list is that the IMDB top 250 list has changed since this post. The only disappointment with this list is that they ignore big American stars like Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris, but will add big budget movies with list martial Arts like Chronicle of Riddick, Batman Begins, Goemon, Kickass, Book of Eli, Curse of the Golden Flower, Storm Riders, The Sorceror and the White Snake, and the Green Hornet, which would be better replaced by a few of their movies and other American movies like Best of the Best
Yeah it is disappointing that Hollywood films seem to be higher up than the actual martial arts movies out there not on the list. It’s part of the reason I never invested the energy into updating this list and instead writing my guide. Thanks for the feedback Aaron!
Wide I want to say Where is one of my very favorites IKO Uwarus .He is like one of the very best i have ever seen in MA aany time..i think he is like number 4 or 5 in my choices. And i hope i can get a list of any more movies he is in. Are you able to help me along on that Wade ??? I am 74 now and i love it just as much as ever. I go back before 1972 Kung FU TV series With David Carridine. Thanks and GOD Bless Sir .
Hi Darryl! Thanks for commenting.
Iko Uwais is on the list – ‘The Raid’ and ‘Merantau’ are there. If you’re looking for more though, check out ‘The Raid 2’, ‘Headshot’ and the upcoming ‘Triple Threat’. I’m glad to hear you’re still right into it all, they’re addictive movies! 🙂
I’ll be writing more about Iko in the future so keep checking back 🙂
Oh yeah, I forgot “wolf warrior 2” , “Man from shaolin”And “John Wick” (All of them) especially part 3…parabellum.
No “Kill or Be Killed”? Really?
We’ll have to track down the writer of this list and give him the option to add it in, or we’ll attack him in a “kill or be killed” game of death. That’ll teach the mongrel.
Hey Wade, Ive been trying to find this movie forever. I don’t have a great memory of it though. Does any of this ring a bell?
It was a martial arts movie where there wasn’t a primary protagonist.
It would focus on a single fighter who you would think is the hero until they died, and they would essentially pass the baton to the next fighter/protagonist to continue the story.
Each hero would have their own weapon and style of fighting. I remember one guy had these blades that came out from his elbow and another had sais. There was at least one female hero too. Thanks for any help.
Sorry mate I can’t think of what movie that is 🙁 I defintiely haven’t seen it. I’ll keep an eye out though!
I think rorouni Kenshin (samurai x) ought to be here… especially the *the legend ends*…. shishio really nailed it
Yeah, I didn’t create this list but I’m considering doing a top martial arts anime list. That’d have to be there for sure 🙂
AoA
Dear Wade,
Is it possible if you add the release date of movie as well. I am not sure but i think it will become handier.
Thanks
I think I will actually 🙂 It’s a bit of task though so it won’t be soon but definitely 🙂
hi
love to see there are hardcore fans out there just like me.i own over 1000 dvd martial arts movie from shaw bros. classic to the much modern martial art flix now. there are two movies that should be added to the top of your list and that is Bichunmoo & Shadowless sword which is the sequel trust me i will not steer you wrong…
I’ll check those out for sure! I got a couple of hundred movies there, just starting to get my hands on some of the shaw brothers classics.I’ll check those movies out for sure!
Good list , try adding some Jason statham he worthy of 2 or 3 spots
I totally agree, but it’s not my list! My list will definitely have some Statham in it in time!
1997’s “Drive” isn’t on the list. That’s akin to blasphemy.
The beauty of using someone else’s list – “not myfault!” haha, you reckon “Drive” should be up there? I’ll watch it sometime in the near future and do a review 🙂
TODOS LOS EXPONENTE DE ARTES MARCIALES EN UN PAGINA. EXELENTE IDEA PARA LOS FANATICOS.EXITOS A TODOS¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
Yeah it’s pretty handy! I thought it was a good idea aswell..