Martial Arts Movies

[Ryan]

I know this will be popular.......

I have to admit. I get a little turned off to movies that have unrealistic martial art scenes ie Kill Bill but I still watch them. I love movies like WAR as the martial arts in that movie can really happen. I think this is why I like most Jackie Chan films. Jet Li has a lot of unrealistic things but he makes it look good.

Bruce Lee did things you didn't think were possible but were to him.

Heres question.... what are your top 5 and why

1. Enter The Dragon- Bruce Lee, I think this was his most modern looking movie. Its easy to watch for anyone.

2. Unleashed- Jet Li, I can actually watch this with my wife and not hear her gripe about the martial arts. Its got some unrealistic scenes but great story and great fighting

3. WAR- Jet Li, this seems to be his best movie. Its funny how he retired only to make about 5 more movies. hahaha. Very realistic

4. Rush Hour (entire series)Chan- comedy and martial arts- unrealistic scenes few and far between. I enjoy the story

5. The Last Dragon- Taimak- Its funny that I like this one but I think this is the movie that made me fall in love with the martial arts. It was funny, the fight scenes were all realistic, Bruce Lee was talked about a lot and damn it.... I just love the 80's

[Dannicus]

1. Fist of Legend(Jet Li version)- In my opinion, this is the single best martial arts movie ever made...nothing even comes close.

2. Ong Bak- Tony Jaa is the future of Martial Arts Films. He's a Muay Thai guy. Very different from Kung Fu stars. All his stunt work and fight sequences are him, he reminds me of Jackie Chan. He puts his body on the line for that amazing shot.

3. Iron Monkey- Donny Yen. Acupuncturist by day. Masked Justice Bringer by night...awesome.

4. Kung Fu Hustle- Best described as a martial arts film combined with the magic of Loony Tunes...this is also a must see.

5. The Cripple Masters- If you haven't watched this movie, you should. It's amazingly inspiring. One guy has no legs, the other has no arms. The things they do together are absolutely amazing. Go ahead, make fun of them...they will kick your ass

[Eric?!]

1. Way Of The Dragon ~ Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris

2. Five Deadly Venoms ~ Great Action Scenes

3. Fist Of Legend ~ Chinese vs. Japanese Martial Arts

4. Legend Of Drunken Master ~ IMHO Jackie Chan's Best Movie

5. The Seven Samurai ~ Classic

Honorable Mention ~ Ong Bak ~

[LongV]

What about the Matrix Trilogies with Neo? Seriously, the guy can stop bullets and take on 100's of Agents.

[ae2052]

Has anyone seen "Never Back Down". Is this movie full of crap or does it make a good attempt to be realistic

[Ryan]

I liked Never Back Down. It was good but it will never be of legendary status like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li or Chuck Norris.

I liked Ong Bak too. I liked the guys cousin.... he was hilarious.:D

[BadKarmaRising]

1) Kung Fu Hustle- It's just ridiculously entertaining.

2) Enter the Dragon- What needs to be said?

3) The Seven Samuri- Flat out a classic.

4) The Last Dragon.- Catches bullets wiff his teef?

5) Above the Law.- It's the movie that made me think grappling was not only cool, but deadly!

[Ryan]

I like the majority of martial arts films. I like everything from the Karate Kid to The One to Never Back Down. I just think some are better than others due to storylines and fight scenes.

[ParaParaJMo]

I like Once Upon a Time in High School. It's a Korean movie. It came out in 2004, but takes place in the late 1970s where a kid who practices TKD is transfered to an all boys school run by the military and he also loves Bruce Lee. The school is run by abusive teachers and hallway monitors, and the main character and his friend only want to party and try to get laid.

The action is really raw and unique in its own way.

[slideyfoot]

Jackie Chan's work with Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung is great, in particular Wheels on Meals (for the fight with Benny the Jet alone) and Dragons Forever (surprisingly good plot for an MA flick, with again decent end fights involving the Jet).

Speaking of Biao and Hung, The Prodigal Son is a classic. A film that actually makes _ing _un look good, amazingly. ;)

If you don't mind wire-fu, then the first few Once Upon A Time In China are at the top of the genre.

Bruce Lee's stuff is fun, and I'd also go with Way of the Dragon as probably his best work, especially if you get hold of the Hong Kong Legends extra-packed DVD. Unfortunately they've now gone under, but they were the best in the business: so good they even made Game of Death entertaining, with snippets like a 40min chunk of Lee's original cut from his work-in-progress.

Donnie Yen has been producing awesome work for years, which has continued to the present: Sha Po Lang was enteratining, and Flash Point looks fantastic. I also liked him back in Iron Monkey, but thats one among many.

Tony Jaa has impressed with Ong Bak: must get round to seeing the more recent one, as his acrobatics in Ong Bak were brilliant. Going by the extras, he'd been practicing those exact stunts for years beforehand, and it shows.

As a BJJ guy, I'm really looking forward to Redbelt. Ejiofor is one of the best actors I've seen in recent years, and also got to watch him train when he took a few privates at RGA. Should be good, or at least an improvement on Never Back Down (which from what I've heard wouldn't exactly be hard :p ).

If Seven Samurai counts, then I'd definitely concur with that one, as well as other Kurosawa/Mifune works like Yojimbo and its sequal Sanjuro.

[Dannicus]

I haven't decided what I think of the prerelease hype on Redbelt....Randy Couture is in it I believe, and the plot could be interesting. But we shall see.

The one movie I am waiting for now is Forbidden Kingdom. Jackie Chan and Jet Li get it on? I'm so there.

[Ari Bolden]

Okay...here I go!

1) Above the Law: The main reason I started aikido and the movie that really started me on my martial arts Journey!

2) The Octagon: Chuck Norris and Ninjas! I mean seriously, can you get any better than that?

3) Any movie with Toshiro Mifune!

4) Revenge of the Ninja: Sho Kosugi...love that guy

5) Blood sport: Before there was the UFC, there was BLOOD SPORT baby!


Also, The 2 worst martial arts movies ever made were

1)Gymkata
2) Ricky Oh :Warning, this truly is the worst movie ever made in history but you MUST see it! SERIOUSLY, go out and rent it tonight..this will spwan a thread unto itself!

[Ryan]

Okay...here I go!

1) Above the Law: The main reason I started aikido and the movie that really started me on my martial arts Journey!

2) The Octagon: Chuck Norris and Ninjas! I mean seriously, can you get any better than that?

3) Any movie with Toshiro Mifune!

4) Revenge of the Ninja: Sho Kosugi...love that guy

5) Blood sport: Before there was the UFC, there was BLOOD SPORT baby!


Also, The 2 worst martial arts movies ever made were

1)Gymkata
2) Ricky Oh :Warning, this truly is the worst movie ever made in history but you MUST see it! SERIOUSLY, go out and rent it tonight..this will spwan a thread unto itself!

Pretty sad Ari- I have only heard of a few of those movies. What movies is Toshiro Mifune in?

Also, I hate to admit it but I actually watch the kid martial arts movies too... ie- 3 Ninjas (don't laugh), the one where Chuck Norris competes with that kid who has bad asthma, TMNT- the actual movies I have at home!

[Ari Bolden]

I also forgot to mention : The Last Samurai

As for movies TM has been in, I tried to list the 170 or so films on this thread from wiki but it wouldn't let me (funny that!).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshir%C5%8D_Mifune

[Ryan]

I also forgot to mention : The Last Samurai

As for movies TM has been in, I tried to list the 170 or so films on this thread from wiki but it wouldn't let me (funny that!).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshir%C5%8D_Mifune

Wow, what a career. I haven't seen any of those movies but he has had a hell of a movie career. I am shocked I haven't atleast heard his name.

[slideyfoot]

Wow, what a career. I haven't seen any of those movies but he has had a hell of a movie career. I am shocked I haven't atleast heard his name.

IMO, one of the best actors (imagine Bruce Lee, but with acting skill as well as incredible screen presence) of all time, so yeah, you probably should have heard of him. :p

Had an interesting relationship with Kurosawa: walking past the film studies bit at my uni, I remember they had posters up advertising some book about it, which would be cool to read.

Bunch of cult films

I'd like to see Gymkata purely from the cult status: the YouTube clips are hilarious (a pommel horse is all you need to beat up a whole village full of ornery locals, apparently).

[pitoria]

Ong Bak all the way...