Top 5, Bottom 5 Martial Art Movies

[brianbarton]

I have just started getting into Martial Arts Movies and have made a few too many bad choices along with the good ones for my liking.

So it is for this reason that I would like to ask fellow members to recommend their top 5 Martial Arts Movies that we should all take the time to watch, plus 5 that you would post to your own worst enemy.

[deadhand31]

Here are my top 5:

1. Enter the Dragon -Bruce Lee (anything else as number 1 is pure blasphemy!)
2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -Chow Yun Fat
3. Kiss of the Dragon -Jet Li
4. Fist of Legend -Jet Li
5. Return of the Dragon -Bruce Lee




5. Anything with Steven Seagal (dang squinty eyed, whisper voiced poser)
4. Any 3 ninjas movie (duh!)
3. Mortal Kombat Annihilation -Robin Shou (the first one was good, but the sequel was just plain stupid)
2. Game of Death -Bruce Lee, sort of (the only redeeming quality about this movie is the last 15 minutes, where it's really Bruce fighting, not the double. The should have released only the last few scenes. i'm serious, it would have been better!)
1. The Prisoner -Jackie Chan (the movie makes it seem that Jackie is the star, but he's only a minor character. BOO!)

[Zujitsuka]

I don't have any to bash, but here are my five favorites are:

1) "Enter the Dragon", w/ Bruce Lee

2) "Return of the Dragon", w/ Bruce Lee

3) "The Chinese Connection", w/ Bruce Lee

4) "The Tai Chi Master", w/ Jet Li

5) "Fist of Legend", Jet Li

[Kirk]

Do any of you consider The Matrix to be a M.A. flick?
It had some excellent fight scenes. I couldn't rank
the ones I like, cause I just like practically all of them.
If you have high bandwidth, I recommend checking out
http://www.kwoon.tv ... high quality, yet still amatuer
kung fu movies.

[Samurai]

Best Movies.....

1.) Enter the Dragon (I had to say that to avoid blasphemy)

2.) Seven Samurai (Even the Bare Naked Ladies mention the director in there song)

3.) Return of the Dragon (Chuck Norris verus Bruce Lee )

4.) The Octagon (Best 1980's Ninja flick)

5.) The Mask of Zorro (That is great Spanish fencing)

As a side note: I loved the CBS TV Series "Martial Law" with Sammo Hung. I hated to see it go. Another series I liked from a long time ago was called "Spy Game". The hero (forget his name) used everyday items as weapons.


WORST MOVIES....

1.) Ninja 3: The Domination (demon ninjas...come on)

2.) Anything with VanDamme (I did like Bloodsport but that is it)

3.) Game of Death (excluding the last fight scene)

4.) Ghost Warrior (A frozen Samurai )

5.) The Protector (worst Jackie Chan movie ever...I love Jackie's other works)


--Jeremy Bays

[Cthulhu]

In no particular order (really depends on my frame of mind at any given time):

- Enter the Dragon
- Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back
- The Seven Samurai
- Rapid Fire (not a great movie, but great fight scenes)
- one that I'm having trouble remembering at the moment

General worst pics:

- anything with Seagal, Van Dummy, and/or David Carradine

Cthulhu

[donald]

Here are my top, and worst 5. With the not so grand prize going to, Ninja:The Domination. In my opinion the absolute worst martial arts flick, EVER!!! After all the hype in Blackbelt, etc.. I excpected a VERY good movie. This movie was so bad. I was ashamed to admit I did anything comparable to those poor miguided creatures on the screen.
1)Trial of Billy Jack
2)Above the Law
3)Eye for an Eye
4)Fist of Fury
5)Kill or be Killed
Now The Stinkers
1)Ninja:The Domination
2)Glimmer (Glitter?)Man
3)Gym Kata
4)Blood Sport
5)The Big Brawl
:D

[Dronak]

I don't think I've ever made it a point to watch martial arts movies. I'm not too big on movies in general. But maybe I'll try to get Enter the Dragon since it seems to be one of the best kung fu films from the reviews I've seen. I just wanted to say that Gymkata may not have been a great movie, but I thought it was kind of funny. It's one of the few films I know of that featured gymnastics (which was something of a big deal back in high school when I did gymnastics) and I think my parents still have it on tape. It was funny how gymnastic equipment just happened to be around when needed -- the high bar across the alleyway, the pommel horse in the town of crazy people. I found it rather amusing. :)

[fist of fury]

For me in no particular order:
Enter the dragon
The prodigal son
warriors two
crouching tiger
once upon a time in china series

[disciple]

My top 5:
Once Upon a Time In China 1
Once Upon a Time In China 2
Once Upon a Time In China 3
Tai Chi Master - Jet li
Appointment with Death

salute
:asian:

[Kirk]

Nobody said The Matrix?!?!

There was some excellent Kung Fu scenes in that flick!

[arnisador]

Anyone who isn't listing "Enter the Dragon" amongst their Top 5 is clearly in the wrong, and may in fact be unstable and dangerous.

[brianbarton]

Originally posted by arnisador
Anyone who isn't listing "Enter the Dragon" amongst their Top 5 is clearly in the wrong, and may in fact be unstable and dangerous.

While I agree that Enter the Dragon is a good movie, I do not think it is a great martial arts movie, or better than many other movies that have been made since or before.

What I think let the movie down mainly was the camera work. Most of the fighting scenes work shot so close that it stopped you from seeing some of the great action which was happening.

Having said that I feel Enter the Dragon is a very important film. It effectively introduced the film genre to the west. It also set the standard by which all future martial arts movies are made.

[Yari]

Originally posted by Cthulhu
General worst pics:

[cut], and/or David Carradine

Cthulhu

I really liked "silent flute" (I think it was called). Where Carradine played a blind man.

/Yari

[Blindside]

In no particular order:


Drunken Master 2 (Rereleased as the Legend of Drunken Master)
Fist of Legend
Out for Justice/Above the Law (I don't really differentiate these two)
The Seven Samurai
Enter the Dragon (bowing to peer pressure)

Rapid Fire and Only the Strong get honorable mentions.

As for the worst well, I'll leave you with some of the wise words of Dave Barry:

"Karate is a form of martial arts where men with years and years of training, using only their hands and feet, can make some of the worst movies known to man."

(Though no movie with "ninja" in the title has ever been considered good.)

Lamont

[arnisador]

I hate to have to admit it, but I kind of like Kill and Kill Again (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0082612).

[Kirk]

Originally Posted By Arnisador
I hate to have to admit it, but I kind of like Kill and Kill Again

I totally forgot about Kill or Be Killed, and Kill And Kill
Again! Those were great ones!

[arnisador]

I watched about 5 minutes of Steven Seagal's "Exit Wounds" tonight--a fight about 15 minutes into the film, where Seagal takes on 5 or 6 gang muggers who have knives and a bat. It was a bizarre mix of various martial arts styles and acrobatics--it was really bad.

[arnisador]

The fight at the karate school, where Bond is dressed in a gi--before they send him out to battle there is a sword fight. Is that krabi kabong or is it Indonesian (or possibly something else altogether)?

[Rob_Broad]

I look at martial arts movies a little different than a lot of people, I don't most of the martial arts movies I see, and I will admit that even though I enjoy watching Enter the Dragon once every other yr it is not my favorite.

Here are some of my picks in no particular order.
The Perfect Weapon
Big Trouble In Little China
The Last Dragon
The Seven Samuarai
Only The Strong

Things to avoid even if it would save a loved one
Anything with Jean Claude van Damme
Anything with Steven Seagal
Anything with any of the Bruce Lee impostors
Anything with Ninja in the title including Hollywood Ninja with Chris Farley
Gymkata - the shivers run up and down my spine thinking about it
Anything with Billy Blanks, Jalal Merhi, or any other martials arts tournament fighter who thinks they can act

[Kirk]

ROFL! The Last Dragon .. I LOVE that one! hehehe

I shoulda made my username on here "Sho' Nuff"

Am I the prettiest? Am I the badest? Am I the meanest
mo-fo low down around this town?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Ronin]

There is a new martial arts movie in the works called "the ronin legend" fromw what i have seen about it it is gonna be cool.

[Ronin]

its about an american who trains with the samurai and becomes a great warrior, the tension is few know he is an american. He was trained by a great former samurai who keeps his identity a secret. and when the shogun finds out a gaijin has infiltrated the armies a manhunt begins and out of fear the samurais master bans him. The ronin retreats to the forest and becomes spook story told to kids of japan. sho kosugi may be asked to be in it

[Cthulhu]

Rob, if you like the Seven Samurai, check out Yojimbo and/or Sanjuro. For some nasty Japanese siege action, check out Ran. These are all Akira Kurosawa flicks.

Cthulhu

[Stickboxer]

MY FAVORITES:

Bloodsport
Only The Strong
The Perfect Weapon
Rapid Fire
Marked For Death
Mortal Kombat (the FIRST one)
Best Of The Best 1 & 2
Anything with Bruce Lee
And as a product of the Ninja era, I really enjoyed “Enter The Ninja,” which I rented only because I couldn’t find what I had been advised to get because it was considered the greatest MA film, “Enter The Dragon.”


MY ALL-TIME WORST:

Bloodsport
Only The Strong
The Perfect Weapon
Rapid Fire
Marked For Death
Mortal Kombat (the FIRST one)
Best Of The Best 1 & 2
Anything with Bruce Lee
And as a product of the Ninja era, I really enjoyed “Enter The Ninja,” which I rented only because I couldn’t find what I had been advised to get because it was considered the greatest MA film, “Enter The Dragon.”


Like most films of the genre, these can be both wonderful and terrible, depending on the people, sometimes simultaneously.

While I love them, many people around me laugh at them. That includes martial artists and non-practictioners.

Flawlessly good film:
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; mainstreamed, so non-martial artists can like it.

Amazingly awful film:
The Quest!!!

[Kirk]

Anyone here like American Ninja (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0088708) ??

[fist of fury]

Originally posted by Kirk

Anyone here like American Ninja (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0088708) ??

No I think beverly hills ninja was better:D

[Stickboxer]

Now that I think about it, "American Ninja" was one of those films that naturally intrigued a young teenage boy like myself growing up during the craze in the early 80's. So yes, "American Ninja" remains a guilty pleasure I'm embarrassed to admit I like. Then again, I feel that way only about the first one, not the sequels...

It may not really be a movie, but a very interesting and entertaining tape I loved to watch was an old Bruce Lee documentary, with behind-the-scene outtakes of Lee goofing around on the "Game of Death" set...

[Kirk]

Originally posted by Stickboxer

Then again, I feel that way only about the first one, not the sequels...


Amen to that one! The sequels "stunk to high heaven"

[Andi]

Originally posted by Stickboxer

MY FAVORITES:
Best Of The Best 1 & 2

MY ALL-TIME WORST:
Best Of The Best 1 & 2

Like most films of the genre, these can be both wonderful and terrible, depending on the people, sometimes simultaneously.

While I love them, many people around me laugh at them. That includes martial artists and non-practictioners.

Amazingly awful film:
The Quest!!!


Stickboxer mate, I'm quite amazed that you're the only one mentioning the Best of the Best series here. Don't you just love 3 & 4 as well? Brilliant stuff. No, honestly. :wink:

The Quest was great! Well it made me laugh anyway!
(was that the point?)


Andi

[Ty K. Doe]

My all time favorites

1. The Karate Kid
2. Best of the Best
3. The Last Dragon
4. Fists of Legend
5. Bloodsport

5 worst in no particular order

No Retreat No Surrender
Legend of the Red Dragon
American Ninja
Mortal Kombat Annihilation
On Deadly Ground

[arnisador]

Although I've never seen the whole thing, The Next Karate Kid (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0110657) seems to be particularly bad.

[Kirk]

Originally posted by arnisador

Although I've never seen the whole thing, The Next Karate Kid (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0110657) seems to be particularly bad.


I agree. I'd also lump part 3 in with it ... stinkamundo!

[Ronin]

The greatest Martial Arts movie was "They call me Bruce" with Johnny Yune

[Stickboxer]

How could anyone not love “No Retreat, No Surrender”?! After all, who wouldn’t embrace a pro-Chinese film where the instructor is referred to by a Japanese title... or the fact that the Bruce Lee look-alike in the film looked nothing like him!

While I’m at it, “No Retreat” and “Lethal Weapon 4” have something in common: the so-called heroes were such selfish, annoying, and outright bullying jerks that I was yelling for the villain to kill them! Was anyone else bothered by how much of a bully Mel Gibson was in the last version of his increasingly weakening “Weapon” series?


As far as the point of “The Quest,” it had two good things going for it: one, the plot of the mildly successful “Bloodsport” (although “The Quest” was much more realistic!), and two, some impressively handsome Capoeria work.

[bdparsons]

5 Best: (in no particular order)

Enter the Dragon; The Perfect Weapon; Crouching Tiger; Hidden Dragon; Return of the Dragon; Kill the Golden Goose

(Kill the Golden Goose was also re-released as Kill the Golden Ninja. It stars Bong Soo Han as the good guy and Ed Parker as the bad guy. The climactic fight scene in the warehouse is not to be missed! It shows off the best of both Hapkido and Kenpo)

5 Worst (stay away from these in any order)

No Retreat, No Surrender; Any Karate Kid sequel; Any of the Van Damme movies (I'm sorry I tried but couldn't stand any of them); Best of the Best 2; Flaming Fists of Shaolin (no, really, their fists would burst into flames, it was horrible)

Disclaimer: Any reccomendations given are based on martial arts sequences only and have nothing to do with the acting, which is really why we watch them right?

Later,
Bill Parsons

[Rainman]

5 best

game of death
perfect weapon
18 bronzeman.
above the law
drunken master

5 worst

gym kata
the expert
street knight
kick boxer 4
the little dragon


:asian:

[Stickboxer]

Disclaimer: Any reccomendations given are based on martial arts sequences only and have nothing to do with the acting, which is really why we watch them right?
Bill Parsons


If a cool combative sequence is all that matters, then I nominate the group stickfighting scene in "Martial Law 1" and the other group stickfighting scene in "Mission of Justice." I think either are way better than the group stickfighting scene in "Kiss Of The Dragon." (Can anyone tell that I'm into the Filipino arts?)

On the other hand, if you look for more than fight scenes to make a movie enjoyable, then I nominate "Showtown in Little Tokyo." The cheesy acting, bad writing, and hilarious lines are hardly enough to outweigh the incredible talents of a newly-acting Brandon Lee, but then again, they don't have to... they add to the guilty pleasures of the film!

[Seig]

My Top 5 in no particular order:
Perfect Weapon
Only the Strong
Showdown in Little Tokyo
Blind Fury
The Octagon

The Worst:
No Retreat, No Surrender
Road House(Loved the Movie, laughed my butt off at the fights)
Anything with Jean Fraud von Don't
Revenge of the Pink Panther(It made SGM Parker look like a fool)
The entire KickBoxer series

[Kirk]

Originally posted by Seig

The entire KickBoxer series

:eek:

I liked the first one!

[fist of fury]

Originally posted by Kirk



:eek:

I liked the first one!

You would since you have that jean claude shrine your home. Come on admit he's your hero you wish you could do the splits like that.:D

[bscastro]

My favorites::)
1. Enter the Dragon
2. Drunken Master
3. One Upon a Time in China series
4. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
5. Rush Hour

I admit a tendency towards the better production quality movies. I also liked the 1st and 2nd Karate Kids more for the acting than the martial arts. also, gotta love The Last Dragon. You gotta love a bad guy who wears shoulder pads. The old master guy was cool too.

Worst Movies::(
1. A bunch of movies with Cynthia Rothrock (can't remember the movies). Just really cheesy, bad acting and sped up fight scenes.
2. The Quest - A couple of good fight scenes (the ones without Jean-Claude Van Damme of course), but overall, a bad movie.
3. Knock-off: I think I watched about 10 minutes of this and couldn't stand it. Jean Claude has not aged well.
4. I actually liked Under Seige, but in general the premises in Segal's plots are a little hard to swallow. "Hi, I'm an environmentalist, who also happens to be a martial arts master." Or "I'm the Admiral's body guard, but I work as the cook on this ship because I don't want anyone to know I'm his bodyguard."
5. Sudden Death (I think that was what it was called): "Let's hold the vice president (I think) hostage...and we can do it while he's watching the hockey game." Sorry, got a little carried away.

Bryan :)

[arnisador]

THIS COULD BE BIG: Gymnast takes a giant leap

(http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/q/chi-0611260375nov26,1,2069581.story)

Some guys might remember that ridiculous 1985 action flick "Gymkata," in which Olympian Kurt Thomas played a gymnast who, after martial arts training, is transformed into a Cold War-era killing machine, "pommeling" hundreds of ninjas with cartoonish ease.

Not surprisingly, University of Illinois at Chicago student Derek Langone had never heard of "Gymkata." But after bailing on a scholarship three years ago, this former high-bar specialist has become Chicago's very own gymnast-turned-fighter, with dreams of becoming a champion in Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA.

[Mariachi Joe]

1 Fearless
2 Enter the Dragon
3 Kiss of the Dragon
4 Legend of Drunken Master
5 Ong Bak

Worst
3 ninjas
any Van Dam movie
Steven Segals straight to dvd movies
Mortal Kombat 2

[zDom]

Lessee...favs off the top of my head would be something like

Enter the Dragon
Drunken Master
Kung Fu Hustle
Perfect Weapon
Best of the Best

although if I gave it more thought that list would probably change.

I won't name the worst, but those cheapo Cynthia Rothrock flicks along with others that seem to be made by the same production company (and use the same bunch of actors/martial artists) come to mind.

[shotokan-kez]

My best 5 are as follows

1. Enter the dragon
2. Best of the Best
3. Kickboxer
4. Fearless
5. Karate kid

Worst 5

1. Kickboxer 3&4
2. The next karate kid
3. American ninja 2
4. Bloodfist
5. No retreat no surrender

[Xue Sheng]

This is a rather old post but what amazes me most is I went through every page, and although I could have missed it, in the 5 worst I only saw Gymkata posted once.

[Hand Sword]

Hey! The princess was hot! http://martialtalk.com/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Drunken_Boxer]

BEST MOVIES
1.DRUNKEN MASTER 1979
2.ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA
3.BEST OF THE BEST 1989 (Classic martial arts movie,starring Eric Roberts and Philip Rhee) =)
4.POLICE STORY 1985
5.THE CROW 1994

WORST MOVIES
1.LUCKY STARS GO PLACES(OKAY THE END FIGHT WITH THE TKD GUY AGAINST SAMMO WAS TIGHT,BUT THATS ALL)
2.MORTAL KOMBAT ANNIHILATION (NAH....)
3.TIGER CLAW 3
4.WAKE OF DEATH
5.ANYTHING BE STEAVEN SEAGEL....

[jazkiljok]

Eastern Condors
Supercop
Ong Bak
Hard Times
Once upon a time in China (pt 2)


Worst: anything with names like rothrock, lundgren, speakman, swayze, seagal, van damme attached.

[Marvin]

dont have top 5


5 worst:
brazillian brawl
gymkata
crippled masters
any Segall after Above the law
any Van Damme

[Seahawk Guy]

I have to say that I found it strange that nobody mentioned (either as best, or worst) Big Trouble in Little China.

And as much as I really dont like Van Dumb, and as stupid as the movie was, I really liked the fight scenes in Bloodsport.

[zDom]

And as much as I really dont like Van Dumb, and as stupid as the movie was, I really liked the fight scenes in Bloodsport.

Me too.

[IWishToLearn]

Not sure I have a top 5. I have a top couple tho. :)
1)Drunken Master 2 (Released stateside chopped up & redone as Legend of the Drunken Master)
2)Fist of Legend
3)Ong Bok

Sorry - not a Bruce Lee fan. :)

[The Elemental]

Okay, here goes

Top 5 (In terms of kickass none stop movies)

1. Enter The Dragon
2. Drunken Master 2 (Jackie Chan at his best)
3. Once Upon A Time in China 2 (Jet Li's masterpiece)
4. Fist Of Legend
5. Ong Bak (Although not the best stoyline but the fight scenes were amazing)

The Matrix, Kung Fu Hustle, Blood Fist 1 and 2, Ninja Turtles, Sho Kosugi films, wuxia films and several others get honorable mentioning

Top 5 (In terms of storyline)

1. A Touch Of Zen (love the story, it was interesting)
2. Swordsman 1 and 2 (A true Wuxia classic)
3. Duel To Death (Classic Chinese vs Japanase movie except the Japanese aren't really bad guys here.
4. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Classic)
5. Hero

Best Of The Best 1, Karate Kid 1, Chinese Stuntman...etc get honorable mentioning

Bottom 5:

1. All Egyptian Martial Art movies (Yes, we make the worst MA movies ever)
2. Most 1990's low budget American MA movie
3. Knockoff
4. Bad sequels to decent American MA movies (Best Of The Best 3/4, Karate 3...etc)
5. 3 Nnjas: High Noon At Megamountain (I kinda liked the first movie, the rest were silly).

[Grenadier]

Best 5 in my book (in no particular order)

Enter the Dragon
Fist of Fury (renamed the Chinese Connection)
The Big Boss (renamed Fists of Fury)
Way of the Dragon (renamed Return of the Dragon)
Fist of Legend

Honorable mention goes to "Two Champions of Shaolin" simply because that was one of the best jobs of choreographing massive group fight scenes.

Worst 5

Gymkata
Best of the Best series after the original one
Any of the Tiger Claw series
TC2000
Shootfighter

The original Best of the Best was actually a heart-warming movie, although I did get a bit of a chuckle after seeing how overblown the director made the Korean Nationalism aspect. If the nationalistic tendencies were really that big, then rest assured, the Korean crowd wouldn't have been cheering when the Koreans donated their medals to the Americans... Also, Eric Roberts is a terrible actor. At least Christopher Penn had some redneck humor in him that I found quite funny (yes, coming from a Korean-American).

Nothing against Bolo Yeung, of course, as he's a really nice guy, and still built like a brick outhouse (even though he's in his advanced 60's now). It's just that he's always going to be cast in the role of the cheating thug, and not really a good actor. He's at his best when he beats up on people and gives that menacing grin when he crushes people like a nutcracker.

As for Gymkata, what can I say? It's so bad, that it's actually entertaining when you watch it for its comedy value. Oh look! I'm in the village where a bunch of crazy cannibalistic felons are kept, and they just happen to have the gym horse available so I can do some fancy moves on it to defeat as many of the masses as possible until I get tired! Then I can run through the crowd!

The only redeeming part of the movie was seeing Tetchie Agbayani in there. :)

[Jdokan]

Wow Alot of great flick I forgot about...tough call I have only one that comes to teh top Jeff Speakman " The perfect Weapon".....after that any of Bruce Lee's, Chuck's or early Seagal...
Worst ....To me there really aren't any....

[Mariachi Joe]

I had not seen it at the time of my post, but I'm adding it now.
SPL aka Kill Zone here in the U.S. Donnie Yen rocks this one and Sammo Hung can move pretty good for big guy, and Jing Wu isn't half bad himself.

[amishman]

Top 5
1. Enter The Dragon
2. Kill Or Be Killed
3. Kill & Kill Again
4. Game Of Death
5. They Call Me Bruce


Worst 5
1. Game Of Death II
2. Game Of Death II
3. Game Of Death II
4. Game Of Death II
5. Game Of Death II