Martial arts movies are often at their best when they embrace the wacky side of the genre, being an enjoyable watch even decades after they were originally filmed. Martial arts movies are keen to put the action front and center, with the narrative connective tissue ranging fromdeeply philosophical dissections of kung futo totally absurd and nonsensical fairy tales. Surprisingly, some of the most fun to watch entries in the genre are the latter, being unique experiences unlike anything else.
In many cases, the martial arts films that do this best are great fun to enjoy due to their status asso-bad-they’re-good classics. The combination of time and culture shock many foreign-made martial arts films employ can result in a hilarious telephone game that results in an enjoyable weird time. Others are more intentional with their wackiness, knowingly engaging in well-written tongue-in-cheek comedy while still exhibiting some flawless kung fu choreography.
Few films are as venerated as intentionally hilarious kung fu movies asKung Fu Hustle.The plot centers on a pair of dimwitted con artists, Sing and Bone, who attempt to fool the citizens of the hilariously-named small town Pig Sty Alley that they’re members of the dreaded Axe Gang. Their lie is challenged when the real Axe Gang comes to town to wreak havoc, but luckily for the duo, three very real retired kung fu masters already live in the run-down neighborhood, stepping up to defend their home.
10 Classic Martial Arts Movies That Have Non-Stop Action
Slow-paced martial arts movies can be great, but nothing beats the thrill of an action-packed fighting film that keeps the energy high throughout.
Kung Fu Hustleplays with many famous tropesthe martial arts genre is known for, right down to the presence of the Axe Gang, a time-honored tradition in the space. The bizarre kung fu powers, such as magical traditional Chinese instruments and powerful Buddha palm techniques, are all hilarious to watch in action, paring well with the cartoonish humor of the characters. It’s no wonder that asequel toKung Fu Hustlehas been in the works for a long time.
Considering the sheer breadth of martial arts films made by the famous Shaw brothers in Hong Kong in the 70s and 80s, it’s no wonder that other genres occasionally found their way into the mix. EnterHuman Lanterns,a bizarre hybrid horror-martial arts filmdirected by the esteemed duo. The story centers on a classic love triangle involving two martial arts masters who soon sink to increasingly grisly lengths to accomplish their goals.
The set design and cheap quality of the absurd action make for a dizzying trip through a nightmarish horror-kung fu funhouse.
One of the most gory and jarringly violent films ever made by the Shaw brothers,Human Lanternsearns its name when the skull-masked villain begins flaying human victims alive and turning them into glowing lanterns. The set design and cheap quality of the absurd action make for a dizzying trip through a nightmarish horror-kung fu funhouse. That being said,Human Lanternshas fight choreography and graceful wirework that can stand with the best, making ita fantastic wacky experience for those who can stomach the gore.
Yet another Shaw Brothers production to get creative with a miniscule budget,Holy Flame from the Martial Worldis some of the best in fantasy kung fu movie filmmaking. The threadbare plot, as much as there can be said to be one, is stock-standard for a kung fu movie, followinga brother and sister who seek revenge for their parents' murder. In order to do so, they must seek out and wield the titular Holy Flame.
Holy Flame from the Martial Worldhas too many bizarre ideas crammed into a short span of time to be believable until one can see it for themselves. The non-stop, breakneck-pace action includes laser sword lightshows, magical blasts that turn people into skeletons, paintings the come to live and birth hordes of ninjas, and deathly spurts of laughter. For a rare gem of a film that flings its high-octane fighters through the air more often than it allows them to fight on solid ground,Holy Flame from the Martial Worldis too stacked with bizarre ideasto ignore.
Shaolin Youth Posse
Cast
The Little Hero of Shaolin Temple, released in 1972, depicts a group of young martial artists training in the Shaolin Temple to master the arts of snake, crane, tiger, and leopard. Their skills are challenged when the temple faces an unexpected invasion, presenting a rare glimpse into classic martial arts cinema.
It’s rare that martial arts films utilize children, outside of theKarate Kidseries, with the heavy regulations surrounding child labor laws making the arduous process of good fight choreography all the more difficult.Shaolin Youth Possehas no such weaknesses, putting its pint-sized monks front-and-center in the action. The plot centers on a monastery of shaolin monks who take in a royal-blooded child, prompting a response from an evil tyrant to send assassins to kill the monastery’s children while the adults are away.
Not only doesShaolin Youth Posseallow literal children to jump into the fray, but it’s more than comfortable showing them be horribly killed on-screen, with many unnamed young monks dropping like flies in the ongoing assault.Bad guys include a flamboyant vampire and a swordsman dressed like Wonder Womanwho inexplicably has the ability to shoot fire from his palms. As the kung fu-weilding kids fling themselves into a variety of human pyramid formations to fend off their attackers and even summon ancient ghost monks to help out, there’s no shortage of wonderfully strange chaos.
Thanks to the immense cultural staying power of the ancient Chinese folk tale, many kung fumovies based onJourney to the West, featuring an ape-like protagonist similar to Sun Wukong, have come and gone. But only one stands out as a female twist on the classic myth, that beingLady Iron Monkey.The film tells the story ofa woman who is raised by apes, somehow becoming half-monkey herselfin the process. When she’s taken in by a kung fu master, she ends up falling for an evil prince who abuses her uncontested fighting ability.
Lady Iron Monkeymakes the most out of its protagonists' simian theme, hilariously introducing her with flashing cuts to stock footage of an actual chimpanzee. Theaudacious slapstick comedy, strung together with cartoon sound effects and a uniquely great synth soundtrack, makes for an enjoyably weird journey. Beneath all the bizarre action scenes that see the protagonist use her tail like a propeller to fly through the air lies a genuinely heartfelt story about recognizing a person for who they are and shedding infatuation.
Also known asFury of the Silver Fox, Matching Escortis the second installment of the Wolfen Ninja trilogy created by visionary genius director Pearl Chang Ling. The story opens ona forbidden romance between a gentle but fierce prince and a simple commoner girl, separated by the gulf in their social classes. The girl is forced to wear heavy iron shoes all throughout her childhood, giving her formidable strength in kicking and jumping. After her inexplicably large family is murdered for the priceless Jade Mandarin Ducks they own, she seeks revenge.
Pearl’s character later falls into a toxic pool in a cave that gives her even more superpowers, further enhancing her quest for revenge alongside her dashing prince and his lovable manservant, Peanut. She faces shark-like water ninjas and an audaciously silly poisoner, culminating in a final battle witha dastardly villain sporting a flying cybernetic arm. The trippyAlice in Wonderlandart design and surreal colors make the whole experience into an enjoyably absurd dream of well-realized martial arts battles.
Some of the later Shaw Brothers movies began leaning more and more into the fantastical, butThe Battle Wizardis one of the famed producers' earliest attempts at a more magical kung fu experience. The film follows a cloistered scholar who travels with his sword-toting sister to take on three villains to bring peace to their troubled family lineage. The bad guys include a snake charmer, a lecherous monster with flying chined pincer-hooks for hands, and an evil wizard with metallic rooster feet in place of his legs.
The Battle Wizardis one of the most absurd kung fu movies ever committed to film,more interested in characters that can fire beams of death out of their fingers or breathe firethan do any actual martial arts. That being said, it’s relentlessly entertaining, and the growth of the sibling protagonists is quite natural and believable as events progress. Filled to the brim with the most audacious ofwuxia movie fantasymadness,The Battle Wizardisn’t one to miss.
Compared to the other films on this list,Everything Everywhere All at Oncestands totally on its own in terms of quality and popularity. That being said, it’s still an unbelievably strange martial arts movie that assaults its viewers with a wacky stream-of-consciousness unmatched by any other. The story centers on Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn, a struggling business owner, wife, and mother who is suddenly thrust into an interdimensional conflict spurred on by the nihilism of an ultra-powerful variant of her own daughter.
With a genuine emotional core around which the weirdness can unfold,Everything Everywhere All at Onceis very deserving of its Academy Awards.
To activate the kung fu prowess of their other selves, the characters ofEverything Everywhere All at Oncehave to trigger incredibly unlikely events. This prompts them in races to eat chapstick, chuge 2-liter bottles of soda, or even stick desk toys where the sun doesn’t shine, resulting insome of the most creative and hilarious martial arts fight sequences ever dreamed up. With a genuine emotional core around which the weirdness can unfold,Everything Everywhere All at Onceis very deserving of its Academy Awards.
Although the more recent take onMortal Kombatmight technically be a better-made film, the campy charm of the 1995 original still reigns superior in terms of wacky fun. Despite being a PG-13 movie based on one of the most violent video games of all time,Mortal Kombatdoes its best to tell the tale of the titular martial arts tournament, in which multiple dimensions come together in an organized power struggle. To do so, the Thunder God Raiden gathers movie star Johnny Cage, shaolin monk Liu Kang, and special forces operator Sonya Blade to compete.
The Halloween-store set design and garish early 90s CGI all make for some lovably cheesy fight scenes that make the most out of the film’s iconic blaring techno soundtrack. It’s this kind of wacky charm that the more authentic 2021 film simply can’t hold a candle to, not to mention the far better chemistry behind the main trio of Earthrealmers. TheupcomingMortal Kombatsequelwill have to do a lot to win over those, like myself, who prefer the classic version.
Also by Stephen Chow ofKung Fu Hustlefame,Shaolin Soccerwas an earlier attempt to show off the funnier side of the martial arts genre. Combining kung fu action with sports movie drama, the plot centers on a former shaolin monk who reunites with his five brothers in order to form a soccer team. Their goal is to weaponize their unique kicking skills honed by years of kung fu mastery in order to popularize the techniques and bring them to the masses.
10 Beautiful & Artistically Stylish Martial Arts Movies
Some martial arts movies go above and beyond with their artistic vision, featuring beautiful cinematography, set design, costumes, and colors.
It’s not every day thatnigh-supernatural shaolin powers are used to send soccer balls flying like meteorsinto goals with bicycle kicks, but that’s exactly the kind of absurd actionShaolin Soccerrevels in. Of course, the world of the film rises to the challenge of meeting the protagonists' hilarious sports advantages, pitting them against a so-called “Team Evil” that uses American drugs to turn its players into monstrously strong superhumans. Lined with golden jokes and a decidedly unique usage of kung fu,Shaolin Socceris the pinnacle of wackymartial arts moviefun.
