Martial arts and the action genre have gone hand-in-hand in movies for decades. We think of actors like Chow Yun Fat or Keanu Reeves as John Wick whenever we think of stylish gunfights, but martial arts offer audiences dramatic battles that are more up close and personal.
Fist fights and close-range brawls in movies are special because they can take so many different forms. Our heroes can use weapons, like swords, to cut down dozens of foes without taking a scratch. The combat can be heavily stylized or use wirework, but it can also be a display of grounded martial arts prowess or stunts.
Many of these protagonists are played by respected martial artists and well-known actors in the genre. After all, casting an experienced real-life expert in a specific fighting style, whether it’s Bruce Lee, Jet Li, or Jean-Claude Van Damme can naturally be a boon to the action and make choreographing a thrilling fight even easier for the filmmakers.
9
Yuri Boyka – Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)
It may seem odd to feature the 3rd entry in a series on the list. However, Scott Adkins plays Yuri Boyka in Undisputed III: Redemption. He was previously the antagonist, and he attempts to redeem himself in the franchise’s third installment.
Yuri Boyka is serving a sentence at Gorgon Prison. It’s a brutal, maximum-security holding and home to many dangerous criminals. It’s remarkable, then, that Boyka has thrived in such a harsh environment. He’s respected in the illegal fight scene at the prison, where the stakes are high, and life-altering injuries are common.
Boyka is so formidable because he combines a variety of fighting styles. He’s a well-rounded combatant, particularly famous for his lethal spinning kicks. Boyka is also extraordinarily resilient, as he comes back from a painful injury with the odds stacked against him and surrounded by foes who know his weaknesses.
8
Isaiah Bone – Blood And Bone (2009)
Michael Jai White is a trained martial arts practitioner in real life, and those skills translate beautifully to the silver screen. One of his strongest characters is arguably Isaiah Bone from Blood and Bone, an ex-convict who competes in an underground fight circuit.
Bone has unique motivations for competing, but makes the list for his combat abilities. He’s always calm and composed, unleashing controlled combos and reacting to his opponents’ attacks. Bone also demonstrates his skills with locks and holds, which may not be flashy but can incapacitate his foes.
Finally, Bone demonstrates some skill with weapons and effortlessly takes down a sword-wielding attacker with just a sheath. He takes down numerous fighters with far grander motivations than fame and money in encounters with few rules.
7
Kurt Sloane – Kickboxer (1989)
Kickboxer is one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s greatest movies, alongside other classics like Bloodsport. He plays Kurt Sloane, a fighter hungry for vengeance after witnessing Tong Po defeat his kickboxing world champion brother Eric (Dennis Alexio), paralyzing him.
Sloane doesn’t start the movie as a fighter. However, he seeks Xian Chow, a fabled trainer, and asks to be taught Muay Thai to get his revenge. Much of the movie is a training montage, and we see Sloane become a chiseled warrior despite Chow’s brutal techniques.
We ultimately don’t see Sloane in many battles, though his strength can be gauged by his opponents. We see Tong Po kick a stone girder for practice and effortlessly beat a world champion. Kurt is clearly tougher than that, making a mockery of the Muay Thai master in their final climactic encounter.
6
Liu Jian – Kiss Of The Dragon (2001)
Jet Li is a beloved Chinese martial artist trained in Wushu. He’s starred in numerous movies worldwide, though many Western audiences know him as Liu Jian in Kiss of the Dragon. He’s an intelligence officer on a mission in Paris, and is betrayed by Inspector Richard (Tchéky Karyo).
Liu is outnumbered and outgunned, though we soon realize that may not be a problem. Our hero is an adept street fighter with exceptionally fast and powerful punches. We also see him take down two deadly brawlers who work together in a bloody fight to the death.
In that same fight, audiences will notice that Liu uses the environment to his advantage. He’s less acrobatic than some other combatants on this list, but he uses everything at his disposal to finish on top in wild encounters without rules.
5
Ting – Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)
Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is a special movie on the list because it introduced a broad audience to Muay Thai in the early 2000s. Tony Jaa’s portrayal of Ting is unforgettable, showcasing a brutal fighting style that turns his elbows and knees into lethal weapons.
Ting is a proficient martial artist, though he isn’t looking for fights in the movie. He’s searching for a stolen relic from a small village, and his quest leads him to unwillingly participate in a ruthless underground fighting ring.
Ting dispatches his foes with powerful strikes in a style quite unlike that of similar movies of the time. He’s also incredibly acrobatic, able to leap high enough to knee his opponents in the face or slam his elbows into their skulls.
4
Wong Fei-Hung – Drunken Master (1978)
Few actors have contributed to the martial arts genre quite like Jackie Chan. His influence on martial arts movies cannot be understated, and each of his films is a grand showcase of his stunt work. Chan has played numerous characters over the years, though Wong Fei-Hung is arguably his strongest.
Wong Fei-Hung is a skilled martial artist when we first meet him in Drunken Master. He later learns Zui Quan (Drunken Boxing) from a man called Begger So (Siu-Tin Yuen). The training drastically improves Wong’s combat skills. He hits hard, but he’s also unpredictable, effortlessly weaving and dodging his opponents’ best attacks.
We know Wong can take a punch, but his Drunken Boxing style makes it so his opponents can rarely land a hit in the first place. It seems like Wong is toying with his opponents in numerous fights, and he’s able to control battles while his attackers expend themselves hitting thin air.
3
Rama – The Raid: Redemption (2011)
The Raid: Redemption is easily one of the grittiest action movies on the list, starring Iko Uwais as Rama. He’s a police officer, adept in Pencak Silat, on a dangerous mission to overthrow a drug lord operating from the top of a high-rise apartment complex.
Rama is no ordinary officer and is a powerful fighter. He uses his knees and elbows to deliver visceral blows and makes full use of the environment to dispatch his foes. Uwais is a phenomenal martial artist. He’s blisteringly fast, and Rama rates so highly on the list because he’s resourceful and can withstand a lot of punishment. Our hero takes down notable opponents in 1v1 combat, but also takes down groups of armed attackers in dramatic encounters in the tight corridors of the complex.
The Raid: Redemption introduces us to Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian), who would arguably rate even higher if we were counting villains on the list. Audiences are also treated to more of Rama’s exceptional fights in The Raid 2.
2
Ip Man – Ip Man (2008)
Donnie Yen stars as Ip Man in the 2008 movie of the same name. His character is based on a real person, most famous for training Bruce Lee.
The original Ip Man movie is set during the 1930s. He’s a skilled Wing Chun practitioner and a formidable fighter, but he’s always humble. Part of what makes Ip Man such a great protagonist is that he only fights when necessary, with great respect for his opponents.
His demeanor keeps him level-headed, but his fighting style is explosive, particularly at close range. We see Ip Man unleash flurries of rapid, precise punches to overwhelm his foes. He’s also reactive to his opponents’ attacks, ready to intercept or block at a moment’s notice.
There are currently four Ip Man movies, and they all portray him as a calm fighter with an unbeatable blend of offensive and defensive prowess.
1
Lee – Enter The Dragon (1973)
Enter the Dragon is a legendary martial arts/action movie starring Bruce Lee as Lee. He’s a highly skilled fighter, and the authorities want him to infiltrate a shady martial arts tournament on an island operated by Mr Han (Shih Kien)
The island holds a dark secret that Lee must uncover while masquerading as a regular combatant for the tournament. We see his strength on full display when he fights Han’s personal bodyguard, Oharra (Robert Wall).
Audiences know that Oharra is strong, but Lee utterly dismantles him. His speed is jaw-dropping, even today, with a light, agile fighting style that we don’t often see on the silver screen. It’s also arguably one of Bruce Lee’s greatest fight scenes.
Lee later proves himself adept at using multiple weapons, fending off dozens of armed guards simultaneously. He also treats us to an impressive display of nunchuck prowess that remains incredible even on a rewatch. Bruce Lee’s speed and precision remain sights to behold decades later, cementing Enter the Dragon as one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time.
