Martial
arts films are quite often films that people watch with sheer
amazement and wonder. The actors usually in the leading roles have
spent most of their lives in intense training, and martial arts
really is a driving force within their lives, and is seen as nothing
more than a form of artistic expression as opposed to violent acts.
Actors including Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan are known as
international superstars, and quite often as a martial artist first,
and a movie star second.
KUNG FU KILLER is released at
cinemas on 20 February and on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Platforms from
23 February, and this feature will take a look at the top martial
arts films of recent times.
KUNG FU
KILLER (2015)
Donnie Yen
stars as Hahou, a former martial arts instructor imprisoned after
accidentally killing an opponent. When a vicious killer played by
Wang Baoqiang starts targeting martial arts masters though,
Hahou offers to help the police capture him in return for his
freedom. Donnie Yen displays his incredible ability once again in
this all-action feature.
THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM (2008)
The Forbidden Kingdom is a 2008 Chinese-American martial arts film written by John Fusco, and directed by Rob Minkoff, and starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li. The film is loosely based on the novel Journey to the West, it is the first film to star together two of the best known names in the martial arts film genre. The action sequences were choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping.
IP MAN
(2008)
This 2008
semi-biographical martial arts film is loosely based on the life of
Yip Man, a martial arts grandmaster, founder of the martial art Wing
Chun and master of Bruce Lee. It centres on the events in Ip’s life
during the Sino-Japanese war. Donnie Yen stars as Yip Man, once again
bringing his martial arts expertise to the big screen. Sammo Hung and
Tony Leung Siu-hung designed the martial arts choreography for the
film.
POLICE STORY (1985)
Police Story is a 1985 Hong Kong action film written and directed by Jackie Chan, who also starred in the lead role. It is the first of the Police Story series featuring Chan as a Hong Kong police detective named "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui.
Police Story was a huge success in East Asia. It won the Best Film award at the 1986 Hong Kong Film Awards. According to Chan's autobiography he considers Police Story his best action film.
ONCE
UPON A TIME IN CHINA (1991)
Jet Li stars in Once
Upon a Time in China- a film that alerted the world to the
incredible talents of the unknown, but extremely gifted martial
artist and actor. It follows his character Wong Fei-Hung and sees
the locals being concerned with the growing influence and presence of
Westerners and foreigners in Foshan. General Liu Yong Fu of the Black
Flag Army approaches Wong Fei-hung and requests that he helps him
gather and train a militia to assist in defending the town. Directed
by Tsui Hark, the film is a dazzling and colourful spectacle. This
film was one of the first (post Bruce Lee era) to cross over into
western pop-culture and is a firm favourite of martial arts fans
around the world.
CROUCHING
TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000)
This is film that is
already viewed as a classic, and has won many accolades, including
the 2000 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film tells
the story of Master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) an expert swordsman and
martial artist and his warrior friend Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) on
their search for a stolen sword. It is a kung-fu movie woven together
by a love story. Director Ang Lee brought on the Matrix’s
choreographer, Yuen Woo-ping to orchestrate the film’s incredibly
complex fight scenes.
ENTER
THE DRAGON (1973)
A blockbuster hit when
released, Enter the Dragon, is rightfully considered as one of
the best martial arts films of all time and was Bruce Lee’s final
film before his death. The film was the first Chinese martial arts
film to be produced by a Hollywood Studio (Warner Brothers) and the
story follows a n master martial artist who agrees to spy on a
reclusive crime lord by entering a martial arts tournament as a
cover. It is an exotic and extravagant spectacle and Lee is a unique
and humble star who exudes emotion and unsurpassable martial arts
prowess.
HOUSE
OF FLYING DAGGERS (2004)
Set during the Tang
dynasty in China, this film follows two police captains (Andy Lau and
Takeshi Kaneshiro) on their search for the leader of the
counterinsurgency group, the flying Daggers. Jin (Kaneshiro) poses as
an average citizen and busts Mei (Zhang Ziyi,) out of jail because
they believe her to be a secret member of the Daggers, but it turns
out that nothing is quite what it seems. Directed by Zhang Yimou,
this film contains fantastic fight choreography, dancing, traditional
Chinese music, and of course: martial arts.
A TOUCH
OF ZEN (1971)
A Touch of Zen
made cinematic history when it became the first Chinese film to win
an award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1971. It stars Feng Hsu as
Ku, an artist who meets the beautiful Yang and discovers that she is
being perused by agents of an Imperial noble who have murdered her
family. He becomes caught up in her struggle to survive, and many
fierce battles are fought before there is any resolve. The story
effortlessly combines elements of comedy and romance along with its
drama and action.
KILL
BILL VOL. 1 and 2 (2003 & 2004)
Written and directed by
Quentin Tarantio and starring Uma Thurman, Kill Bill Volumes 1 and
2 follow the story of The Bride, as she seeks revenge on an
assassination squad led by Bill (David Carradine) due to his
assassination attempt on her and her unborn child. The film received
critical and commercial success. It is extremely unique in the
martial arts genre as it stars an American female rather than an
Asian male. It also co-stars Daryl Hannah and Lucy Lui proving that
women can be deadly too!
IRON
MONKEY (1993)
Like Once Upon a
Time in China, Iron Monkey also centres on the life of
Wong Fei-hung, but focuses on an event in his childhood where he and
his father, Wong Kei-ying, encounter the “Iron Monkey.” The film
stars Donnie Yen and Sze-Man Tsang and was directed by Woo-ping Yuen,
who also worked on Kill Bill Volume 2 and Jackie Chan’s
Drunken Master.
HERO
(2002)
Another Jet Li film,
Hero is a wuxia film that is based on the story of Jing Ke’s
assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 B.C. When the film
was released it became the highest grossing motion picture in Chinese
film history. The film was nominated for both the Academy Award and
Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Li stars as
Nameless, a master swordsman and the primary conspirator in the
assassination attempt. He brings his usual style and energy, while
the film also stars Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung and Chen Daoming.
ONG-BAK
(2003)
In Ong-Bak, Tony
Jaa stars as a young martial artist living in rural Thailand who goes
to the big city to retrieve the head of his village’s sacred
statue: Ong-Bak. The film used no special effects or stunt doubles,
but you wouldn’t believe it when you watch Jaa’s speed and
execution of his martial arts moves. The film was directed and
written by Prachya Pinkaew and features stunt choreography by Panna
Rittikrai. The fights are staged excellently as Jaa takes down every
enemy that gets in his way. It was so successful that it also
inspired two prequels: Ong-Bak 2 and Ong-Bak 3.
KUNG
FU KILLER IS RELEASED
AT CINEMAS ON 20 FEBRUARY AND ON BLU-RAY, DVD, AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS
FROM 23 FEBRUARY