Martial arts movies have been a staple genre of Western culture since the 1970s. Pioneers like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan set the standard for epic, fast-paced fight scenes and brought them to the silver screen. Films like Robert Clouse’s Enter The Dragon and Yuen Woo-Ping’s Drunken Master helped create the world of martial arts cinema that is famous today.
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The genre hasn’t slowed down since its creation, with many upcoming projects like the long-awaited Karate Kid reboot set to hit screens in 2025. However, certain martial arts movies take themselves more seriously than others. While some plots are centered around character development and realistic fighting applications, other films go the extra mile and focus on downright absurd scenarios. These campy martial arts movies set aside realism and include fighting that is truly ridiculous, but altogether extremely fun to watch.
10 Dragon Tiger Gate (2006)
Clash Of Brothers
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Wilson Yip’s Dragon Tiger Gate is certainly a solid martial arts film, but some of the fight scenes can be a bit over the top. The story follows half-brothers Tiger Wong (Nicholas Tse) and Dragon (Donnie Yen) who were separated at a young age. Leading different lives, the two ultimately realize their shared heritage and reunite.
The punching bag created for this movie, being five feet wide and eight feet tall, was verified as the biggest in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records at the time.
The absurdity begins to ramp up toward the end of the movie when Dragon, Tiger, and Turbo Shek (Shawn Yue) team up to fight Shibumi (Yu Kang), the main antagonist. Throughout the battle, the characters employ traditional amazing kung fu techniques as well as unrealistic moves. In an epic sequence filled with gravity-defying jumps, force fields generated by nunchucks, and wall-shattering kicks, the final battle is as awesome as it is crazy.
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9 Kung Fu Dunk (2008)
Martial Arts Meets Basketball
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The genre of comedic sports-related martial arts films first gained popularity after the release of Stephen Chow’s 2001 movie Shaolin Soccer. Kung Fu Dunk follows a similar template but focuses on basketball instead. The story follows Shi-Jie (Jay Chou), who, after being abandoned as a child, spends his youth training with the master of a kung fu school.
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In this campy film, martial arts meets basketball, and it doesn’t seem out of the ordinary to the characters. Instead of playing the game normally, each possession includes brutal elbows, flashy spin moves, and high-flying dunks. Sometimes, the game just stops, and a ridiculous fight breaks out. At one point, Shie-Jie even uses a kung fu “technique” where he literally freezes the entire arena to add more time to the clock.
8 Ninja III: The Domination (1984)
An Invincible Samurai
Ninja III: The Domination RActionFantasyHorror
Release Date September 14, 1984 Runtime 92 minutes Director Sam Firstenberg Cast Lucinda Dickey , Sho Kosugi , Jordan Bennett , David Chung , Dale Ishimoto , James Hong , Bob Craig , Pamela Ness , Roy Padilla , Moe Mosley , John LaMotta , Ron Foster , Steven Lambert , Earl W. Smith , Carver Barnes , Judy Starr , Karen Petty , Randy Mulkey , James Maher , Cheryl Van Cleve , Suzanne Collins , Rosemary Ono , Janet Marie Heil , Charly Harroway , John Perryman Writers James R. Silke Expand
The film follows aerobics instructor Christie Ryder (Lucinda Dickey), who becomes possessed by the evil spirit of a dead ninja. As the plot continues, he uses Christie as an avatar to take revenge against the police officers who murdered him. Without a doubt, the most ridiculous fight scene takes place within the origin story of the evil ninja’s (David Chung) death.
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It’s a cheesy martial arts horror movie, it’s exaggerated, and it doesn’t make sense, but that makes it all the better. He runs from an army of police but effectively evades them at every turn, and even takes out their helicopter. Flipping and slashing his way through enemies, he finally becomes surrounded. After being shot point black an absurd number of times, he still manages to pop a smoke bomb and escape before passing his spirit onto Christie.
7 Five Element Ninjas (1982)
Wood, Earth, Gold, Water, and Fire
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Five Element Ninjas ActionDrama
Director Chang Cheh Release Date April 21, 1982 Cast Ricky Cheng Tien-Chi , Lung Tien-Hsiang , Lo Meng , Michael Chan , Chan Pui-Sai , Wong Lik , Chu Ko , Chiu Gwok , Chow Siu-Loi , Hsiao Yu , Chan Shen , Yu Tai-Ping , Kwan Fung , Tam Wai-Man , Au Chi-Hung , Lai Yau-Hing , Wong Ka-Leung , Wan Seung-Lam , Chow Kin-Ping , Lee Yiu-King , Ho Wing-Cheung , Cheung Yiu-Sing Runtime 108 Minutes Studio(s) Shaw Brothers Writers Chang Cheh , Ni Kuang Main Genre Action Expand
Five Element Ninjas is a story of revenge. After a martial arts academy is taken over and destroyed by ninjas, the sole survivor, Tien Hao (Tien-Chi Cheng) eventually regroups with three other students to get revenge. Now, they must face off against the five element ninjas: wood, earth, gold, water, and fire.
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It’s no surprise that
Five Element Ninjas
is considered legendary in its genre.
From the get-go, the movie is so over the top, but just as entertaining. The detailed costumes, fast-paced cinematography, and drawn-out fight sequences all add to the unique experience. There are five times more flips, dodges, and spear twirls than one might find in the average martial arts film, but it fits the tone of the movie so well. It’s absurd and comically violent, but so much fun to watch. It’s no surprise that Five Element Ninjas is considered legendary in its genre.
6 Kung Pow! Enter The Fist (2002)
A Parody Of Martial Arts
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist PG-13ComedyAction
Release Date January 25, 2002 Runtime 81 minutes Director Steve Oedekerk Cast Steve Oedekerk , Lung Fei , Leo Lee , Hsieh Ling-ling , Lin Yan , Lau Kar-leung , Chen Hui-Lou , Escobar Tongue , Jennifer Tung , Ming Lo , Peggy Lu , Tad Horino , Tori Tran , Simon Rhee , Joon Kim , Philip Tan , Nasty Nes , Chad Stahelski , Michael Li , Jen Sung , Al Goto , Will Leong , Woon Young Park , Hiro Koda , Ron Yuan Expand
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Kung Pow: Enter The Fist shouldn’t be considered a martial arts movie, but rather a comedy with elements of martial arts. It is meant to be a parody of Hong Kong action cinema, and it certainly accomplishes this goal. The story follows the Chosen One (Steve Oedekerk) as he searches for the man who killed his family.
To make
Kung Pow: Enter The Fist,
Director Steve Oedekerk used footage from the 1976 Hong Kong film
Savage Killers,
and then digitally inserted himself into the movie before adding new scenes and character dubbing.
This film takes the term absurd to a whole new level. It doesn’t take itself seriously, and it doesn’t need to. At one point in the plot, the Chosen One comes across a cow in an open field. Unsurprisingly, the cow knows martial arts, and the two begin to duke it out in a scene filled with flips and laughable CGI. Despite its chaos, it’s a beloved parody movie, and there is still enthusiasm for a Kung Pow 2: Enter The Fist.
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5 Shaolin Soccer (2001)
Martial Arts Meets Soccer
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Shaolin Soccer PG-13ActionComedy
Release Date July 5, 2001 Runtime 113 minutes Director Stephen Chow Cast Stephen Chow , Zhao Wei , Ng Man-tat , Patrick Tse Yin , Vincent Kok , Wong Yat-fei , Meilin Mo , Tenky Tin Kai-Man , Danny Chan Kwok-kwan , Lam Tze-chung , Steven Fung Min-Hang , Alex Lam Chi-Sin , Yuen Siu-Lung , Wong Ming-Kin , Leo Lo Hoi-Ying , Sin Kin-Wing , Yiu Yuk , Sik Chi-Wan , Cao Hua , Lee Ban-Hung , Shi Hang-Kong , Cecilia Cheung , Karen Mok Man-Wai , Li Hui , Suen Chi-Wing Writers Fung Chih-chiang , Tsang Kan-Cheong , Steven Fung Min-Hang Main Genre Action Expand
Sports movie purists might find this film hard to watch, but director Stephen Chow does an astounding and downright hilarious job of blending the worlds of kung fu and soccer. Following Mighty Steel Leg Sing (Stephen Chow), Shaolin Soccer shows what happens when martial arts masters make their way to the field—and it doesn’t disappoint.
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Stephen Chow elevates the sport of soccer to levels that were never thought to be possible. The matches are not simply competitions, but rather displays of insane kung fu techniques that are laughably over the top. In one scene, a player infuses the ball with the energy of a dark spirit, hurling it towards the net in a plume of fire. Even with such ridiculous power behind the shot, the goalkeeper manages to use a spinning kung fu technique to save it.
4 Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Martial Arts Gangsters
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Kung Fu Hustle RActionComedyCrimeFantasy
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*Availability in US Release Date February 10, 2004 Runtime 99 Minutes Director Stephen Chow Cast Stephen Chow , Yuen Wah , Yuen Qiu , Lam Tze-chung , Bruce Leung Studio(s) Star Overseas , China Film Co-Production Corporation , Huayi Brothers Pictures , Beijing Film Studio , China Film Group Corporation , Columbia Pictures , Sony Pictures Classics , Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia Writers Stephen Chow , Tsang Kan-Cheong , Man Keung Chan , Xin Huo Main Genre Action Expand
Kung Fu Hustle shows director Stephen Chow at his best, both on screen and behind the scenes. The story follows Sing (Stephen Chow) in his town, dubbed Pig Sty Alley, shortly before the Axe Gang shows up to create chaos. Unbeknownst to the gang, Pig Sty Alley is home to three martial arts masters. The film oftentimes doesn’t even feel real.
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The fight scenes are sporadic, performed on a massive scale, and feature jaw-dropping kung fu techniques. The antics of the Axe Gang make it all the better. As the hundreds of axe-wielding members, all dressed in black suits and top hats, fall victim to a few overpowered characters, it’s hard not to laugh. Given the popularity of the first film, Kung Fu Hustle 2 has been rumored to be in development.
3 The God of Cookery (1996)
Culinary Martial Arts
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Stephen Chow’s third film, The God of Cookery, set the tone for his directorial style. In the movie, he plays the role of a fraudulent chef, known as “The God of Cookery” who judges others in an Iron Chef-styled contest. After losing his title, he strives to regain his status and improve his cooking abilities.
|
Stephen Chow Directed Films |
Release |
|---|---|
|
From Beijing with Love |
1994 |
|
Forbidden City Cop |
1996 |
|
The God of Cookery |
1996 |
|
King of Comedy |
1999 |
|
Shaolin Soccer |
2001 |
|
1:99 Shorts |
2003 |
|
Kung Fu Hustle |
2004 |
|
CJ7 |
2008 |
|
Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons |
2013 |
|
The Mermaid |
2016 |
|
The New King of Comedy |
2019 |
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In the movie, the fight scenes don’t follow the blueprint of hand-to-hand martial arts combat but rather escalate from culinary showdowns that turn violent. In the final battle, Chow faces off against an opposing chef. As the two begin a comical sequence of food combat, they continue to hurl knives and hot oil at one another utilizing outrageous kung fu techniques. Chow takes cooking to a whole other level in the film, solidifying himself as one of the best chefs in movie history.
2 Gymkata (1985)
Gymnastics Meets Martial Arts
Gymkata RActionDrama
Release Date May 3, 1985 Runtime 90 minutes Director Robert Clouse Cast Kurt Thomas , Tetchie Agbayani , Richard Norton , Edward Bell , John Barrett , Conan Lee , Bob Schott , Buck Kartalian , Eric Lawson , Sonny Barnes , Tadashi Yamashita , Sharan Lea , Zlatko Pokupec , Ivo Krištof , Slobodan Dimitrijević Writers Charles Robert Carner Expand
Gymkata primarily takes place in the fictional country Parmistan, in which foreigners are required to take part in “The Game” —a deadly race in which the participants are forced to fight off warriors. Jonathan Cabot (Kurt Thomas), a gymnast, is approached by operatives who want him to take part in the competition.
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It wouldn’t seem feasible that gymnastics would be effective in the context of karate,
but this movie proves otherwise.
The plot is relatively subpar and lacking in substance, but it doesn’t take away from the hilarity of the film. Cabot combines his gymnastic prowess with martial arts training, making for some truly ridiculous fight scenes. It wouldn’t seem feasible that gymnastics would be effective in the context of karate, but this movie proves otherwise. For example, towards the end of the story, Cabot performs a pommel horse routine. As he swings around a platform, he continuously knocks out surrounding enemies, exemplifying the absurd Gymkata fighting style.
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1 Riki-Oh: The Story of Riki (1991)
Superhuman Violence
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Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky RAction
Release Date October 5, 1991 Runtime 91 Minutes Director Lam Ngai Kai Cast Louis Fan Siu-Wong , Gloria Yip Wan-Yee , Yukari Oshima , Frankie Chin Chi-Leung , Kôichi Sugisaki , Wong Kwai-Hung , Tetsuro Tamba , Chang Gan-Wing , Fan Mei-Sheng , Wong Kwok-Leung Writers Lam Ngai Kai Main Genre Action Expand
This martial arts horror classic follows Riki-Oh (Fan Siu-Wong), a man with superhuman strength who finds himself in a privatized prison after taking out the killer of his girlfriend. As Riki-Oh survives in a harsh environment riddled with enemies, he utilizes his godlike fighting abilities to defend himself.
Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky
is based on the manga series of the same title.
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The film is incredibly violent and without a doubt entertaining, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the fight scenes are outright preposterous. Riki-Oh is so overpowered, and the cheesy gore produced by anyone who fights him makes it that much better. In one epic scene, he hits an opponent so hard that his eyeball falls out. While the movie is certainly chaotic, the sequences are just downright awesome, so it isn’t a surprise that Riki-Oh: The Story of Riki is considered a cult classic.