Subgenre Sampler
Rental > Foreign Cinema > Martial Arts: 237 Films to Rent
- Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)
- Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Danny Kwok-Kwan Chan
- Grand finale to ground breaking and beloved martial arts series, with Donnie Yen reprising his role as the legendary Wing Chun master, who travels to…
- Blade of the Immortal (2017)
- Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Takuya Kimura, Sugisaki Hana, Fukushi Sota…
- Japanese uber–director Miike Takashi’s 100th feature, based on a popular manga series about a vengeful swordsman with an uncanny ability to…
- Headshot (2016)
- Dir. Kimo Stamboel, Timo Tjahjanto
Feat. Iko Uwais, Chelsea Islan
- Iko Uwais (star of THE RAID) returns in this impossibly violent Indonesian martial arts feast. An overused plot device of an elite fighter who wakes…
- Assassin, The (2015)
- Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Shu Qi, Chen Chang, Satoshi Tsumabuki
- Acclaimed director Hou Hsiao–Hsien returns with a breathtaking martial–arts epic in which an assassin accepts a dangerous mission to kill…
- Ip Man 3 (2015)
- Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Mike Tyson
- Bone–crunching continuation of the blockbuster martial art series has Donnie Yen fighting to save the city from evil property developer Mike…
- Raid 2, The (2014)
- Dir. Gareth Evans
Feat. Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Julie Estelle…
- Picking up from where it last left off, this epic sequel to the best martial arts movie in recent memory combines gangland melodrama (reminiscent of…
- Berlin File, The (2013)
- Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
Feat. Jung-woo Ha, Gianna Jun
- After an illegal arms deal in Berlin is disrupted by unknown assailants, a South Korean intelligence agent finds himself embroiled in a vast…
- Grandmaster, The (Yi dai zong shi) (2013)
- Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Zhang Ziyi
- Wong Kar–Wai's typically sumptous version of the life of martial–arts master Ip Man, the man who trained Bruce Lee.
- Ip Man: The Final Fight (2013)
- Dir. Herman Yau
Feat. Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Anita Yuen…
- The most authentic Ip Man film yet recounts the legendary grandmaster's exploits as a revered teacher of Wing Chun in Hong Kong during the 50s and…
- Protector 2, The (Tom yum goong 2) (2013)
- Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. Tony Jaa, Marrese Crump, RZA
- ONG–BAK superstar Tony Jaa punches below his weight in this undercooked sequel to the 2005 Sydney–set action romp about a country boy who…
- Rurouni Kenshin (2012)
- Dir. Keishi Otomo
Feat. Takeru Sato, Emi Takei, Teruyuki Kagawa…
- A gracefully violent adaptation of the popular manga series, about a brilliant shogun who retreats from society during an era of decline for samurai,…
- Wu Dang (2012)
- Dir. Patrick Leung
Feat. Vincent Zhao
- A rambunctious, action–packed throwback to '80s martial arts flicks and strapping Indiana Jones–style adventure, centred on a famed…
- Bunohan (Return to Murder) (2011)
- Dir. Dain Said
Feat. Zahiril Adzim, Faizal Hussein, Wan Hanafisu…
- Somber martial–arts flick with three estranged brothers returning to their hometown to care for their ailing father. Interesting hybrid of…
- Lost Bladesman, The (2011)
- Dir. Felix Chong, Alan Mak
Feat. Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang
- Yet another big screen reinvention of the 'Three Kingdoms' legend, this time from the perspective of talismanic figure Guan Yu, whose exploits on the…
- My Kingdom (2011)
- Dir. Xiaosong Gao
Feat. Chun Wu, Geng Han
- A commercial, action–inflected rendering of Peking Opera (a la Tsui Hark's PEKING OPERA BLUES), centred on the rivalry between two…
- Raid, The (The Raid: Redemption) (2011)
- Dir. Gareth Evans
Feat. Iko Uwais
- The finest Asian action export since ONG–BAK, pitting an out–of–their–depth SWAT team against a tenement of drug dealers,…
- Shaolin (2011)
- Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Jackie Chan…
- Feuding warlords threaten to tear China apart and only a group of Shaolin monks stand in the way of annihilation.
- This Girl is Badass!! (2011)
- Dir. Mum Jokmok
Feat. JeeJa Yanin
- Jija Yanin (CHOCOLATE) stars in this martial arts comedy about a girl whose family life is turned upside–down when she gets mixed up with…
- Wu Xia (Swordsmen) (2011)
- Dir. Peter Chan
Feat. Donnie Yen, Wei Tang, Takeshi Kaneshiro…
- Oddball homage to ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN, set on the cusp of China's transition to a republic, with a Yen as a gentle papermaker who's killing of two…
- 13 Assassins (2010)
- Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Yamada Takayuki, Yusuke Iseya…
- Takashi Miike turns in perhaps his most entertaining and accomplished film yet with this rollicking SEVEN SAMURAI–inspired adventure, centred…
- 14 Blades (2010)
- Dir. Daniel Lee
Feat. Donnie Yen, Chun Wu, Sammo Hung…
- A secret agent of the emperor’s court is betrayed by his colleagues in this spectacular Ming Dynasty–set thriller. Something of a return to…
- Bangkok Knockout (BKO) (2010)
- Dir. Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Chatchapol Kulsiriwoottichai, Sarawoot Kumsorn, Sorapong Chatree
- Ordinary production values and mediocre performances are beside the point in this off–the–wall Thai martial arts, centred on a motley…
- Blades of Blood (2010)
- Dir. Jun-ik Lee
Feat. Seong-hyeon Baek, Seung-Won Cha
- The dir. of THE KING AND THE CLOWN returns to the Chosun era with an energetic tale of working class uprising in the shadow of Japanese invasion. A…
- Blood Fight: Bang Rajan 2 (2010)
- Dir. Tanit Jitnukul
- Though not quite on the scale of the battle–heavy original, this fiery sequel nonetheless charges forth with another succession of brutal,…
- Bruce Lee My Brother (2010)
- Dir. Manfred Wong, Yip Wai-Man
Feat. Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Aarif Rahman, Christy Chung
- A rambunctious, rose–tinted chronicle of Bruce Lee’s child and teenhood before departing for the USA to cement his screen legend.
Doubling…
- Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Andy Lau, Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Carina Lau…
- Historical–whodunit, breathlessly paced, with Andy Lau as the dissident detective racing to hunt down a team of mysterious assassins attempting…
- Gallants (2010)
- Dir. Chi-kin Kwok, Clement Sze-Kit Cheng
Feat. Siu-Lung Leung, Kuan Tai Chen
- An exuberant homage to the Shaw Brothers films of yesteryear, this kung–fu comedy delights as an old–school actioner, replete with…
- Ip Man 2 (2010)
- Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Simon Yam…
- The kick–ass legend of Ip Man continues with the wushu grandmaster immigrating to Hong Kong to school other Kung Fu practitioners in the art of…
- Ip Man: The Legend is Born (2010)
- Dir. Herman Yau
Feat. To Yue Hong, Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen…
- Worthy prequel to the popular IP MAN series centres on our hero's early life as he studies the martial art Wing Chun. Unpretentious film–making…
- Legend of the Fist - The Return of Chen Zhen (2010)
- Dir. Andrew Lau
Feat. Donnie Yen, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong…
- Belated sequel to Bruce Lee's FIST OF FURY (remade with Jet Li as FIST OF LEGEND) picks up well after the Dojo–busting triumphs of those films,…
- Reign of Assassins (2010)
- Dir. Chao-Bin Su
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Woo-sung Jung, Kelly Lin…
- Classy John Woo–produced swordplay, with Kelly Lin as a feared wuxia assassin who, seeking a new life, surgically alters her appearance (to…
- Besouro (The Assailant) (2009)
- Dir. Joao Daniel Tikhomiroff
Feat. Ailton Carmo, Flavio Rocha, Jessica Barbosa
- Set against the backdrop of the Brazilian civil rights struggle Invigorating tale told at breakneck pace of a young man's rise to folk hero status…
- Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)
- Dir. Teddy Chen
Feat. Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Tony Leung (Kar-fai)…
- A hefty, star–studded take on turn of the century events in Hong Kong, in which the assassination of famous revolutionary figure Sun Yat Sen…
- Kamui (2009)
- Dir. Yoichi Sai
Feat. Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Koyuki
- High adventure and spectacular fight sequences energize this otherwise inadequate period piece about fugitive ninjas in Japan.
- Kung Fu Chefs (Gong fu chu shen) (2009)
- Dir. Wing Kin Yip
Feat. Sammo Hung, Vanness Wu, Cherrie Ying
- This gastronomic spin on the martial arts movie lacks the invention or absurdist comedy of GOD OF COOKERY, however still delivers plenty of chopsocky…
- Merantau (2009)
- Dir. Gareth Evans
Feat. Iko Uwais
- Indonesia's riposte to ONG–BAK stars newcomer Iko Uwais as a young man from a Jakarta tribe whose rite of passage via the big city exposes him…
- Mulan (2009)
- Dir. Jingle Ma, Wei Dong
Feat. Zhao Wei, Jaycee Chan
- The legend of Mulan (previously tackled by Disney) is given the big screen treatment in this sweeping historical costume epic, a current specialty of…
- Ong-Bak 3 (2009)
- Dir. Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Tony Jaa
- Cliffhanger ending to the ONG–BAK legend sees Thai martial arts phenom Tony Jaa return to battle his arch nemesis (from Part II’s prequel…
- Raging Phoenix (2009)
- Dir. Rashane Limtrakul
Feat. JeeJa Yanin
- The female star of CHOCOLATE returns with break dancing moves to complement her sick martial arts skills, in this over–the–top kickboxing…
- Storm Warriors, The (Storm Riders II) (2009)
- Dir. Oxide Pang, Danny Pang
Feat. Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Simon Yam
- The Pang brothers helm this flamboyant, effects–heavy sequel to the OTT Hong Kong hit, delivering a mixture of wushu and wizardry with…
- Tracing Shadow (Zhui ying) (2009)
- Dir. Marco Mak, Francis Ng
Feat. Jaycee Chan, Hao Dang, Francis Ng
- This batty Ming Dynasty comedy is a worthy throwback to Hong Kong’s campy martial arts movies of the early 90s, with an extravagant blend of…
- Treasure Hunter, The (2009)
- Dir. Yen-ping Chu
Feat. Jay Chou, Chiling Lin, Eric Tsang…
- Madcap fusion of Indiana Jones and martial arts mayhem, with Mandarin popstar Jay Chou leading the charge as a protector of relics on the hunt for a…
- An Empress and the Warriors (Kong saan mei yan) (2008)
- Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Donnie Yen, Xiaodong Guo, Zhenghai Kou…
- Jazzed up historical drama with a young woman thrust into the role of Empress upon her father's death, and fight for her kingdom.
Conventional…
- Butterfly Lovers (2008)
- Dir. Jingle Ma
Feat. Charlene Choi, Chun Wu, Ge Hu…
- Martial arts 'M Butterfly' charts the afflictions that befall two lovers destined to always be parted. Gaudy, gender–bending romance from Hong…
- Chanbara Beauty (2008)
- Dir. Yôhei Fukuda
Feat. Eri Otoguro, Chise Nakamura
- Fan–servicing bikini swashbuckler, with two scantily clad babes slashing their way through zombie hoards. A crummy, if entertaining hodgepodge…
- Chocolate (2008)
- Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. JeeJa Yanin, Hiroshi Abe, Pongpat Wachirabunjong
- Impressive newcomer Jeeja Yanin plays a butt kicking autistic girl (!) in this exhilarating revenge movie, a standout amongst Thailand’s recent…
- Ip Man (2008)
- Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Siu-Wong Fan…
- Kung fu stalwart Donnie Yen assumes the legend of Ip Man, celebrated master of the rare and deadly form of martial arts, Wing Chun (later adopted by…
- Ong-Bak 2 (Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning) (2008)
- Dir. Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyu Wongkrachang
- Heavy–handed follow–up to the decade’s best martial arts movie, co–directed by and starring ONG–BAK’s Tony Jaa as a…
- Red Cliff (The Battle of Red Cliff) (2008)
- Dir. John Woo
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fengyi Zhang…
- A gargantuan Han Dynasty epic from Hong Kong's action movie grandmaster, John Woo, in which two kingdoms must form an unlikely alliance to stave off…
- Three Kingdoms (Resurrection of the Dragon) (2008)
- Dir. Daniel Lee
Feat. Andy Lau, Sammo Hung, Maggie Q…
- Rousing take on a Chinese literary classic rehashes the legendary Han Dynasty power struggle between three warring kingdoms (recently given the royal…
- Wushu - The Young Generation (2008)
- Dir. Antony Szeto
Feat. Sammo Hung, Fengchao Liu, Wenjie Wang
- Under the auspices of genre legends Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan (in producing role), this standard–issue kung fu flick introduces a bevy a…
- Black Belt (Kuro-obi) (2007)
- Dir. Shunichi Nagasaki
Feat. Akihito Yagi, Tatsuya Naka
- Defence meets attack in this measured martial arts drama set in 1930s Japan, in which two karate experts (played by real–life karate pros) take…
- Drummer, The (Zhan. gu) (2007)
- Dir. Kenneth Bi
Feat. Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Kenneth Tsang, Jaycee Chan
- Visually enticing martial arts drama of a self–indulgent son sent into the Taiwanese mountains to escape gangland city retribution, who ends up…
- Fighting Beat (2007)
- Dir. Piti Jaturaphat
- Agile martial arts action flick based in a Thai street fighting bar renowned for its local competitors, who find themselves in a deadly fight for…
- Invisible Target (Naam yi boon sik) (2007)
- Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue…
- Unyielding martial arts thriller rumbles with a group of detectives commissioned to take out a local Hong Kong mercenary gang. The expected ass…
- Kung Fu Dunk (Gong fu guan lan) (2007)
- Dir. Yen-ping Chu
Feat. Charlene Choi, Jay Chou, Eric Tsang…
- Inane sporting comedy about a skilled martial artist recruited to play basketball at the local university in return for help in finding his birth…
- Muay Thai Chaiya Boxers (Chaiya) (2007)
- Dir. Kongkiat Khomsiri
Feat. Akara Amarttayakul, Sonthaya Chitmanee, Don Ferguson…
- Rough–and–tumble ONG–BAK impersonator centred on three country boys, trained in the unique ‘Chaiya’ Muay Thai discipline, who…
- Siyama: Village of Warriors (2007)
- Dir. Preecha Songsakul
- Three teenagers travel back to the 18th century in their Toyota to lend a helping hand to villagers engaged in an epic battle with a callous Burmese…
- Sword Of Alexander (Taitei no ken) (2007)
- Dir. Yukihiko Tsutsumi
Feat. Hiroshi Abe, Riki Takeuchi
- Camp sword and sorcery pastiche mines the Japanese tradition for bizarre humour, genre–mincing, and spectacular overacting, with…
- City of Violence, The (2006)
- Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
Feat. Doo-hong Jung, Kil-Kang Ahn
- A dazzling, action–fantastic revenger by way of Korea, this draws its considerable bloodletting from the aftermath of a funeral, where two…
- Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
- Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou
- Another sumptuous Tang Dynasty epic in martial arts from the dir. of HERO, cast in the mould of a Shakespearian power struggle between an Emperor, an…
- Dragon Tiger Gate (2006)
- Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, Donnie Yen…
- Flamboyant, off–the–hook actioner in which two estranged kung–fu masters must put aside their differences to overcome a marauding…
- Dynamite Warrior (2006)
- Dir. Chalem Wongpim
Feat. Dan Chupong, Leo Putt
- As if to accommodate an escalating reputation for martial arts outrageousness, Thailand’s stunt extraordinaires risk life and limb in their most…
- Love and Honor (Bushi no ichibun) (2006)
- Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Takuya Kimura, Nenji Kobayashi, Ken Ogata
- Third chapter in dir. Yamada's revisionist samurai trilogy looks at a recently blinded samurai and the lengths his wife will go to protect his…
- Rebel, The (2006)
- Dir. Truc "Charlie" Nguyen
Feat. Dustin Nguyen
- This vigorous martial arts actioner set in 1920s Vietnam is unusually committed to the finer details of political turmoil and period recreation,…
- Robin-B-Hood (Bo bui gai wak) (2006)
- Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, Michael Hui…
- Chan hams it up in this big–budget action caper as a compulsive gambler who inadvertently ends up with a kidnapped baby as a means to pay off…
- Azumi 2 (2005)
- Dir. Shusuke Kaneko
Feat. Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri, Ai Maeda…
- Samurai girl–power sweeps feudal Japan once more in this competent, but lesser installment (minus the original director) in the Azumi…
- Death Trance (2005)
- Dir. Yuji Shimomura
Feat. Tak Sakaguchi
- Another insane, neo–samurai fantasy from the VERSUS camp involving the battle over a mysterious coffin that, if opened, could destroy the…
- Duelist (Hyeongsa) (2005)
- Dir. Lee Myung-Se
Feat. Ji-won Ha, Sung-kee Ahn, Dong-won Kang
- A restless, meta–revisionist sword epic from the dir. of NOWHERE TO HIDE places two undercover police officers in pursuit of an elusive…
- House of Fury (2005)
- Dir. Stephen Fung
Feat. Anthony Wong, Stephen Fung, Gillian Chung…
- Teenage kung fu experts find that their father's far–fetched tales have a grain of truth to them in this madcap adventure featuring fight…
- Myth, The (San Wa) (2005)
- Dir. Stanley Tong
Feat. Jackie Chan
- Alternating between past and present, Jackie Chan plays a warrior general during the Qing Dynasty and a modern day archaeologist respectively in this…
- Promise, The (Wu ji) (2005)
- Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Dong-Kun Jang, Cecilia Cheung…
- Visually exquisite, if utterly frivolous Golden Globe–nominated romantic epic from the director of FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE relays the story of…
- Protector, The (Tom yum goong, Warrior King) (2005)
- Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao
- Muay Thai phenomenon Tony Jaa continues his reinvigoration of the martial arts genre with this hotly anticipated follow–up to ONG–BAK: a…
- Seven Swords (2005)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Charlie Yeung
- Legendary Hong Kong dir. Tsui Hark returns with an action epic set among the brutal 17th Century Ching dynasty, as seven warriors come together to…
- Shadowless Sword (Muyeong geom) (2005)
- Dir. Young-Jun Kim
Feat. Seo-Jin Lee, Yoon So-yi
- Spiffy Korean wuxia extravaganza grafting comedy, romance and action aplenty onto the skin of an ambitious historical epic.
Scaling the efforts of…
- Shinobi (2005)
- Dir. Ten Shimoyama
Feat. Joe Odagiri, Yukie Nakama
- Set in an ancient Japan complete with magical trappings, this action epic posits a forbidden love story between members (Odagiri and Nakama) of two…
- SPL (Sha Po Lang) (2005)
- Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Simon Yam…
- Intense cops–and–hoods thriller which clearly raises the bar for Hong Kong martial–arts by infusing its tale of an idealistic cop…
- Tiger Blade, The (Seua khaap daap) (2005)
- Dir. Theeratorn Siriphunvaraporn
Feat. Atsadawut Luengsuntorn
- Spiffy addition to the Thai martial arts boom, with action centered around the recovery of a magical ‘tiger blade’, by cops and robbers…
- Arahan (2004)
- Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
Feat. Ryoo Seung-beom, Yoon So-yi, Ahn Sung-Ki
- Urban martial arts injected with supernatural pep, this effects–laden action comedy has an ultimately limited box of tricks, but provides more…
- Born to Fight (Kerd ma lui) (2004)
- Dir. Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Chattapong Pantanaunkul
- Created by the makers of the stupendous ONG BAK, this lesser action vehicle is contrived around a showdown in the Thai countryside between a…
- Hidden Blade (Kakushi-ken: oni no tsume) (2004)
- Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Masatoshi Nagase
- The fading glory of the Japanese feudal period in the Meiji Resoration is once again beautifully explored by the dir. of TWILIGHT SAMURAI through a…
- House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) (2004)
- Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau
- The dir. of HERO follows up with an equally watchable oriental spectacle, inserting the same cartwheeling martial arts action, complete with torrents…
- Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
- Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao), Wah Yuen
- Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow trumps all previous efforts (and that's saying something) with this dynamic, bust–a–gut funny…
- New Police Story (2004)
- Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Nicholas Tse, Daniel Wu
- A groundbreaking fourth (or possibly fifth) entry in Jackie Chan's martial arts series about the life of a reckless Hong Kong policeman, here…
- Aragami (2003)
- Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Takao Osawa, Masaya Kato, Tak Sakaguchi
- Another confidently executed, blood–soaked samurai fantasy from dir. Kitamura (VERSUS), set in a remote medieval temple into which a wounded…
- Azumi (2003)
- Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri, Kenji Kohashi
- The dir. of VERSUS advances to a studio–scale budget for this historical action yarn, set around a skilled swords–woman in ancient feudal…
- Beautiful Boxer (2003)
- Dir. Ekachai Uekrongtham
Feat. Asanee Suwan
- Fact–based actioner which follows a gifted 'Muay Thai' martial artist rising from his poor, rural background into the champions' league of…
- Fearless (Jet Li's Fearless; Huo Yuan Jia) (2003)
- Dir. Ronnie Yu
Feat. Jet Li
- Lively martial–arts epic which is reportedly Jet Li's final offering of screen 'wushu' (traditional Chinese fighting) , retells the story of…
- Ong-Bak (Muay Thai Warrior) (2003)
- Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao
- A martial arts juggernaut from Thailand, in which a benign village kickboxer travels to big bad Bangkok in search of a sacred statue stolen from his…
- Warrior, The (2003)
- Dir. Asif Kapadia
Feat. Irfan Khan, Puru Chibber
- Award–winning debut for British born dir. Kapadia follows the quest of a lone swordsman to escape his brutal paymaster in ancient feudal…
- Warriors of Heaven and Earth (Tian di ying xiong) (2003)
- Dir. He Ping
Feat. Wen Jiang, Xueqi Wang, Vicki Zhao
- A lavish post–CROUCHING TIGER epic derived from a Chinese folktale about an Imperial assassin who is sent forth to the Gobi desert to eliminate…
- Zatoichi (2003)
- Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano
- Actor–director–cult hero Takeshi Kitano stylishly revives a hero of well–known Japanese mythology and scores his most broadly…
- Alive (2002)
- Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Hideo Sakaki, Koyuki, Tak Sakaguchi
- A convicted murderer is sentenced to death, only to escape execution and become the subject of bizarre prison experiments in this inventive marriage…
- Hero (2002)
- Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Jet Li, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Maggie Cheung…
- Though no doubt diminished on the small screen, this ancient Martial Arts spectacle from the dir. of RAISE THE RED…
- Sea is Watching, The (Umi wa miteita) (2002)
- Dir. Kei Kumai
- Set in the red–light district of 19th century, Edo–period Tokyo, this sensitively mounted drama concerns the lives of prostitutes…
- So Close (Chik yeung tin sai) (2002)
- Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Shu Qi, Karen Mok, Vicki Zhao
- Presenting... a heroic trio of femmes for a new generation – a kind of high–octane "Asian Charlie's Angels".
This super–flash…
- Twilight Samurai, The (Tasogare Seibei) (2002)
- Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Ren Osugi, Rie Miyazawa…
- Boldly subverting the masculine cliches of the genre, this refreshing and highly rewarding Samurai drama follows a dishevelled, low–status…
- Vampire Hunters (2002)
- Dir. Wellson Chin
Feat. Ken Chang
- Typically enjoyable and overblown Hong Kong mayhem, where five powerful warriors battle the Vampire King and his followers.
Written and produced…
- Musa - The Warrior (2001)
- Dir. Kim Sung-Su
Feat. Woo-sung Jung, Ahn Sung-Ki, Zhang Ziyi
- Genuinely spectacular 14th century restaging of "The Seven Samurai" that was the (then) most expensive film made in its native…
- Princess Blade (Shurayuki-Hime) (2001)
- Dir. Shinsuke Sato
- Post–apocalyptic Japanese samurai action adapted from a graphic novel, employs a stark visual style to convey its tale of a disturbed young…
- Versus (2001)
- Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Tak Sakaguchi, Kenji Matsuda
- The zombie genre is resurrected yet again, here spliced with Asian combat routines and punk–gangster gunplay, and set in the local woods on an…
- Bang Rajan (2000)
- Dir. Tanit Jitnukul
- Truly ferocious action spectacular based on the true tale of how a small Siamese village tried to withstand the efforts of 100 000 invading Burmese…
- Bichunmoo (2000)
- Dir. Young-Jun Kim
- Boasting the biggest budget of any Korean film, this period epic, a kind–of "Once Upon a Time in Korea", blends the usual ingredients with…
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
- Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi…
- A fantasy–fuelled, Chinese feudal melodrama laced with jaw–dropping combat sequences (arguably the best ever staged), this represents a…
- Time and Tide (2000)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Nicholas Tse, Wu Bai
- Healthy measures of hard–boiled alienation and gyroscopic fire–fights ignite this Hong Kong kick–butt–fest that somersaults…
- Gohatto (Taboo) (1999)
- Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Takeshi Kitano
- Visually stunning evocation of the tensions in a samurai–training school in 1860s Japan, with Kitano playing a captain who agonises over his…
- Hero (A Man Called Hero) (1999)
- Dir. Wai Keung Lau
Feat. Ekin Cheng, Shu Qi, Kristy Yang
- A typically offbeat HK amalgam of historical saga, martial arts action and CGI special effects.
Set in the first half of the 20th century, this…
- Storm Riders, The (1998)
- Dir. Wai Keung Lau
Feat. Sonny Chiba, Aaron Kwok
- The big Hong Kong hit of '98 – a super–extravagant 'flying swordsman' fantasy that ambitiously distils a popular Manga comic book series…
- Black Mask (1997)
- Dir. Daniel Lee
Feat. Jet Li, Lau Ching-wan
- Mild–mannered librarian by day – pain–resistant, cool–garbed crime–fighter by night – Jet Li's engaging…
- Once Upon a Time in China and America (1997)
- Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Jet Li
- Jet Li reprises his signature role in the popular saga, this time reinvented as a Kung Fu Western – the perfect setting for…
- Blade, The (1996)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Xin Xin Xiong, Moses Chan, Man Cheuk Chiu
- Honour and retribution are the key themes in this densely–plotted, straight–faced actioner set in a mythic–historical setting.…
- Sex and Zen Pt. 2 (1996)
- Dir. Chin Man-Kei
Feat. Loletta Lee, Tat-Wah Lok
- A creepy polygamist meets his match in the 'mirage woman' in this twice–as–smutty, half–as–funny sequel to the outlandish…
- Ashes of Time (1994)
- Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung
- From revered mo–hup novelist Jing Yong's East, South, West, North, Wong Kar–Wai trailblazes the Hong Kong art movie with a cyclical tale…
- Bodyguard from Beijing (1994)
- Dir. Yuen Kwai
Feat. Jet Li
- Jet Li is "The Bodyguard" in this delightful parody of the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston smash. A gourmet chop suey of action, humour and simmering…
- Burning Paradise (1994)
- Dir. Ringo Lam
Feat. John Ching, Willi Chi
- Dir. Ringo Lam hits prime form in this Kung Fu excursion into the distant Chinese past. Previous hero Fong Sai Yuk and friends must quickstep…
- City Hunter (1994)
- Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jackie Chan, Chingmy Yau, Joey Wong
- Jackie Chan is the popular Japanese comic book character Ryu Saeba: part detective, part mercenary, all womanizer – is contracted to return the…
- Drunken Master II (Legend of Drunken Master) (1994)
- Dir. Lau Kar Leung
Feat. Jackie Chan
- Jackie Chan gets comic mileage with the dubious idea that he can only tap into his martial art prowess while pissed as a newt. Jackie continues to…
- Fist of Legend (1994)
- Dir. Gordon Chan Kar-Seung
Feat. Jet Li
- Jet Li stars in an infinitely superior remake of Bruce Lee's FIST OF FURY. A showcase of the highest calibre martial arts choreography, but firmly…
- Heroic Trio 2 - Executioners (1994)
- Dir. Johnnie To, Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung…
- Downbeat sequel returns the trio of feisty femmes to combat the evil mega–corporation that taken a stranglehold on the world's…
- Wing Chun (1994)
- Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen
- Martial–arts star Michelle Yeoh lends some charisma to a cotton–sugar tale of remote villagers plagued by robbers. In the title role Yeoh…
- Barefoot Kid, The (1993)
- Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Aaron Kwok
- Rites–of–passage, chop–socky style with lithe HK supernova Aaron Kwok as the eponymous hero whose inititation into manhood is…
- Bride With White Hair 2, The (Bai fa mo nu zhuan II) (1993)
- Dir. Ronnie Yu, David Wu
Feat. Brigitte Lin, Leslie Cheung, Christy Chung
- Above–average sequel to the martial arts blockbuster continuing on directly from its cliffhanger ending, with the viciously insane Lin, now…
- Butterfly and Sword (1993)
- Dir. Michael Mak
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Michelle Yeoh, Joey Wong…
- Raucous, fast–paced martial arts fantasy boasts a top–flight cast and some of the most ludicrous action sequences of the 90s. Michelle…
- Heroic Trio (1993)
- Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh
- An invisible criminal is stealing babies for a sewer–dwelling villain and it's up to three dazzling super–chicks. Hugely entertaining…
- Iron Monkey (Siunin Wong Fei-hung tsi titmalau) (1993)
- Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Donnie Yen
- Enjoyably charged with wacky humour, this fairly traditional Hong Kong slambam concerns a doctor and his daughter who must track down a notorious…
- Kung Fu Cult Master (1993)
- Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jet Li, Sammo Hung, Chingmy Yau
- Extraordinarily over–the–top martial arts epic in which Jet Li procures invincible powers while negotiating the restless hordes from…
- Legend 2, The (1993)
- Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Jet Li, Michelle Reis
- Jet Li returns as the hero 'Fong Sai Yuk', battling the oppressive ruling Chinese government in the ranks of the subversive Red Flower Society. With…
- Legend of Fong Sai Yuk, The (1993)
- Dir. Yuen Kwai
Feat. Jet Li
- Hilarious and oddly satisfying mixture of character, comedy, drama, incredible action, and high camp tragedy! Jet Li stars in one of the best HK…
- Moon Warriors (1993)
- Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Anita Mui
- Flashy feudal martial arts adventure features the high kicks of Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui, in a battle of noble siblings to regain the…
- Once Upon a Time in China 3 (1993)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan
- Jet Li must quash a Russian plot to murder the ruling eunuch, fight a band of gangsters, and find a way to propose to Rosamund Kwan. Predictable yet…
- Sex and Zen (1993)
- Dir. Michael Mak
Feat. Lawrence Ng, Kent Cheng, Xu Jin-Jang
- Part comic fantasy, part porno movie, and though an imaginative example of both genres, the balancing act is a hard one to pull off (fnarr, fnarr).…
- Tai Chi Master, The (1993)
- Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh
- Jet Li ascends to be the founder of the Chinese art of self–defence and healing known as Tai Chi Chuan, but not before crossing blades with,…
- Temptation of a Monk (1993)
- Dir. Clara Law
Feat. Joan Chen, Zhang Fenyi
- Graphic chronicle of blood–letting by a fierce warrior general in 7th century China, that hews to the visual traditions of the classic Japanese…
- Bride with White Hair (1992)
- Dir. Ronnie Yu
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin
- In a remote China of superstition and legend, vicious clan skirmishes result in an eye–popping frenzy of acrobatic martial arts. Resplendent…
- Dragon Inn (New Dragon Gate Inn) (1992)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung (Kar-fai)…
- Gory Ming Dynasty–set epic in which forces of good and evil clash swords over the fate of feudal China. An extravagant climax, featuring…
- Naked Killer (1992)
- Dir. Clarence Fok-Yiu
Feat. Chingmy Yau, Simon Yam, Carrie Ng
- Sex and violence potently combust in a tale of nubile assassins and a love–struck, traumatised cop. The plot may typically wander but it…
- Once Upon a Time in China 2 (1992)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Jet Li, Donnie Yen
- Comic emphasis is given to the continuing adventures of a traditional martial artiste in late 1900s. Escapist elements are graced with fine…
- Police Story 3 (Supercop) (1992)
- Dir. Stanley Tong
Feat. Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh
- Jackie Chan returns as death–defying maverick cop Ka Kui, while Michelle Yeoh offers some savvy sidekick. From the director of Jackie's first…
- Saviour of the Soul (1992)
- Dir. David Lai
Feat. Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok
- Breathtaking camerawork and special effects combine with hallucinatory plotting as two city–dwelling mercenaries do battle with the silver fox,…
- Black Cat (1991)
- Dir. Dickson Poon
Feat. Jade Leung
- The Hong Kong industry could not resist a crack at French action fave Nikita, the foxy misfit trained as an assassin for the secret service. A…
- Erotic Ghost Story 2 (1991)
- Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Charine Chan, King-Man Chik, Yiu-Wah Kwok
- Sequel mixes up similar ingredients, but story is unrelated to the first.
- Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Jet Li, Biao Yuen, Rosamund Kwan
- Extravagent epic about legendary Chinese martial artiste and conqueror, Wong Fei Hung. Beautifully filmed spectacle, punctuated with exciting combat…
- Erotic Ghost Story (1990)
- Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Amy Yip
- Buxom starlet Amy Yip lets it all hang out with other 'foxes' in this Eastern spin on the WITCHES OF EASTWICK. Generous nudity and dry ice steam up…
- Kid from Tibet, A (1990)
- Dir. Yuen Biao
Feat. Biao Yuen, Michelle Reis, Wah Yuen
- Amiable, energetic actioner stars the director as a young monk who must avenge a friend's death using Tibetan magic, pyrotechnics and a host of…
- Ronin-gai (Roningai: Street of the Samurai) (1990)
- Dir. Kazuo Kuroki
Feat. Yoshio Harada, Renji Ishibashi, Kanako Higuchi
- Samurai drama set in the 19th century near the end of the Japanese civil war, following several disgraced and listless ronin who attempt to regain…
- She Shoots Straight (Huang jia nu jiang) (1990)
- Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Joyce Godenzi, Sammo Hung
- Taut and melodramatic, this HK policier concerns a decorated and ultra–competent female police officer (Godenzi) who arouses jealousy in her…
- Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon (Shou hu fei long) (1990)
- Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Sammo Hung, Liu Chia Liang, Carrie Ng
- Amusing action spoof starring the incomparable Samo Hung as one of a pair of bumbling cops who go on the hunt for drug traffickers in Hong Kong, but…
- Swordsman (1990)
- Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Jacky Cheung, Man Cheung, Sam Hui
- A good–natured swordsman from Ming Dynasty China, gets involved in a scramble for a priceless book. Excellent special effects but confusing…
- Canton Godfather, The (Miracles; Mr. Canton and Lady Rose) (1989)
- Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Anita Mui
- Though light on martial arts, this lavish period production is generally considered Jackie Chan's most accomplished movie. At once inspired by THE…
- Iceman Cometh, The (Time Warriors) (1989)
- Dir. Fok Yiu Leung
Feat. Biao Yuen, Maggie Cheung
- A pair of Ming Dynasty adversaries find themselves defrosted 300 years later in contemporary Hong Kong. Film festival fave combines outrageous farce…
- In The Line of Duty (In The Line of Duty 4: The Witness) (1989)
- Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Donnie Yen, Cynthia Khan , Michael Wong…
- Although the fourth in a film series about a flashy martial–arts cop, this is generally considered the best, with Yen taking his police job in…
- Zatoichi 26 (Darkness Is His Ally) (1989)
- Dir. Shintaro Katsu
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- An enjoyable, autumnal revival of the 1960s–70s samurai movie franchise, with a much older Katsu reprising his role of the blind swordsman and…
- Dragons Forever (1988)
- Dir. Sammo Hung, Corey Yuen
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
- Final martial–arts rumble for the 'three brothers' team of Chan, Hung and Biao (see PROJECT–A), here playing three spokes in a nefarious…
- Police Story 2 (1988)
- Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung
- Jackie Chan directs this follow–up to his landmark hit, playing a demoted detective who must use his wiles to track down bomb–scare…
- Armour of God (1986)
- Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan
- Jackie Chan blows a bigger budget than usual for this crazy quest for some relics of a Crusader's armour in Eastern Europe. Drab stretches are…
- Eastern Condors (Dung fong tuk ying) (1986)
- Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
- A Hong Kong riff on THE DIRTY DOZEN, in which 12 Chinese convicts accept a mission into Vietnam to destroy an abandoned American weapons…
- Peking Opera Blues (1986)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh
- One of prolific Hong Kong director/producer Tsui Hark's most celebrated films is a genre–blending romp set around the Peking Opera in 1913. A…
- Heart of the Dragon (Long de xin) (1985)
- Dir. Sammo Hung, Fruit Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Emily Chu
- Uncharacteristically serious Chan–Hung drama follows police detective Chan's difficulties in caring for his mentally disabled, child–like…
- Mr. Vampire (1985)
- Dir. Ricky Lau
Feat. Ching-Ying Lam, Siu-hou Chin, Ricky Hui…
- Influential kung–fu ghostbusting flick is a distinctively Eastern slant on the 'vampire' genre – less like caped Counts, more like…
- Police Assassins (Yes Madam) (1985)
- Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock, Tsui Hark
- Cheesy but fun outing has two hard–as–nails policewomen Michelle Yeoh (in her first lead role) and Cynthia Rothrock turning in their…
- Police Story (1985)
- Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung
- The incomparable Jackie Chan – a mix of Bruce Lee and Buster Keaton – is in prime form here, weaving his brand of sly Asian humour into a series…
- Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, The (1984)
- Dir. Kar-leung Lau
Feat. Gordon Liu, Alexander Fu, Kara Hui…
- Hong Kong martial arts epic set circa the 10th century, with a Mongol army attempting to overthrow the influential Yang family, defenders of the Song…
- Wheels on Meals (1984)
- Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
- The kung–fu trio of Chan, Hung and Biao travel, to Spain for this rambunctious minor classic, in a tale about food–vendors helping out a…
- Lady is the Boss, The (Chang men jen) (1983)
- Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Liu Chia Liang, Chia Hui Liu
- Amiable flick concerns a curmudgeonly martial arts teacher who begrudgingly hires a young marketing woman to help keep his martial arts school open,…
- Zu Warriors (Zu Warriors From The Magic Mountain) (1983)
- Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Biao Yuen, Moon Lee, Brigitte Lin…
- A renowned fantasy film, in which four medieval warriors search the universe for twin swords with which to defeat a powerful demon, which threatens…
- Dragon Lord (Long xiao ye) (1982)
- Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Wai-Man Chan
- Chiefly of interest to Chan–completists, this wraps a threadbare plot about stolen Chinese artifacts around some admittedly spectacular…
- Duel to the Death (Xian si jue) (1982)
- Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Norman Chu, Damian Lau
- Groundbreaking martial–arts actioner from dir. Ching Siu–Tung (CHINESE GHOST STORY) about a Ming–era duel between a Chinese (Lau)…
- Human Lanterns (Ren pi deng long) (1982)
- Dir. Chung Sun
Feat. Leih Lo
- The Shaw Brothers' first international star, Lo Leih, excels in this horror–suspenser as a mad lampshade maker in olden–day China who…
- Legend of a Fighter (Huo Yuan-Jia) (1982)
- Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Kar-yan Leung
- A 'wireless' kung–fu masterclass from one of Hong Kong's most feted martial arts exponent, dir. Ping (choreographer for THE MATRIX), here…
- Legendary Weapons of China (1982)
- Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Liu Chia Liang
- Forthright Shaw Brothers classic with the invincible Gordon Liu as a dogged kung fu master pursued relentlessly by hired assassins. And intriguing…
- Ninja Wars (Iga ninpûchô) (1982)
- Dir. Mitsumasa Saito
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Sonny Chiba
- Period fantasy action involving magicians, love potions and endangered royalty in ancient Japan, a story resolved with a fair amount of…
- Shaolin Prince (1982)
- Dir. Chia Tang
Feat. Ti Lung
- Respected fight choreographer Tang Chia helms one of his few films as director: two princes are separated at birth; one is raised by Shaolin monks…
- They Call Her...Cleopatra Wong (1981)
- Dir. Bobby A. Suarez
Feat. Marrie Lee
- Singapore's top policewoman, the deadly Miss Cleopatra Wong, teams up with her Filipino counterpart to bust a counterfeit operation in this…
- Encounters of the Spooky Kind (Gui da gui) (1980)
- Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
- A groundbreaking Hong Kong blend of martial arts action, horror, and slapstick humour, set around Hung's attempts to battle the voodoo and hopping…
- Young Master, The (Shi di chu ma) (1980)
- Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Biao Yuen
- A fine early action–comedy from the phenomenal Jackie Chan, here trying to lure a wayward fellow student back to the 'right' side of martial…
- Heroes Of The East (Zhong hua zhang fu) (1979)
- Feat. Chia Hui Liu, Yuka Mizuno
- Graceful martial arts film focused around a Chinese man who must prove the superiority of Chinese kung fu over Japanese to his disillusioned Japanese…
- Magnificent Butcher (Lin shi rong) (1979)
- Dir. Sammo Hung, Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
- Peak Samo Hung martial artistry, collaborating here with with action legend Yuen Woo Ping for a tale based on the true–life exploits of Lam Sai…
- Shaolin Temple (1979)
- Dir. Cheung Hsin Yen
Feat. Jet Li
- Martial Arts superstar Jet Li’s debut film, as a Shaolin–trained fighter who exacts revenge upon an evil warlord, already displaying the…
- 5 Deadly Venoms, The (Five Deadly Venoms) (1978)
- Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. Sheng Chiang, Philip Kwok, Feng Lu…
- A martial arts master commands a student to track down some of his other students and get them to stop those that have used their skills for…
- Drunken Master (1978)
- Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Jackie Chan
- The martial arts comedy that put Jackie Chan on the map tells the tale of a disobedient son learning the art of Drunken Fist Kung Fu in order to stop…
- Clans of Intrigue (Chu liu xiang) (1977)
- Dir. Che Yuan
Feat. Ti Lung
- Another collaboration between dir. Yuan and the charismatic Ti Lung, in a historical detective story set around a legendary swordsman who tries to…
- Death Duel (San shao ye de jian) (1977)
- Dir. Che Yuan
Feat. Derek Yee, Chen Ping, Yu An-an
- A Shaw Bros. extravaganza that benefits from its pared–down take on the swordplay–and–intrigue formula and impressive visuals,…
- Mighty Peking Man, The (Hsing Hsing wang) (1977)
- Dir. Meng-Hwa Ho
Feat. Danny Lee
- A hilarious Shaw Brothers riff on KING KONG, with an earthquake disturbing the slumbers of a giant ape in the Himalayas who then heads into India to…
- 18 Bronzemen (Return of the 18 Bronzemen) (1976)
- Dir. Joseph Kuo
Feat. Tien Peng, Carter Hwang, Polly Shang-Kuan
- Two friends must fight their way out of a Shaolin temple – and 18 formidable bronze warriors – in this celebrated kung fu classic.…
- Challenge of the Masters (Huang Fei-hong yu liu a cai) (1976)
- Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Gordon Lau, Chan Koon Tai, Lai Lai Lee
- One of the great exponents of shaolin kung fu cinema, dir. Chia Liang, here casts his attention on the Chinese legend of Fei–hung.
Played by…
- Hand Of Death (Shao Lin men) (1976)
- Dir. John Woo
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
- Fairly standard HK action fare with a young Shaolin martial–artist given the difficult task of avenging the death of a member of his order.…
- Magic Blade, The (Tien ya, ming yueh tao) (1976)
- Dir. Che Yuan
Feat. Ti Lung, Ching Li, Lo Lieh
- Excellent action tale from the prime era of "Wu Xia" cinema, this has three rival swordsman in medieval China compete for possession of a secret…
- Shaolin Wooden Men (1976)
- Feat. Jackie Chan
- Jackie Chan cut his teeth on these cheap fist–and–feet–fests. More intentionally serious than his later star–turns, but…
- Web of Death, The ( Wu du tian luo) (1976)
- Dir. Yuen Chor
Feat. Yang Chiang, Ching Li, Norman Chu…
- Shaw Brothers 'wu xia' at its ripest and most expressive, injecting a tale of ancient clan rivalry with great action, creative polish and bizarre…
- Man from Hong Kong, The (1975)
- Dir. Brian Trenchard-Smith
Feat. George Lazenby, Bill Hunter, Rebecca Gilling…
- Cracking martial arts adventure tracking an inspector sent to Australia to expel a drug courier. Photogenically set against the backdrops of Ayers…
- Master of the Flying Guillotine (1975)
- Dir. Yu Wang
Feat. Yu Wang
- Legendary martial arts anomaly cited by Quentin Tarantino as his favourite kung fu film, this stars (and is directed by) Jimmy Yu Wang as a…
- Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (Shura-yuki-hime: Urami Renga) (1974)
- Dir. Toshiya Fujita
Feat. Meiko Kaji, Yoshio Harada, Kazuko Yoshiyuki…
- Excellent, though not widely celebrated sequel, has Kaji put her sword skills to work in Meiji Japan playing off the ruthless government against an…
- Lone Wolf & Cub 6: White Heaven in Hell (1974)
- Dir. Yoshiyuki Kuroda
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Junko Hitomi…
- The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro.
Lone wolf and Cub return for their final battle…
- Street Fighter, The (1974)
- Dir. Shigehiro Ozawa
Feat. Sonny Chiba
- Career–making martial arts outing for Japanese icon Sonny Chiba, mugging his heart out as a brutal enforcer who turns the tables on his…
- Female Yakuza Tale (Yasagure anego den: sôkatsu rinchi) (1973)
- Dir. Teruo Ishii
Feat. Reiko Ike
- A scorned Reiko Ike returns in this remarkably trashier sequel to SEX AND FURY, ready to unleash another roaring rampage of revenge on sadistic…
- Illicit Desire (Feng liu yun shi) (1973)
- Dir. Han Hsiang Li
Feat. Hong-Yip Cheng, Chen Ping
- Shaw Brothers sexploitation from the early 1970s, this was actually a huge hit at the Hong Kong box–office with three steamy scantily costumed…
- Lady Snowblood 1 (Shurayukihime) (1973)
- Dir. Toshiya Fujita
Feat. Meiko Kaji, Toshio Kurosawa, Masaaki Daimon…
- A classic samurai B–movie made in the heyday of 'Wu Xia' influence, with Kaji playing a bereaved young woman who seeks revenge on the gangsters…
- Lone Wolf & Cub 5: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Michiyo Ookusu…
- The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro.
In this 5th instalment, Itto must battle 5 samurai to…
- Sex and Fury (Furyô anego den: Inoshika Ochô) (1973)
- Dir. Norifumi Suzuki
Feat. Reiko Ike
- Japanese exploitation cinema proves itself unrivaled with this slice of 70s celluloid anarchy, trailing a mostly nude Reiko Ike as she slashes and…
- Zatoichi's Conspiracy (Zatoichi 25) (1973)
- Dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- Blind masseur and swordsman Zatoichi returns to his home town after decades of wandering and trouble, only to find inevitable conflict with a…
- All Men are Brothers (Sui woo juen) (1972)
- Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Ti Lung, Danny Lee
- Slathered with great fight scenes, this Shaw Brothers sequel to THE WATER MARGIN ups the ante considerably, with the band of Outlaw warriors…
- Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972)
- Dir. Shunya Ito
Feat. Meiko Kaji, Fumio Watanabe, Kayuko Shiraishi
- A classic of Japanese 70s exploitation cinema, this charts the grim road to freedom for a gaggle of women escaped–convicts with a feverish…
- Hanzo The Razor Trilogy (The Razor: Sword of Justice; Razor 2: The Snare; Razor 3: Who's Got the Gold?) (1972-1974)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- Mind–boggling samurai film series combines a 1970s taste for heroic bloodshed with a strongly Japanese sexploitation angle.
Featuring the…
- Hapkido (Lady Kung Fu) (1972)
- Dir. Feng Huang
Feat. Angela Mao, Carter Wong
- Old–school chop socky flick centring round rival martial arts schools features none of that tiresome rapid fire editing, but plenty of rapid…
- Lone Wolf & Cub 1: Sword of Vengeance (1972)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Fumio Watanabe…
- The LONE WOLF AND CUB series chronicles the adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro, who sell their services to…
- Lone Wolf & Cub 2: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Kayo Matsuo
- The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro.
In this second episode, Ogami battles a group of…
- Lone Wolf & Cub 3: Baby Cart to Hades (1972)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Go Kato…
- The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro.
Ogami volunteers to be tortured by the Yakuza gang…
- Lone Wolf & Cub 4: Baby Cart In Peril (1972)
- Dir. Buichi Sato
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Michie Azuma…
- The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro.
In the fourth installment of the series, Itto is…
- Water Margin (Seven Blows Of The Dragon) (1972)
- Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Ti Lung
- Perhaps the most spectacular of the 1970s Hong Kong swordplay productions by the Shaw Bros, this epic is set in 12th century Sung Dynasty China,…
- Zatoichi At Large (Zatoichi 23) (1972)
- Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Rentaro Mikuni, Hisaya Morishige
- Late–period inclusion to the Zatoichi series has the eponymous blind swordsman helping to deliver a baby, then finding himself honour bound to…
- Zatoichi In Desperation (Zatoichi 24) (1972)
- Dir. Shintaro Katsu
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Kiwako Taichi, Kyôko Koizumi
- A particularly bleak inclusion in the iconic ZATOICHI series, with the eponymous blind swordsman (Shintaro Katsu, also directing) seeking to atone…
- Duel of Fists (Kuen gik) (1971)
- Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Ti Lung, Ching Li
- Chiang plays a Chinese boxer who travels to Bangkok, Thailand to find his long–lost brother. Although he is successful, events precipitate a…
- Zatoichi Meets The One Armed Swordsman (Zatoichi 22) (1971)
- Dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Yu Wang
- An above–average entry in the continuing series, this has the titular blind swordsman assist the Chinese One–Armed Swordsman, who has…
- Heroic Ones, The (1970)
- Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Chin Han, Ti Lung…
- Martial arts film set in 1880s imperial China, where a Mogul king secretly assembles his loyal generals on a mission to take on his greatest rivals.…
- Twelve Gold Medallions, The (Shi er jin pai) (1970)
- Dir. Cheng Kang
Feat. Yue Hua
- A Shaw Brothers "wuxia" film starring Yueh Hua as an emperor loyalist trying to prevent a message enscribed on twelve gold medallions delivered by…
- Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (Zatoichi 20) (1970)
- Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Toshiro Mifune
- An enjoyable spin on the Japanese samurai genre, depicts a comedic rivalry between Katsu and Mifune in a secluded mountain village. Although lacking…
- Zatoichi: Festival of Fire (Zatoichi 21) (1970)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Tatsuya Nakadai
- One of the strongest of the later films in the 25–strong Zatoichi cycle (this is 21), with the blind masseur with the cane sword getting into…
- Red Lion (Akage) (1969)
- Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Shiwa Iwashita
- A fine samurai comedy from dir. Okamoto (KILL!), has a luckless soldier (Toshiro Mifune) don a brilliant red hairpiece (thus impersonating a…
- Touch of Zen, A (Hsia Nu) (1969)
- Dir. King Hu
Feat. Hsu Feng
- A dazzling blend of medieval potboiler, religious fable and martial arts spectacular, set in an ancient China wracked by civil war.
Centred on the…
- Kill! (Kiru) (1968)
- Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai
- A sharp and blackly comic tale set in 1830s Japan around two bedraggled swordsman – one a former samurai (Nakadai), the other a farmer aspiring…
- Assassin, The (Da ci ke) (1967)
- Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. Yu Wang
- More understated than later Shaw Brothers efforts, this costume actioner stars 'Jimmy' Wang Yu as a patriotic swordsman of ancient Han–era…
- One Armed Swordsman (Dubei dao) (1967)
- Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. Yu Wang
- Jimmy Wu Yang predates his one–armed boxer classic MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE as a disabled swordsman training in the art of…
- Zatoichi: The Outlaw (Zatoichi 16) (1967)
- Dir. Satsuo Yamamoto
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- A middle–installment in the longrunning Zatoichi series, sees the wandering masseur become embroiled in a violent plot involving two rival…
- Daimajin: Wrath of Daimajin (1966)
- Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Masahide Iizuka, Hideki Ninomiya, Shinji Hori
- One in a series of Japanese films about the great demon god Daimajin, who repeatedly comes to the aid of villagers when tyrannical warlords threaten…
- Sword of Doom (Dai-bosatsu tôge) (1966)
- Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai
- Based on a long–running Japanese newspaper serial, this stars Tatsuya Nakadai as an evil wandering samurai in feudal Japan who sees himself as…
- Samurai Assassin (1965)
- Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, Michiyo Aratana…
- Sharply delivered samurai epic based on the infamous Sakurada Gate Incident of 1860 in which a high–ranking shogunite official was assassinated…
- Samurai Spy (1965)
- Dir. Masahiro Shinoda
Feat. Koji Takahashi, Tetsuro Tamba, Kei Sato
- This atypical samurai saga ventures from the norm through overenthusiastic plotting, a Latin–infused score, and arresting…
- 47 Ronin, The (Genroku chushingura) (1962)
- Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Setsuko Hara
- A grand and spectacular take on a famous Japanese legend, with 47 ronin (masterless samurai) in feudal Japan seeking revenge on those responsible for…
- Fencing Master, The (1962)
- Dir. Harumi Mizuho
Feat. Raizo Ichikawa, Ganjiro Nakamura, Kinuyo Tanaka
- Thoughtful, if minor exploration of samurai traditions concerns an aging swordsman struggling to keep his feudal art form alive in early 20th century…
- Sanjuro (1962)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai
- The sequel to YOJIMBO unravels the story of nine would–be Samurai unveiling a government corruption ring. Kurosawa adopts a satirical…
- Tale of Zatoichi Continues, The (1962)
- Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- The first of many sequels to the iconic TALE OF ZATOICHI, in which a blind, affable masseur (Katsu) who happens to be a lethally skillful swordsman…
- Tale of Zatoichi, The (1962)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- The inaugural movie in the iconic 'Zatoichi' series – which followed the intriguing adventures in mythical Japan of a blind masseur, who has…
- Yojimbo (1961)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa
- Mercenary Sanjuro walks into town and sells his services to both factions of rival gangs – to stand back and watch them destroy each other.…
- Samurai Trilogy, The (Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple, Duel at Ganryu Island) (1954-1956)
- Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune
- Sweeping saga of a legendary 17th century samurai Musashi Miyamoto, that made an icon of actor Toshiro Mifune. Played out against the turmoil of a…
- Seven Samurai, The (1954)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune
- Kurosawa's classic 'Eastern Western' about a village who hire an elite band of warriors to fend off marauders. Compassionate storytelling with combat…
- Sanshiro Sugata 2 (1945)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Denjirô Ôkôchi, Susumu Fujita
- Sequel to dir. Kurosawa’s debut picture about a studious judo disciple in training continues the director’s own development as a future master of…
- Sanshiro Sugata (1943)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Denjirô Ôkôchi, Susumu Fujita
- Notable chiefly as the debut directorial effort for Akira Kurosawa, this adaptation of Tsuneo Tomita's novel finds an immature Judo exponent (Fujita)…