Subgenre Sampler
Foreign Cinema > Martial Arts: 244 Films to Buy & Rent
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…