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Subgenre Sampler

 
Ip Man 4: The FinaleIp 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 ImmortalBlade of the Immortal (2017) Recommended
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…
HeadshotHeadshot (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, TheAssassin, The (2015) Recommended
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 3Ip 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, TheRaid 2, The (2014) Recommended
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, TheBerlin 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, TheGrandmaster, 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 FightIp 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, TheProtector 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 KenshinRurouni 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 DangWu 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…
BunohanBunohan (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, TheLost 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 KingdomMy 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, TheRaid, The (The Raid: Redemption) (2011) Aro Favourite
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,…
ShaolinShaolin (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!!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 XiaWu 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 Assassins13 Assassins (2010) Aro Favourite
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 Blades14 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 KnockoutBangkok 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 BloodBlades 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 2Blood 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 BrotherBruce 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 FlameDetective 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…
GallantsGallants (2010) Recommended
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 2Ip 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 BornIp 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 ZhenLegend 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 AssassinsReign 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…
BesouroBesouro (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 AssassinsBodyguards 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…
KamuiKamui (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 ChefsKung 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…
MerantauMerantau (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…
MulanMulan (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 3Ong-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 PhoenixRaging 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, TheStorm 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 ShadowTracing 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, TheTreasure 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 WarriorsAn 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 LoversButterfly 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 BeautyChanbara 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…
ChocolateChocolate (2008) Recommended
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 ManIp Man (2008) Recommended
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 2Ong-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 CliffRed Cliff (The Battle of Red Cliff) (2008) Recommended
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 KingdomsThree 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 GenerationWushu - 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 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 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 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 TargetInvisible 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 DunkKung 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 BoxersMuay 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 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 AlexanderSword 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, TheCity 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 FlowerCurse 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 GateDragon 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 WarriorDynamite 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 HonorLove 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, TheRebel, 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-HoodRobin-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 2Azumi 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 TranceDeath 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…
DuelistDuelist (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, TheMyth, 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, ThePromise, 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, TheProtector, 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 SwordsSeven 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 SwordShadowless 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…
ShinobiShinobi (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…
SPLSPL (Sha Po Lang) (2005) Recommended
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, TheTiger 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…
ArahanArahan (2004) Recommended
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 FightBorn to Fight (Kerd ma lui) (2004) Recommended
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 BladeHidden Blade (Kakushi-ken: oni no tsume) (2004) Recommended
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 DaggersHouse of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) (2004) Recommended
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 HustleKung Fu Hustle (2004) Aro Favourite
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 StoryNew 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…
AragamiAragami (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…
AzumiAzumi (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 BoxerBeautiful 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…
FearlessFearless (Jet Li's Fearless; Huo Yuan Jia) (2003) Recommended
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-BakOng-Bak (Muay Thai Warrior) (2003) Aro Favourite
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, TheWarrior, 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 EarthWarriors 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…
ZatoichiZatoichi (2003) Recommended
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…
AliveAlive (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…
HeroHero (2002) Aro Favourite
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, TheSea 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 CloseSo 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, TheTwilight Samurai, The (Tasogare Seibei) (2002) Aro Favourite
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 HuntersVampire 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 WarriorMusa - The Warrior (2001) Recommended
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 BladePrincess 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…
VersusVersus (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 RajanBang Rajan (2000) Recommended
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…
BichunmooBichunmoo (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 DragonCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Aro Favourite
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 TideTime 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…
GohattoGohatto (Taboo) (1999) Recommended
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…
HeroHero (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, TheStorm 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 MaskBlack 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 AmericaOnce 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, TheBlade, 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 TimeAshes 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 BeijingBodyguard from Beijing (1994) Recommended
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 ParadiseBurning 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 HunterCity 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 IIDrunken 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 LegendFist of Legend (1994) Recommended
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 - ExecutionersHeroic 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 ChunWing Chun (1994) Recommended
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, TheBarefoot 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, TheBride 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 SwordButterfly 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 TrioHeroic Trio (1993) Recommended
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 MonkeyIron Monkey (Siunin Wong Fei-hung tsi titmalau) (1993) Recommended
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, TheLegend 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, TheLegend 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 WarriorsMoon 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 3Once 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 ZenSex and Zen (1993) Recommended
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, TheTai 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 MonkTemptation 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 HairBride 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 InnDragon 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 KillerNaked Killer (1992) Recommended
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 2Once 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 3Police 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 SoulSaviour of the Soul (1992) Recommended
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 CatBlack 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 2Erotic 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 ChinaOnce 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 StoryErotic 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-gaiRonin-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 StraightShe 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 DragonSkinny 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…
SwordsmanSwordsman (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, TheCanton Godfather, The (Miracles; Mr. Canton and Lady Rose) (1989) Recommended
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, TheIceman Cometh, The (Time Warriors) (1989) Recommended
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 DutyIn 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 26Zatoichi 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 ForeverDragons 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 2Police 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 GodArmour 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 CondorsEastern 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 BluesPeking Opera Blues (1986) Recommended
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 DragonHeart 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. VampireMr. 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 AssassinsPolice 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 StoryPolice Story (1985) Aro Favourite
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, TheEight 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 MealsWheels 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, TheLady 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 WarriorsZu 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 LordDragon 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 DeathDuel to the Death (Xian si jue) (1982) Recommended
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 LanternsHuman 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 FighterLegend 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 ChinaLegendary 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 WarsNinja 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 PrinceShaolin 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 WongThey 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 KindEncounters of the Spooky Kind (Gui da gui) (1980) Recommended
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, TheYoung 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 EastHeroes 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 ButcherMagnificent 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 TempleShaolin 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, The5 Deadly Venoms, The (Five Deadly Venoms) (1978) Recommended
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 MasterDrunken 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 IntrigueClans of Intrigue (Chu liu xiang) (1977) Recommended
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 DuelDeath Duel (San shao ye de jian) (1977) Recommended
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, TheMighty 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 Bronzemen18 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 MastersChallenge 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 DeathHand 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, TheMagic Blade, The (Tien ya, ming yueh tao) (1976) Recommended
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 MenShaolin 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, TheWeb of Death, The ( Wu du tian luo) (1976) Recommended
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 Man from Hong Kong, The (1975) Recommended
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 GuillotineMaster of the Flying Guillotine (1975) Recommended
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 VengeanceLady 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 HellLone 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, TheStreet 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 TaleFemale 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 DesireIllicit 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 1Lady Snowblood 1 (Shurayukihime) (1973) Aro Favourite
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 DemonsLone 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 FurySex and Fury (Furyô anego den: Inoshika Ochô) (1973) Recommended
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 ConspiracyZatoichi'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 BrothersAll Men are Brothers (Sui woo juen) (1972) Recommended
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 41Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972) Aro Favourite
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 TrilogyHanzo 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 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 VengeanceLone Wolf & Cub 1: Sword of Vengeance (1972) Recommended
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 StyxLone 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 HadesLone 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 PerilLone 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 MarginWater 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 LargeZatoichi 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 DesperationZatoichi 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 FistsDuel 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 SwordsmanZatoichi 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, TheHeroic 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, TheTwelve 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 YojimboZatoichi 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 FireZatoichi: 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 LionRed 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, ATouch of Zen, A (Hsia Nu) (1969) Recommended
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!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, TheAssassin, 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 SwordsmanOne 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 OutlawZatoichi: 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 DaimajinDaimajin: 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 DoomSword of Doom (Dai-bosatsu tôge) (1966) Recommended
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 AssassinSamurai Assassin (1965) Recommended
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 SpySamurai 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, The47 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, TheFencing 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…
SanjuroSanjuro (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, TheTale 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, TheTale of Zatoichi, The (1962) Recommended
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…
YojimboYojimbo (1961) Recommended
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, TheSamurai Trilogy, The (Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple, Duel at Ganryu Island) (1954-1956) Recommended
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, TheSeven Samurai, The (1954) Aro Favourite
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 2Sanshiro 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 SugataSanshiro 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)…

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