Top Five Martial Arts Movies

Sometimes people ask me what martial arts movie is the best.  It’s a tough question!  There are so many that I like, so in no particular order, here are five of my absolute favorites!

1. Enter The Dragon

This was Bruce Lee's best movie. The plot is simple, but fun!

What really makes this movie shine is the martial arts sequences. Bruce Lee's impressive fighting has never been duplicated. He's fast, he's strong, and he's intense. Every martial artist should be required to see Enter The Dragon. Bruce Lee is the best of the best.

2.  The Matrix

The first Matrix movie is still as amazing as ever! It redefined special effects and introduced the world to a style of on-screen fighting that had never been seen before. For nearly a decade, action movies regularly copied what the Matrix started.

On top of all that, The Matrix has an incredible story, slick costumes, and a techie style that rocks!

3.  Kill Bill (Vol. 1& 2)

Not strictly a martial arts film, but by far my favorite of the genre. Tarantino captures so much of the traditional martial arts attitude, and weaves it together with a complex revenge story. It also pays homage to martial arts movies that came before, and it's filled with martial arts Easter eggs from beginning to end.

My favorite scenes include: "The Bride" getting her sword, the showdown in Japan, and the escape from the coffin.

4.  The Karate Kid

As I've said before, when I'm talking about The Karate Kid, the only movie I'm talking about is the 1984 classic, starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.

The martial arts sequences aren't phenomenal, but the story captures the essence of karate extremely well. The movie also extends beyond martial arts, with elements of teen drama, that still resonate today.

5.  Teenage MutantNinja Turtles

This is a seriously great martial arts movie.  It has a fun, kid oriented plot, and a completely retro 80's vibe, which, for a variety of reasons, works so well with martial arts.

The action sequences are beyond impressive. It's amazing to think how the actors were able to execute such complex stunt sequences in thick, rubber, turtle costumes. This is a define classic.