JagoanBlog.Art

Kung Fu movies are loved for their amazing fight scenes, comedic stunt performances, and entertaining plot twists. Some of the best Kung Fu movies of all time are


Matrix, Seven Samurai,


and


Hero.


Besides entertainment, these movies teach important skills such as self-protection.

Key takeaways

• Kung Fu movies are celebrated for their remarkable displays of martial arts.
• 
  
  Matrix
  
  
  (1999) is one of the best Kung Fu movies with an
  
  IMDb ranking of 8.7/10
  
  .
• These films often provide a glimpse into Asian culture and traditions using the medium of martial arts.
• Beyond the action, Kung Fu movies are also known for their engaging storylines and character development.

Best Kung Fu movies

We considered several key factors to determine the best Kung Fu movies, including audience popularity and critical acclaim. We also considered IMDb ratings to help us narrow down the top picks. The list below is a mix of both classic and modern films, all featuring fantastic storylines that truly showcase the spirit of Kung Fu.

Movie name	IMDb rating	Genre
Matrix	8.7/10	Science fiction
Seven Samurai	8.6/10	Action
Hero	7.9/10	Wuxia Martial Arts
Enter the Dragon	7.6/10	Action
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin	7.6/10	Adventure
Iron monkey	7.5/10	Crime
13 Assassin	7.5/10	Thriller
Ip Man	7.5/10	Drama
Drunken Master	7.4/10	Action and comedy
The Prodigal Son	7.3/10	Thriller
Shaolin Soccer	7.3/10	Action Comedy
Five Fingers of Death	7.1/10	Drama
Kill Zone	6.9/10	Action thriller
Bodyguard and Assassins	6.8/10	Action
Karate kids	6.2/10	Drama

1. Matrix (1999)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  8.7/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Science fiction

The

Matrix

is the best Kung Fu movie of all time. It revolves around Thomas A. Anderson’s dual life. During the day, he works as a computer programmer, but when night falls, he transforms into a hacker known as Neo.

As the story unfolds, Neo discovers that the authorities are pursuing him. As Neo, he is forced to face off against government agents and their highly advanced computer programs, leading to a thrilling series of events.

2. Seven Samurai (1954)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  8.6/10
• 
  Genre
  
  : Action

Seven Samurai

is about an experienced Samurai who has faced many struggles. Even though he had some failures, he agreed to help a village threatened by bandits.

He knows he can’t do it alone, so he gets six other Samurai to help him. In return for food every day, they train the villagers to defend themselves. Unfortunately, things get out of control when the bandits attack the village.

3. Hero (2002)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.9/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Wuxia Martial Arts

Hero

takes place in China during the rule of the Qin Empire. The empire is trying to take over six other kingdoms, which makes their king a target for assassination. One person from the empire bravely confronts and defeats three famous assassins. Because of his bravery, the king wants to meet him.

4. Enter the Dragon (1973)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.6/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Action

Enter the Dragon

is a bona fide martial arts classic, regarded by many as one of the best martial arts movies of all time. In the movie, Lee plays a Shaolin master recruited by British intelligence to enter an undercover martial arts tournament.

This event is being run by Han, who is suspected of involvement in drugs. It’s up to Lee to use his martial arts to end Han’s nefarious plans.

5. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.6/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Adventure

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

is the most famous Shaolin movie. It is about the anti-Ching patriots who pretend to be schoolmasters. During a bad attack by the Manchus, Lui escapes and commits himself to learning martial arts to seek revenge. After mastering fighting, he embarks on a mission to destroy the Manchus.

6. Iron Monkey

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.5/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Crime film

A martial artist steals from the corrupt authorities as a masked thief to give to people experiencing poverty, while another martial artist is forced to hunt him down. But a major threat unites them as a powerful and traitorous Shaolin monk takes over the authorities.

7. 13 Assassin (2010)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.5/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Thriller

13 Assassins

is among the good karate movies to watch. The movie is based on modern martial arts. It is about Shinzaemon Shimada, who leads a group of assassins to eliminate a brutal Japanese leader, Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira. Shimada recruits the best Samurai in Japan and sets a trap for the lord’s large, faithful bodyguards.

8. Ip Man (2010)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.5/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Drama

Ip Man

is one of the best kung fu movies ever. It’s based on the life of a grandmaster named Ip Man.

Ip Man

desires to spread the Wing Chun discipline. Unfortunately, his dream becomes difficult because opponents are on the watch. His biggest rivals are Hung Chun-nam and Taylor “The Twister” Miller.

9. Drunken Master (1978)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.4/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Action and comedy

Drunken Master

is one of the best Chinese fighting movies. Wong Fei-Hung is a mischievous yet righteous young man. Fei-Hung’s behaviour frustrates his father, who decides to send him to be disciplined by a master of drunken martial arts. He sends Wong Hung to his uncle, a Drunken Genii kung-fu master.

The Master is torturous and ruthless, but Wong has to persevere through it all. Eventually, he returns home to save his dad from an assassin.

10. The Prodigal Son (1981)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.3/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Thriller

The Prodigal Son

is based on the life of Leung Chang, a wealthy martial arts student whose father pays another opponent to lose matches. After Leung realises that his father has been deceiving him, he studies martial arts more seriously and convinces a Kung Fu expert to take him on as a student.

11. Shaolin Soccer (2001)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.3/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Action Comedy

Stephen Chow plays a down-on-his-luck monk who wants to promote Shaolin teachings. Teaming up with Ng Man-tat’s retired footballer, they put together an unlikely team of sporting superheroes to win the China Super Cup soccer tournament.

Shaolin Soccer

is one of the best Asian fighting movies to watch.

12. Five Fingers of Death (1972)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  7.1/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Drama

Five Fingers

follows two martial arts schools preparing for an important tournament. One corrupt school’s Master wants his son to win the title. So, he hires three Japanese samurai, who target the rival school’s best fighters.

13. Kill Zone (2005)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  6.9/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Action thriller

Kill Zone

revolves around a nearly retired police inspector who, along with his unit, is determined to take down a ruthless crime boss. As they come close to achieving their goal, they encounter numerous challenges, including dealing with a new replacement who seems to hinder their mission.

In a surprising twist, the crime boss retaliates by sending his top henchmen to disrupt the police unit’s schemes.

14. Bodyguard and Assassins (2009)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  6.8/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Action

In 1905, revolutionary Sun Yat-Sen visited Hong Kong to discuss plans with Tongmenghui members to overthrow the Qing dynasty. But when they found out that assassins had been sent to kill him, they assembled a group of protectors to prevent any attacks.

15. Karate kids (2010)

• 
  IMDb ratings:
  
  6.2/10
• 
  Genre:
  
  Drama

Work causes a single mom to move to China with her son. In his new home, the 12-year-old boy embraces Kung Fu, taught by a master, which he uses to defend himself from bullies

Final word

These are some of the best Kung Fu movies we recommend watching. They’ve earned acclaim for their outstanding performances and timeless appeal. We chose them not only because they’re entertaining, but also because they’re rich in culture and history, making them enjoyable for generations to come.

Are you looking to watch Fantastic Beasts movies in order? Jagoanblog.art.co.ke published an informative article about how to watch the series in order.

The

Fantastic Beasts

movies, by J.K. Rowling, are part of the broader Wizarding World franchise, which started with the Harry Potter series. You can follow the plot as intended if you watch the films in order. Learn how you can watch the series in the canonical order here.