The heyday of the martial arts film was the 1970s, but though the Bruce Lee phenomenon came and went, there have always been new icons in the medium. This action subgenre rises and falls in popularity, retaking the public eye every few years with the newest big name.
While countless modern action films borrow elements from classic martial arts movies, the subgenre is marked by minimized special effects and maximized hand-to-hand combat mastery. Often, the films serve as showcases and cultural platforms for the specific fighting systems that make up the action scenes. The world of martial arts cinema remains fascinating and unique, and interesting new films are coming out every year.
Headshot
Directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel, this Indonesian action film stars one of the biggest names in modern martial arts cinema, Iko Uwais. The star of The Raid appears here as an amnesiac who adopts the name Ishmael. Ishmael awakens after a near-fatal head injury and must do battle with an army of organized crime enforcers to protect the doctor who saved his life.
The film takes a fighting game approach to its characters, outfitting almost every major player with their own distinct martial art, including Uwais' iconic silat or wushu. The narrative is extremely bare-bones, a very basic rescue quest to save an innocent woman's life. But the hardcore action is the draw, and it's incredible.
Man of Tai Chi
Keanu Reeves's first and thus far only film in the director's chair is a powerful journey of a martial artist using his typically peaceful techniques to compete in underground combat. The film stars Tiger Chen, who began his career as a fight choreographer on The Matrix, where he and Reeves became close friends. Reeves went on to direct a showcase for his martial arts trainer that sought to turn him into an action star, with limited success.
Though the film was not successful at the box office, it is a fun martial arts affair. It's a fairly classic take on the genre, clearly inspired by the Bruce Lee standards of the previous era and modern films like The Matrix. Tiger Chen is an immediately charismatic performer, as well as a dynamic force in the fight scenes. The film's budget was significantly higher than the average film of the genre, but that led to its tragic downfall. More people should lay eyes on this earnest film made by two talented friends sharing their love of martial arts with the world.
Triple Threat
The title is no exaggeration. This film is shamelessly built around the three martial arts stars who make up its primary cast. Iko Uwais is back, with the staggering silat mastery and the lightning-fast movement he's famous for. Tiger Chen returns, complete with his easy charisma and smooth wushu style. The third threat is Muay Thai legend Tony Jaa, of Ong Bak and Furious 7 fame. British action film director, stuntman, and stunt coordinator Jesse V. Johnson brings an excellent creative vision to action scenes of all sorts.
Each of the key trio is in top form, as always, and their interactions in combat and dialogue are all that they are promised to be. This is the kind of film 80s action stars made infamous. The martial arts answer to The Expendables winds up dramatically better than its western equivalent, thanks to solid direction and a fully on-board cast.
Dragon Tiger Gate
This film is probably better known for a handful of scenes that have gone around on YouTube than it is as a full-length feature film. Wilson Yip takes the director's chair for his second collaboration with the legendary Donnie Yen. The duo is far better known for the Ip Man franchise, which remains one of the most enduringly popular martial arts film series. This 2006 effort is much more in the vein of action anime, as it is based around a Chinese manga called Oriental Heroes.
The story follows half-brothers Dragon and Tiger, who find themselves drawn together by a chance encounter and must join forces to take on a dangerous criminal gang. It's an odd-couple buddy adventure between a pair of complete opposites, brought together by fate. Dragon Tiger Gate is light on realism, borrowing tons of wire-fighting techniques to add more power to the action. Yip and Yen are famous for their more grounded work, but this piece deserves some more attention.
The Night Comes for Us
Iko Uwais is back again, reconnecting with stellar writer/director Timo Tjahjanto for another spellbinding experience. This film was released directly to Netflix in 2018, and it's an intensely tough watch featuring some of the most gripping action choreography of the modern era.
The film tells the story of Ito, a gang enforcer turning a new leaf and trying to evade a host of deadly warriors seeking to take his place by taking his life. Uwais has a rare villainous performance in this film, to which he brings chilling menace alongside his usual flair. The Night Comes for Us is one of the best martial arts movies ever made, and it must be seen to be believed.