Martial Arts

The Greatest Film Martial Artists of All Time, Ranked

The motion style is an integral a part of cinema, filling audiences up with exhilarating automotive chases, over-the-top explosions, and explosive shoot-outs. But, maybe the very best motion films come within the type of the completely spectacular martial arts sub-genre. The style is filled with brilliantly crafted battle scenes which might be fully elevated by the unimaginable motion stars we see beating up waves and waves of enemies.


The most effective and most spectacular motion stars within the style have an intricate historical past with martial arts in its many kinds, from both competing professionally or simply plainly as a result of they’ve educated within the arts ever since they have been younger. Their huge historical past with martial arts permits for some undeniably distinctive motion scenes that made us fall in love with these stars. So with that in thoughts, listed here are the very best film martial artists.

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10 Iko Uwais

The Greatest Film Martial Artists of All Time, Ranked
Lionsgate

The Raid is by far the most effective martial arts films of all time, which has made Jap martial arts films way more mainstream. The motion is phenomenal, and its stars, like Iko Uwais, that helped garner The Raid its success. The Indonesian martial artist not solely performs his personal stunts and motion, however Uwais, very similar to many of the stars on this listing, additionally choreographs every one among his battle scenes, making them really feel way more genuine and fluid.

Uwais first appeared in Merendau, which led the movie’s director, Gareth Evans, to solid him because the lead in each Raid films on account of his charisma, on-screen presence, and naturally, his fast martial arts model. Since, Uwais has appeared in films like Past Skyline, Headshot, The Night time Comes For Us, and Mile 22.

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9 Scott Adkins

Scott Adkins - Boyka
Common Footage House Leisure

Scott Adkins is undoubtedly probably the most underrated martial arts stars in cinema, whose spectacular physicality and brutal choreography deserves way more reward. Greatest identified for his function as Yuri Boyka within the Undisputed franchise, Adkins has a formidable martial arts background, the place he’s totally educated within the arts of Judo, Taekwondo, Capoeira, Ninjitsu, Karate, and Jujitsu, amongst many extra.

Largely that includes in straight-to-DVD motion extravaganzas, Adkins has starred in a complete of 4 films with fellow martial arts knowledgeable, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Likewise, Adkins performed the protagonist in each Ninja films, and was featured in a handful of superhero films, with the likes of Physician Unusual and X-Males Origins: Wolverine, being his most recognizable. Adkins is about to look within the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4, which guarantees the very best motion scenes within the franchise.

8 Tony Jaa

Tony Jaa
Sahamongkol Movie Worldwide

Tony Jaa burst onto the display together with his brutal choreography and stunt work in films akin to The Protector and most famously, Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. His martial arts model is exclusive and extremely entertaining, as Jaa by no means holds again on his fellow stunt performers, kicking them straight within the face, in addition to dropping elbows at full velocity onto their skulls. We’re simply glad we aren’t on the receiving finish. Jaa hasn’t had as a lot attain with informal audiences, but his work in Jap cinema is known, and his martial arts films are among the many finest within the style. Showing in films like Livid 7, Monster Hunter, and SPL II: A Time For Penalties.

7 Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris as CIA Agent Matt Hunter
Cannon Releasing Company

Chuck Norris is the epitome of superior. Together with his variety of black belts in martial arts, together with Karate, Tang Soo Doo, and Taekwondo, Norris has crushed his foes to a pulp in probably the most Chuck Norris manner attainable. Norris has fly-kicked a foul man by means of the windshield of a transferring automotive, shot somebody with a bazooka at point-blank vary, and has damaged a goon’s nostril, fastened it, and broke it once more. First showing reverse Bruce Lee in The Approach of The Dragon, Norris greater than proved himself as a film martial artist, which led the star to turn out to be one of many largest names in motion. His roles have included Walker: Texas Ranger, Lone Wolf McQuade, Lacking in Motion, and The Expendables 2.

6 Jean-Claude Van Damme

Bloodsport
Warner Bros.

As probably the most versatile man in Hollywood, Jean-Claude Van Damme has persistently proven audiences why he’s the very best of the very best. Kicking numerous foes, whereas all the time displaying off his jaw-dropping splits, and every so often, busting out some superior dance strikes. Most well-known for his roles in Common Soldier, Timecop, Double Affect, and naturally, Bloodsport, Van Damme earned his black belt in Karate by the age of 18, the place he later mastered Taekwondo and Muay Thai. Also called “The Muscle tissue from Brussels”, JCVD additionally educated in ballet, claiming that ballet “is an artwork, but it surely’s additionally probably the most tough sports activities. In the event you can survive a ballet exercise, you’ll be able to survive a exercise in some other sport.”

5 Jet Li

Hero
Beijing New Image Movie

Jet Li was one of many largest motion stars of the ’90s and the early 2000s, showing in basic martial arts films, together with Hero, Fearless, The One, and the third Mummy film. As a retired Wushu champion, Jet Li has greater than earned his place among the many finest within the business, whose stardom led him to finally be part of The Expendables, alongside a few of motion’s most iconic stars. Li has greater than showcased his impeccable expertise as a martial artist, following within the footsteps of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. All through his profession, Li has gone up in opposition to nice martial artists like Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen on a couple of event.

4 Michelle Yeoh

Everything Everywhere All at Once Oscar Predictions
A24

Michelle Yeoh is undoubtedly probably the most beloved martial arts stars of all time, and her sensible filmography solely proves why. A now-Oscar nominee for her efficiency within the current Every thing In all places All At As soon as, Michelle Yeoh turned a fan favourite abroad along with her function because the superior Yu Shu Lien within the martial arts basic Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and returned to her iconic function 16 years later for the sequel, Sword of Future. Since then, Yeoh has proven off her spectacular martial arts in Hollywood classics. She’s appeared in Tomorrow By no means Dies, The Mummy: Tomb of The Emperor, and extra not too long ago, within the martial arts extravaganza Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, all with out mentioning her spectacular function within the multiverse epic, Every thing In all places All at As soon as.

3 Donnie Yen

donnie-yen-ip-man
Mandarin Movies

Donnie Yen is a martial arts star that has been round for a few years, with audiences in all places absolutely recognizing him from a plethora of martial arts classics. Donnie Yen’s no-holds-barred and extremely quick choreography ranks him among the many finest within the enterprise. Most famously identified for his function because the Ip Man within the Ip Man franchise, Donnie Yen has made appearances in A Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Shanghai Knights, alongside Jackie Chan, and Blade 2. Yen’s work as a stuntman firstly of his profession rapidly allowed the star into many lead roles, showcasing his many proficient kinds of martial arts that make Yen such a memorable martial artist.

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2 Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan hugs the walls in Rush Hour 3
New Line Cinema

Jackie Chan’s legend is kind of incomparable. Not solely being an extremely gifted martial artist, Chan is generally identified for his extremely damaging stunt work, breaking virtually each bone in his physique, burning himself quite a few occasions, and virtually killing himself manner too many occasions.

Jackie Chan’s turns in The Drunken Grasp, Police Story, and Rumble in The Bronx, cemented his motion star prowess. Nevertheless, not like normal martial arts stars identified for his or her sheer brutality and ruthlessness, Jackie Chan is a genuinely enjoyable man. Usually filling his motion with enjoyable and artistic choreography, swinging by means of ladders, combating with an umbrella, and poking many dangerous guys within the eyes. Chan is a hilarious martial artist whose most pleasant work might be present in films like The Rush Hourtrilogy, the Shanghai duology, and The Forbidden Kingdom, alongside shut pal Jet Li.

1 Bruce Lee

Enter The Dragon - Bruce Lee
Warner Bros.

Who else however “The Dragon” himself? Bruce Lee might high this listing of extremely gifted martial artists. Every thing we all know and love in regards to the martial arts sub-genre is all due to Bruce Lee. Gifting the world with among the finest martial arts films of all time, with Enter The Dragon, Approach of The Dragon, and Fist of Fury. Lee’s fast-paced and immeasurable martial arts helped make his films greater than iconic. Lee is by far probably the most achieved martial artists on the planet. He mastered Kung Fu, created quite a few martial arts kinds (together with Jun Fan, Gung Fu, and Jeet Kune Do), wrote a handful of books, and educated westerners within the arts of Chinese language martial arts, which on the time, have been frowned upon. Bruce Lee is a legend, whose life was tragically lower brief on the age of 32, but his spirit and affect on the business will dwell on eternally

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