If you grew up watching poorly-dubbed martial arts movies, you know how fun they can be. It’s a genre that lends itself very well to comedy, while the fight choreography and stunt work places it firmly in the realm of action. Not every martial arts film is an action-comedy, but those that are tend to abound with both laughs and excitement. If you’ve seen a Jackie Chan movie, you’ll hardly need to be convinced of this. But whether you’re a lifelong fan or a newcomer to martial arts cinema, our list will provide you with some of the best examples of capital-F Fun in the genre. Let’s get started.
7The Last Dragon (1985)
Not every great martial arts film comes from Hong Kong:The Last Dragonis an American cult classic from the action movie heyday of the 1980s. One part martial arts B-movie andone part Blaxploitation, it’s a wonderful and self-reflective spin on the genre. Noteworthy for including a nearly all-Black cast of actors, it’s remembered today as being culturally important in spite of its over-the-top comedy and B-movie flair (perGrantland). Perhaps most memorable is its primary antagonist, “Sho’nuff,” who is a ridiculous villain in the best possible way.
6Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Despite being an animated, family-friendly movie about a talking panda,Kung Fu Pandais actually quitea legitimate martial arts film. It pays homage to the culture and history not only of martial arts cinema, but of China as well. While it might not be as impressive as kung fu romps that feature live-action stunts and fight choreography, it brings plenty of laughs to the table, and a heartfelt story to boot. Featuring the voice talent of Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Randall Duk Kim, Lucy Liu, and many more, its appeal extends beyond children to anyone who appreciates martial arts.
Related:Kung Fu Panda: Every Movie & TV Series in the Franchise, Ranked
5Project A (1983)
Take it from us: Jackie and Chan and Sammo Hung together in a picture makes for a riotously good time. Here, the two comic-action legends team up to take down pirates in 19th century Hong Kong, an era in which it was still occupied by the British.Project Ais light on the political commentary and heavy on the slapstick, prop-heavy fight sequences, and ridiculous stunts (one of which involves Chan falling from a clock tower some 72 feet from the ground). Yes, it’sthatkind of Jackie Chan movie.
4Police Story (1985)
While it pains us not to put it higher on our list,Police Storydoes trade in the comic hijinks for a high-stakes, straight-faced action drama during its final act. But before this point, it represents one ofJackie Chan’s greatest comedic achievements. The scenes featuring Chan and co-star Maggie Cheung are particularly funny, and stand out for they ways they incorporate stunts in the midst of farce. Chan isn’t the only one putting his body on the line either, as one memorable scene has Cheung being pulled from a moving scooter.
3Shaolin Soccer (2001)
It’s hard to imagine a more hilarious concept for a film than Shaolin monksforming a soccer teamin order to advertise their lifestyle (and kung fu skills) to the world. Enter Stephen Chow’sShaolin Soccer. More than just a fun idea, Chow turns this concept into one of the greatest achievements of the kung-fu comedy genre. The high points here are without a doubt the soccer matches, which turn an already exciting sport into a superhuman contest between martial arts experts. Set against the Shaolin players is a club literally named Team Evil. If that doesn’t sound like fun, we don’t know what will.
Related:10 Sports Movies That Even Non-Sports Fans Will Enjoy
2The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)
The Legend of Drunken Masteris not only one of the funniest martial arts movies; it’s one of the best to ever come out of Hong Kong. The film centers on one Wong Fei-hung (played by Jackie Chan), master of the Chinese martial art of drunken boxing. For Fei-hung, it isn’t simply a style of combat — it’struedrunken boxing, as he grows stronger in proportion to the amount of alcohol he consumes. This process makes for some incredible, and incredibly funny, fight scenes, several of which have best-in-class choreography that puts far more serious movies to shame.
1Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
AnotherStephen Chow-ledproduction,Kung Fu Hustlerepresents the pinnacle of absurdist martial arts filmmaking. There’s no attempt to accurately replicate real-world kung fu styles, and for good reason. Instead, we get a genre-bending, almost cartoonish approach to martial arts, one that seems always to be one-upping itself (per SBS). It’s as if Chow is continually asking himself: how crazy can we make this? The answer is quite crazy indeed. You’re unlikely to have more out-and-out fun with a film, martial arts or otherwise, than this one.
