Martial arts moviescan sometimes go above and beyond in their creative presentation, with certain films in the genre sporting a unique visual style that stands apart from the run-of-the-mill action fare. Admittedly, the vast majority of martial arts movies rely on violence andover-the-top, brutal hand-to-hand battlesto entertain, sporting impressive choreography but no real visual flair to speak of. Luckily, this isn’t always the case, with some films in the genre standing out for their breathtaking visuals.
Usually, the actual cinematography of martial arts movies can be quite bland, with the frenetic movement of its subjects providing all the dynamism they need. For a rare selection of standout films, however, this simply isn’t good enough, leading to sweeping camera motions, creative shot compositions, and beautiful flowing colors that compliment the choreography, making the camera as much of a combatant in the fray as the characters are. The most visually stunningmartial arts films tend towards the philosophical, complimenting their deep thoughts with artistic ingenuity.
10Everything Everywhere All At Once
A modern martial arts masterpiece
A rare martial arts movie to take home the coveted Academy Award for Best Picture in the year it was released,Everything Everywhere All At Onceis admittedly difficult to restrain to one genre. The spectacular multiversal epic centers on a down-on-her-luck woman named Evelyn who has seemingly failed as a mother, business owner, and wife. Her mundane life is thrown into chaos when she becomes dragged into a war across parallel dimensions waged by an evil variant of her daughter, whose nihilism threatens the multiverse itself.
Despite being absurd and utterly silly at times,Everything Everywhere All At Onceis nothing short of a visual marvel. The actual kung fu sequences themselves are impressive, despite being laden with bizarre stunts, but it’s the set design, editing, and cinematography that truly stand out as Evelyn is hurled through different dimensions at a rapid pace. Martial arts movie royalty Michelle Yeoh turns in the performance of a decade as the hapless Evelyn, whose arc compliments the fierce artistic vision behind the madness.
9Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Justified as a venerated classic
The film that truly put Michelle Yeoh on the map for Western audiences,Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonis another of themost critically praised martial arts moviesin the West. A wuxia epic set in 19th century China, the story splits its attention between martial arts masters Li Mu Bai, Yu Shu Lien, and the mysterious thief Jen Yu. When the latter steals the mythical Green Destiny blade, eschewing her sworn duties in pursuit of power, the former are forced to track her down and retrieve the legendary weapon.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonis known for its delicate and graceful wirework, featuring battles in which star-crossed characters soar through the air at one another with the greatest of ease. This might not be the most realistic depiction of kung fu, but it certainly facilitates some breathtaking visuals, with one battle scene taking place among the tips of bamboo shoots in a forest being particularly astonishing. The stunning landscapes and dynamic camera movements punctuate both the action and the deep-seated themes of the film.
8Hero
Toys with visual storytelling through a kung fu lens
With a stacked cast including names like Donnie Yen, Jet Li, and Tony Leung, it’s surprising thatHeroisn’t willing to simply rest on its laurels visually and let the talent’s fists do the talking.Herouses the frame story of a nameless assassin approaching a king to tell him how he was able to protect him by dispatching several other prominent warriors. The film weaves a surprisingly heady and meditative tale about the nature of a hero and whether or not extreme violence can ever be justified as a subject of admiration.
Herodoes some incredible things with camera work and choreography that have yet to be earnestly replicated in the martial arts movie world. The film plays with time and perspective throughout its gorgeous battles, flinging the camera into the fray as the action speeds up and slows down as necessary. One scene in particular in which the protagonist and his opponent visualize an entire battle before ending things with a single decisive strike is particularly phenomenal.
7House Of Flying Daggers
Wields bold romantic visuals with fierce dedication
Another romantic wuxia epic known for its fight choreography and romantic angle,House of Flying Daggersadds some real visual splendor to its already captivating story. The premise takes place amid the muddled politics of the Tang Dynasty’s decline, with multiple rebel groups popping up to challenge the government’s waning control. One of them, the titular House of Flying Daggers, is set to be infiltrated by police officers Leo and Jin, only for a love triangle to develop between the two of them and Mei, an active Flying Dagger rebel.
House of Flying Daggersmight have a somewhat by-the-numbers romantic tragedy for a plot, but the entrancing visuals more than make up for any narrative weakness. The vivid colors, score, and flowing fight choreography all add up to a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. In particular, the final battle is one of the most beautifulkung fu fights set in a snow stormever conceived for the screen, ending on a bitterly intense fight that makes the film’s title all too literal.
6Only God Forgives
Carried by style over substance
Admittedly, some martial arts movies don’t have the strongest narratives, but are still worth watching for their visual splendor alone. Such is certainly the case forOnly God Forgives, a lesser-known Ryan Gosling star vehicle made by the same director behindDrivethat proved Gosling could handle martial arts. Gosling stars as Julian, an American expat living in Thailand and a career criminal who is pulled into a graphic bloodbath after his brother is murdered for his abhorrent behavior.
With Gosling only speaking a mere 17 lines throughout the entire film, it’s clear that the nonsensical plot and troubled characterization aren’t the main attraction.Only God Forgivesis oozing with style, from the blaring neon lighting to the slick electronic soundtrack. The fight between Julian and the self-aggrandizing Lieutenant Chang is the easily the most visually stunning martial arts movie battle in which one character doesn’t manage to land a single blow, helped by the daring overhead camera sequence reminiscent ofJohn Wick: Chapter 4.
5The Grandmaster
Half biopic, half epic martial arts saga
While theDonnie Yen-ledIp Manfilmsmight be the more well-known adaptations of the life and times of real-world wing chun master Ip Man,The Grandmasterbarely manages to edge it out visually. In this film, Tony Leung instead plays the iconic Chinese folk hero in a lengthy saga that chronicles his entire life, from scrapping it out in Japanese-occupied mainland China to spreading his teachings overseas. At the core of his expansive journey is a bitterly missed romantic connection stemming from one of his old rivals.
Partially a straightforward martial arts movie and partially a prestige biopic,The Grandmasterpunctuates its combat with long periods of actionless drama. Perhaps this is the reason why director Wong Kar-wai focused so heavily on making every frame of the film a veritable painting in beauty, each shot magnificently composed and lit. When the hand-to-hand fights do happen, they’re just as impressive, with the limbs of each fighter trailing with motion and close-ups that slow down time to provide a stunning amount of detail.
4A Touch Of Zen
A wuxia epic that earns its long runtime
One of the most iconic wuxia movies ever made,A Touch of Zenearns the right to be as massive and sprawling as it is thanks to a sharp and visionary cinematic look. The three-hour-long, two-part extravaganza takes place in the Ming Dynasty of China’s middle ages, taking the perspective of Ku Shen Chai, a burnout artist in his 30s. Ku’s entire life is turned upside-down when a princess on the run from assassins takes him on as a student, training him to become a powerful kung fu warrior.
A Touch of Zenwould hardly be able to justify its massive runtime without some incredibly engaging visuals, but luckily, that’s exactly what the film offers. Dynamic camera angles dip and weave among the action, better showing off the gorgeous sets and locales the fights take place in. The vibrant colors and deep depth-of-field also utilized by the film keep the aesthetic remarkably fresh even over fifty years later. It’s no wonderA Touch of Zenis such a cultural touchstone.
3The Matrix
Sleek and stylish all these years later
ThoughtheMatrixfranchisemight be primarily thought of as a science fiction series, the first film, at the very least, is still very much a martial arts movie at the core of its action. The story ofThe Matrixneeds little introduction, thrusting the gifted hacker Neo into the realization that the world as he knows it is merely a computer simulation run by hostile A.I. to keep humanity in line. The unique setting allowsThe Matrixto offload some stunning visuals that have yet to be topped by any of its sequels.
The entire color palette of the film is doused in a sickly green that emulates the lines of code making up the gargantuan titular program itself, maintaining a remarkably distinct visual style. The iconic slow-motion action sequences and fairly aged CGI components have also been homaged and parodied countless times in other films for good reason, continuing to be captivating to this day. Crafting costumes, lighting, and choreography styles with a unique signature flair,The Matrixis considered to be a classic for a good reason.
2Fearless
The apex of mid 2000s martial arts flair
One of the most important entries in the esteemed filmography of Jet Li,Fearlessis among his most beautifully rendered projects. Taking place in the early 20th century,Fearlessposits Jet Li as Huo Yuanjia, a real historical figure whose life the film is loosely based on. Li’s Yuanjia challenges a series of foreign fighters in massive public bouts to help prove the superiority of kung fu as a combat system and restore pride and nationalism to China at a time when the nation was besieged by outside interests.
Jet Li’s Huo Yuanjia fights his way through an eclectic range of opponents, including boxers, fencers, wrestlers, and muay thai kickboxers. Each bout is showcased with fantastic zeal and visual flair that emphasizes the kineticism of Li’s performance, supplemented by small touches of CGI that tie together an impressive visual landscape. The camera itself isn’t afraid to twist and turn along with its subjects, making for an engrossing style that draws the viewer in to the circus-like turn-of-the-century world.
1The Monkey King 2
An improvement on the original’s high-flying fantasy
The iconic Chinese folklore storyJourney to the Westhas been a source of inspiration for countless films and TV shows, from martial arts movies tothe iconicDragonballseries. One of the most straightforward adaptations was Donnie Yen’sThe Monkey King, which had impressive moments but admittedly struggled to keep its digital effects on par with the scope of the story. Luckily, sequelThe Monkey King 2managed to improve on its predecessor enough to result in a visual marvel.
Re-casting Aaron Kwok as Sun Wukong himself, the film picks up where the previous entry left off, with the simian warrior of legend trapped under the Five Fingers mountain. From there, the spectacle of the many demons, gods, and oddities Wukong and Buddhist disciple Tang Sanzang encounter are brilliantly portrayed with both CGI and practical effects. Looking like an ancient work of art, thismartial artsepic is able to do Sun Wukong and his many storied battles justice with its stunning artistic design.
