Best movies like My Life's on the Line

Fight everyone and trust no one: it's the code of survival practiced by martial-arts master Casey Bowman after his life of domestic bliss is shattered by a savage act of violence. Vowing revenge, the fearless American stealthily tracks the killer from Osaka to Bangkok to Rangoon with the help of a wise and crafty sensei. His only clues: a series of victims whose necks bear the distinctive mark of strangulation by barbed wire. Fighting to avenge as well as to survive, Casey must sharpen his razor-like responses and take his battle skills to the next level, even using deep meditation to fake his own death. His target: the sinister drug lord Goro, who is flooding the streets with deadly meth cooked at his remote jungle factory. To prepare for his ultimate confrontation, Casey must finally become an invisible warrior worthy of the name Ninja. But just when his prey is cornered, an unexpected twist shows Casey that his battle is only beginning: he truly can trust no one.

In his travels, Caine meets up with an old man who has several surprises for him. The first being the destruction of the Shaolin order, the second being that the man is the father of the Emperor's nephew whom he killed in China, and the third is that he seeks his revenge using the son Caine never knew he had sired as the instrument of his death. It will take all of Caine's skill and wisdom to find a solution to this deadly predicament.

Ouyang Feng is a heartbroken and cynical man who spends his days in the desert, connecting expert swordsmen with those seeking revenge and willing to pay for it. Throughout five seasons in exile, Ouyang spins tales of his clients' unrequited loves and unusual acts of bravery.

Professional killer Holland is forced out of retirement to break a Central American government's political torture ring when one of his friends, a Latin American journalist, is killed. The murderer, Doctor Clement Molloch, is the master sadist behind the political torture of innocent victims. Posing as a journalist, Holland lures Molloch out of his fortress-like headquarters by using his murdered friend's wife and daughter as bait. When Holland kidnaps Molloch's sister, the doctor is led on a wild chase that takes him to an abandoned opal mine where he finally comes face to face with Holland.

A graduate student and martial-arts expert rents a room in a house owned by a single mother who lives there with her son. A local street gang is trying to recruit the son, but the new tenant tries to help the boy's mother keep him out of the gang. When they learn of this, they target both the mother and her new tenant.

During Japan's invasion of China in World War II, two disgraced Japanese soldiers are given a second chance. Facing execution for various infractions, the two men are offered a reprieve if they take a special assignment. Since they can speak Chinese and know the territory, the men are assigned to the task of running a Chinese labor camp the Japanese operate in occupied territory. After the men take over, they work the prisoner's so hard the labor force rises up in revolt of their treatment.

A one-armed martial arts master is being stalked by an Imperial assassin, the master of two fighters killed in the previous film. When the One-Armed Boxer is invited to attend a martial arts tournament, his efforts to lay low are unsuccessful, and the assassin soon tracks him down with the help of his three subordinates: a Thai boxer, a yoga master, and a kobojutsu user.

Jackie Chan stars as the young warrior Hsu Yiu Fong. Hsu has been entrusted with the book of the "Art of the Snake and Crane," after the mysterious disappearance of the eight Shaolin Masters who had written it. He must fight off numerous clans who are all attempting to steal the book from him, to find out the true reason for the disappearance of the Shaolin Masters.

10 Strangers are trapped in a deadly experiment by a twisted soon-to-be serial killer. "You have 60 seconds to kill the person in front of you.

In order to avenge her father's murder, Hsiang Ying trains herself in the deadliest form of swordplay. Her only goal - to kill all of her father's vicious killers. From hand-to-hand combat to uniquely choreographed weapon fights, Revengeful Swordswoman will have kung fu fans wanting more.

Stephanie Komack was a high-class hooker and assassin for the Italian Mob. Now working in London as a waitress, and a single mother to her seven year old daughter, the Mob track Stephanie down and persuade her to do one last job. The hit goes wrong and Stephanie soon realises the stark reality of her failure. They snatch her daughter as punishment, but didn't figure on Stephanie's capacity for revenge! Inspired by true events, JOURNAL OF A CONTRACT KILLER is the gripping story of a woman driven to turn on her paymasters with devastating consequences.

Two men, one a lowly peon and the other a dutiful nobleman, are betrayed by their master and crippled for life-- One left with no arms and the other with paralyzed legs. Despite their obvious disadvantages, they strive to seek revenge against their evil master. The two men endeavor to track down the fabled Eight Jade Horses, said to hold the key to special martial arts techniques.

An embittered satellite expert gets the opportunity for revenge against the USA by aiding terrorists in a plan to destroy the country's military base.

After Chen Zhen's execution in Shanghai, the Japanese feared that his death would unite all Chinese kung fu schools against them. Fearing this, the Japanese gave orders to the head of the Hong Ku School, Miyamoto (Lo Lieh) to surpass all Chinese schools including the Ching Wu School. When they refuse, the Japanese beat up the students and destroys the school. Meanwhile, one Chinese learns about the destruction of the Ching Wu School when he goes to Shanghai to visit Chen Zhen's grave. This Chinese is the only one who has the guts to fight the Japanese, this Chinese is known as Chen Shen (Bruce Li) who is the brother of Chen Zhen and he vows to avenge his brother's death and end the terror of the Japanese once and for all.

The new police chief (Bruce Li) arrives in a small provincial town. He's been charged with bringing a dangerous gang to justice. But within seconds, the chief provokes a showdown with his lazy deputies. Realizing that they are not up to the job, he enlists the help of some of his prisoners, offering pardons to those who survive the encounter with the gang. These include a widower (Wang Yung Sheng), imprisoned for killing the men who murdered his wife, a knife-throwing expert (Lung Fei) also doing time for the murder of a corrupt magistrate, a pickpocket, and a young orphan girl out to avenge her parents' death. The chief reveals his coldblooded dedication to the mission when he hangs one prisoner for trying to escape. The group - both prisoners and police - ultimately bond together and track down the gang's headquarters to find the leader (Chen Hsing). After a long and bloody melee, everyone lies dead except the chief.

This film is about Fong Sai-yu going under cover as a servant in the villain's mansion. He is a famous fighter that fights for justice. While at the mansion he met the great Kow Lee played by Tao-Liang Tan also a great fighter that works there for the villain. He recognize Fong Sai-Yu right away and challenge him to a fight because he wanted to match his fighting skill with the famous fighter. At first Fong Sai-Yu declined but eventually agreed after the great Kow Lee threatens to reveal his identity. They met on top of a mountain where they fought to a draw and then became great friends. The great Kow Lee later help Fong Sai-Yu at the end of the film to defeat the villain who was very tough to beat.

Hwang Jang Lee is a corrupt Ming guard who frames John Liu for murder. A wanted fugitive, John hides out with a teen who is an expert in the infamous Iron Armor technique, a technique that means the expert can withstand anything. However, Hwang is an expert in it as well as the Eagle Claw's. Can John stop Hwang before it's too late?

A government law officer is dispatched to bring his brother's killers to justice. On his bloody mission, untold assassins are thrown at him, but to no avail. One by one they are done away with in a most militant style.

Two fearless martial arts experts investigate a series of mysterious murders, committed by a unknown fighter called the "RED PHOENIX", who kills his victims with an unknown but very deadly technique.

Li Tai must endure terrible hardship under his sadistic Kung-fu master in order to perfect his fighting technique. The ambitious young man finally has a chance to prove himself when his old master meets his match and Li has to use the eighteen secrets of kung fu to fight the challenger.

The film takes up the tale of Shaolin students Fong Si Yu and Hung Si Kwan (joined here by a third comrade, Lu Ka Chai) and their efforts to battle Ching oppressors. Their chief antagonist is the Abbot of Wutang who makes it his job to get rid of the three heroes and actually comes up with a clever plan to do so. He creates three exact doubles of the heroes and trains them to fight their counterparts.

Tyrone Shu directs Lung Chun, Wang Tao, and Angela Mao in the historically set martial arts film Moonlight Sword & Jade Lion. During the Sung Dynasty, Mao plays a martial arts expert who finds herself involved in a variety of political intrigues. "Feisty ace martial artist Chu Siew Yen promises her teacher that she will find his missing brother. During her search Chu also tries to discover the identity of the person who killed her parents. Of course, accomplishing said tasks proves easier said than done as Chu faces opposition from many people she encounters on the way to uncovering the truth." Written by Woodyanders

Shaolin and Wu Tang join forces to combat the evil White-Haired Priest using the five elements of kung fu. From this emerges what will become the style known as Tai Chi Chuan from its founder, Chang Shen Fong. See real training, such as the hall of wooden men. Witness the united strength of the Shaolin Monks as they help Chang Shen Fong against White-Haired Priest. See the Three Snake Fists, Black Palm Poison, and other styles for the first time! Jewels from the Wu.

Ah Cheng has decided to get out of this silly kung-fu business and retire with his new girlfriend. Unfortunately, everyone is out to kill him, and one of the killers has been using his trademark knives to frame him! Meanwhile his friends meet up with a mysterious swordsmen who is not what he seems.

Two swordsmen from separate sects band together to kill Ruthless Chi, head of another sect.But did he really die? Events show that the Ruthless killer stills controls the strings and its up to the swordsmen to reveal his true identity.

Shaw Brothers star Wang Yu plays Ho Gang, a competent swordsman who takes a job as a hired assassin. Though reluctant he ends up becoming highly successful, but he is wary as one of his targets is killed before he can fulfill the contract, leading him to suspect that he is being double crossed.

Chained together in a ring of mistrust and hate, the good and the bad fight in karate.

Kon Loong, a rickshaw boy, learns kung-fu from master Auyang Tin-Kin, for three years of practice. Kon Loong is recognized as the best among all the students. One day, when the master is out for a journey, another fighting association sends a challenge to the school, and Kon Loong accepts it. He goes with four other brothers, but they are badly defeated by their opponents, who hired the help of a Japanese karate fighter. When the master returns, he will have to save the school's honour, in a duel against the two other schools.

Two students in the Peoples Republic of China are forced to flee out of China after having taken part in a protest action for freedom. They come to America, and try to build up a new life. After a while, one of the brothers pursues a musical career while the other gets entangled in a criminal organization.

The continuing saga of the Chang brothers: Jian-Wa and Wago. Picking up where it left off, Jian-Wa has left L.A. after a gangfight which involved his brother Wago. Jian-wa travels to the south and finds that hatred comes in all forms as a group of racist whites feud with harmless Vietnamese fishermen. Jian-wa decides to side with the Vietnamese and help them defend themselves. Back in Los Angeles, Wago is enjoying his new life as a gangster.

After seeing his father killed by the master of the Black Dragon gang, a man known only as Miracle sets about taking revenge on the entire gang.

THE PRODIGAL BOXER features Chinese folk hero Fong Sai Yuk (aka Fong Si Yu), the subject of dozens of HK kung fu films. The role is played by Meng Fei as a callow, unschooled youth and wrongfully accused murderer. Two vicious masters of the local kung fu school, seeking revenge against Fong Sai Yuk, attack his home and kill his father while Fong is away. Fong’s attempts to avenge the death of his father result in his being badly beaten. Fong trains at the hands of his martial artist mother as she puts him through rigorous training and an herbal bath that makes him invulnerable. A trail of revenge is set in motion with Fong against the two masters, played by formidable kung fu villains Yasuaki Kurata and Wang Ching. Can a year's worth of training prepare Fong Sai Yuk for his deadly confrontation with the vicious masters?

An eastern by Joseph Velasco. Two undercover agents must smash a smuggling racket that is terrorizing a small port town. One of the agents, Chin Chang, has an evil grip that can crush a skull in seconds. The thugs are killers but this agent is a killer in kung fu!

A formidable assassin, Shui Yi Han, sporting his trademark umbrella sword, arrives at the abode of his victim, and ruthlessly dispatches him down a well. This prelude sets the tone for the story: crisp, atmospheric and clinical. Famed novelist/screenwriter Ku Long is listed in the credits as a 'planner' for this film, and the themes and execution certainly bear his hallmarks.

Gonzo, action packed rape-revenge themed Taiwanese "Black Movie" featuring Juliet Chan and "Tattooer Ma" Sha. The original "Underground Wife" cut runs 85 minutes, the later IFD "Kill Butterfly Kill" English language cut is 89. This movie was released again by IFD in the late 80s in a 'cut-and-paste' version called "American Commando 6: Kill Butterfly Kill" (see separate listing).