Best movies like The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies

A unique, carefully handpicked, selection of the best movies like The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Bruce Lee, and more. If you liked The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies then you may also like: Once Upon a Time in China and America, Romeo Must Die, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, American Kickboxer 2, American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt and many more popular movies featured on this list. You can further filter the list even more or get a random selection from the list of similar movies, to make your selection even easier.

Hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, this in-depth documentary offers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the martial arts film -- from the genre's rebellious beginnings to high-flying modern epics. Jackson takes you through the best moments of 100 movies, including Charlie's Angels and Oscar winner Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Interviews with martial arts film veterans Sammo Hung, John Woo and Ang Lee round out the video.

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Once Upon a Time in China and America

So goes to the U.S. to open a martial arts school. Around this time, many Chinese people were sold off to U.S. railroad companies, and were brutally treated by the Americans under the harsh working conditions. Thus, the American workers' hatred towards the Chinese immigrants is high. As a result, So gets into trouble with the Americans and the mob, and calls Master Wong for help.

Romeo Must Die

Two warring gang families (one African-American, the other Chinese) maneuver for bragging rights to the Oakland, California, docks. Hang Sing and Trish O'Day uncover a trail of deceit that leaves most of the warring factions dead … or worse!

Kung Pow: Enter the Fist

A movie within a movie, created to spoof the martial arts genre. Writer/director Steve Oedekerk uses contemporary characters and splices them into a 1970s kung-fu film, weaving the new and old together. As the main character, The Chosen One, Oedekerk sets off to avenge the deaths of his parents at the hands of kung-fu legend Master Pain. Along the way he encounters some strange characters.

American Kickboxer 2

Two rivals, one a cop and the other a martial arts teacher team up to save a little girl from a terrorist and his henchmen.

American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt

Jackson is back, and now he has a new partner, karate champion Sean, as they must face a deadly terrorist known as "The Cobra", who has infected Sean with a virus. Sean and Jackson have no choice but to fight the Cobra and his bands of ninjas.

Best of the Best 2

In an underground fight club, blackbelt Travis Brickley is killed after losing to the evil martial arts master Brakus. Travis' death is witnessed by Walter Grady, the son of his best friend Alex Grady. Alex and his partner, Tommy Lee, vow to avenge their friend's death by defeating Brakus and shutting down the fight club.

The Big Brawl

A young Asian American martial artist is forced to participate in a brutal formal street-fight competition.

Bloodsport III

Bloodsport III brings us back to the world of Alex Cardo. This time he must battle in a fight to end all fights - The Kumite, the most vicious warrior alive - Beast. He must not only battle for his own honor, but also avenge the death of Sun, his mentor, teacher, and spiritual "father", when Sun is spitefully killed by crime boss Duvalier. In order to defeat Beast, destroy Duvalier, and avenge Sun's death, Alex turns to Leung to whom he was indebted in Bloodsport II. Leung directs him to the great shaman, Makato "the Judge", to whom Alex must turn for guidance. The judge teaches him to fully channel the energy in his mind and body in order to rout the Beast in the Kumite...

Ring of Fire

Johnny Woo (Wilson) is a Chinese doctor who has given up fighting in the ring. His brother is a teacher at a kickboxing club. When Johnny falls in love with Julie (Ford), whose brother is a teacher in a rival kickboxing club, tension begins to build...

Forest Warrior

John McKenna is a spiritual being who is able to transform into bear, wolf or eagle. He lives in the forests of Tanglewood and has dedicated his life to protect them. One day a gang of evil lumberjacks led by Travis Thorne arrive Tanglewood to chop the forest down. McKenna cannot let this happen, and together with his new friends - Lords of the Tanglewood, a band of children who love to play in the forest - he battles against Thorne and his evil gang.

Immortal Combat

Two police officers discover an island laboratory where a madwoman is turning martial artists into superkillers.

Ring of Fire II: Blood and Steel

Johnny Woo and Julie play an enduring couple who survive all sorts of interference from rival kick-box gangs in their effort to put a little romance in their lives.

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

Don Wilson returns to the screen as a man unjustly accused of a brutal crime. Within the prison he must fight for survival, freedom and justice.

TC 2000

Somewhere in the future the environmental overkill had come. Many people had died. The rich were able to build the underworld, the poor had to stay on the surface building gangs to survive. Jason Storm, an underworld guard gets knowledge of a conspiracy to kill all people on the surface. He needs to flee to the surface, and wins Sumai, a respected martial arts master, as his ally to stop the dirty plot.

Honor and Glory

FBI agent Tracy Pride is on a mission to capture businessman Jason Slade, who is involved in extortion and murder. Teaming up with her is her sister Joyce, a news reporter; Dragon, Tracy's partner in Hong Kong, and Jake, a bodyguard who worked for Slade. Can they stop Slade before it's too late

The Little Dragons

Karate experts attempt to rescue a girl who was kidnapped by a mother and her two psycho sons.

The Real Bruce Lee

The Real Bruce Lee is a martial arts documentary. It begins with a brief biography of Bruce Lee, and shows scenes from four of his childhood films, Bad Boy, Orphan Sam, Kid Cheung, and The Carnival, each sepia-toned and dubbed to English. Next, there is a three-minute highlight reel of Lee imitator Bruce Li. Finally, there is a feature-length film starring Lee imitator Dragon Lee, which is obviously modeled after Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury.

Magic Kid

Karate action and laughs never cease when a brother and sister go to California to visit their uncle. They soon discover that he's an alcoholic on the run from the Mob who want him to pay up or else...

Max Havoc - Ring of Fire

Sports reporter Max Havoc, a former kickboxer, travels to Seattle. There he encounters orphans who are threatened by an unscrupulous broker because he wants to build a hotel on the grounds of their home. Max takes up the fight with him.

American Samurai

When a father passes on the traditional family sword to one of his two adopted sons, the other--in a fit of jealous rage--joins a yakuza drug smuggling mob. When the other son decides to find him and set things straight, things don't seem to go as smoothly as he planned, and a misunderstanding leads the stepbrothers into a Turkish arena to battle swordsmen from around the world.

Bloodfist VIII: Hard Way Out

A former CIA agent lives a suburban life as a high school teacher with his teen son. When the agent is attacked by former allies because of knowledge he possesses and his son is kidnapped, he is forced back into the business and his son suddenly sees a side of his father that he never knew existed.

Fist 2 Fist

Still haunted by his failure to prevent the murder of a young couple years earlier, a mixed martial arts teacher must confront the skeleton in his closet when the boy who was orphaned by the killing shows up at his door.

Sidekicks

An otherwise rejected or ignored boy creates a fantasy pal from his martial arts movie hero.

Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back

A martial arts instructor comes to the defense of a schoolteacher who has taken a stand against a local white supremacist organization.

Bloodfist

To avenge the brutal murder of his brother, Jake Ray journeys to the Philippines, where his search for truth finds him battling both in and out of the ring. But the weapons are always the same: bare fists, bare feet. And the rules never change: last man standing wins.

Blackbelt

Don "The Dragon" Wilson is back and forced to take on the greatest legends of the martial arts world. Wilson fights off all comers while defending rock superstar Shanna (Deirdre Imershein) against the insane attacks of a fanatical veteran John Sweet (Matthias Hues-I Come In Peace).

Unmasking the Idol

Duncan Jax must stop the evil terrorist Scarlet Leader from acquiring nuclear bombs that could start WW3. Together with the trusty baboon, Boon, he takes on the almost impossible mission! He must steal the gold that Scarlet leader plans to use to purchase the weapons of destruction.

Pit Fighter

Jack Severino has no memory, all he knows is the brutal sport of Pit Fighting. When his past catches him up, he realizes he is not who he thought he was. For some men must fight for redemption.

American Dragons

Murders in Seoul, Korea and in America pair two cops from each of the countries together to solve the crimes. The investigation leads to a gang war between the Mafia and the Yakuza, but one that may not be of either of their making. A shadowy assassin is killing the leaders and an Italian assassin may have his own agenda.

Trained To Kill

From the fields of Cambodia to the mean streets of L.A., there's no escaping death and it's blinding revenge.

Bloodfist II

Jake Ray gives up his title after killing a man in the ring. When Jake goes to Manila to help an old friend, trouble awaits him! After fending off multiple attacks, Jake is finally captured and chained to a half a dozen martial arts champions. Taken to an island fortress, they are forced to battle chemically-stimulated killers in fights to the death. To win - and to live - it will take every ounce of strength and skill in their martial arts arsenal

Rage and Honor II: Hostile Takeover

Kris and Preston team up once again to take on powerful gangster Buntao. But Buntao has problems of his own, dealing with Dazo, another gangster who is on a steady rise to power...

Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave

A lightning bolt strikes the grave of Bruce Lee. However, that is as much as Bruce Lee has to do with it. Then a kung fu instructor starts a quest to avenge a friend's death, and on the way has a romance with a girl with similar problems. He eventually finds the bad guys behind it all, and has several fights with them...

Gladiator Cop

Andrew Garret is a cop trying to reveal the background of secret killing fights named "Game". He takes part in the fights under the nickname Gladiator. One of the Game bosses, Parmenion, wants him to fight with the ancient sword that once belonged to Alexander the Great against his own fighter Mongol to recall the 2000 years old duel between Alexander and his enemy whose re-incarnations he believes to be Andrew Garrett and himself.

The Curse of the Dragon

A 1993 documentary film about Bruce Lee. The film includes interviews from some of his fellow students and opponents who worked alongside him in his movies.

Fury of the Dragon

Several episodes of the 1966 TV series "The Green Hornet" edited together and released as a feature.

Cinema of Vengeance

A documentary study of martial arts films and their leading protagonists. Included are profiles of such artists as Bruce Lee, Cynthia Rothrock, Jackie Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme and John Woo favourite Chow Yun Fat.

Tiger Claws

The police does not know what to do. They have to deal with a serial killer who aims at martial arts masters. One after another is killed in the same brutal way. This may be a chance for detective Linda Masterson to work on her first murder case. She gets the job and to her side an other martial arts specialist, Sgt. Tarek Richards. Now they need to find a tiger style master, because the killer obviously uses tiger style kung fu. Not a simple task, since tiger is a very ancient and rare style.

The Best of the Martial Arts Films

The most explosive barehanded combat sequences ever filmed. An electrifying video of martial arts mastery and mayhem. This program takes a behind-the-scenes look at the weapons, the mystical eastern philosophy, and the incredible skills that have made martial arts films one of the most popular genres in the world today.

Oxy-Morons

The gritty true-life story of a notorious Boston criminal and his gang who, driven by addiction and greed, commit a series of dangerous robberies during the height of the OxyContin drug trade.

Tiger Claws III

When a psychotic martial artist called Stryker resurrects the long-dead spirits of three ancient Chinese master assassins in an effort to take over the New York underworld, it's up to supercops Tarek Richards and Linda Masterson to stop him. However, it's not so easy to battle the undead, and though Richards apparently holds within him the key to defeating these "Masters", he will need the guidance of Stryker's former master to aid him... let the battle begin.

I Am Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee is universally recognized as the pioneer who elevated martial arts in film to an art form, and this documentary will reveal why Bruce Lee's flame burns brighter now than the day he died over three decades ago. The greatest martial artists, athletes, actors, directors, and producers in the entertainment business today will share their feelings about the one who started it all. We will interview the people whose lives, careers, and belief systems were forever altered by the legendary "Father of Martial Arts Cinema". Rarely seen archival footage and classic photos will punctuate the personal testimonials. Prepare to be inspired.

Vanishing Son II

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.

Vanishing Son IV

After the death of his brother Wago, Jian-wa Chang now roams America's countryside while looking for his place in the world. He is hit by a van of two college students. Jian is taken in and nursed by Megan, a secluded artist. Jian is also befriended by the ghost of brother Wago. Wago must act as an angel to Jian-wa to gain acceptance into heaven. Meanwhile, the students from the hit and run plan to kill Jian-wa so he doesn't talk to the police.

How Bruce Lee Changed the World

More than just a biography, this film explores Bruce Lee's global impact to see how he has influenced all areas of popular culture including fitness, cinema, music, sport, dance, video games and philosophy. A journey across the United States, Asia and Europe, takes Shannon Lee on a trip back to her father's roots in Hong Kong and China. With unique access to the family's photographic archive, home movies and all material owned by the Bruce Lee Foundation.

Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong

Filmmaker Ian Taylor examines the impressive legacy of Hong Kong cinema -- specifically, how martial arts crossed borders and become an international phenomenon -- with the help of footage and interviews with the stars who made the genre what it is today. Director Lau Ka Leung (who helmed The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) joins in, sharing his thoughts on how certain cinematic technologies have improved martial arts films and expanded their appeal.

Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia

A full journey from the beginning of "Swordplay" movies in Shanghai, growth in Hong Kong cinemas in the 60's and 70's and Ang Lee's epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 2000. The series also features interviews with such luminaries including John Woo, Chu Yuen, Lau Ka Leung, Gordon Lau Ka Fai, Sammo Hung, David Chiang and Cheng Pei Pei.

Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey

Legendary martial artist Bruce Lee is the subject of this thoughtful documentary by Lee aficionado John Little. Using interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and action sequences from Lee's last (unfinished) film, Game of Death, Little paints a textured, complex portrait of the world's most famous action hero

Undisputed III: Redemption

Russian inmate Boyka, now severely hobbled by the knee injury suffered at the end of Undisputed 2. No longer the feared prison fighter he was, he has declined so far that he is now good only for cleaning toilets. But when a new prison fight tournament begins - an international affair, matching the best fighters from prisons around the globe, enticing them with the promise of freedom for the winner - Boyka must reclaim his dignity and fight for his position in the tournament.

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