Martial Arts films, also known as wuxia (martial heroes) films, first gained popularity in the ’70s and ’80s. Thanks to the Shaw Brothers film production company, which produced a number of martial arts films with English dubs, martial arts films began to reach across continents and gain attention in the West. We also have Bruce Lee to thank for the spread of the martial arts craze, as he brought his legendary moves to the silver-screen, spawning many of the martial artist film stars we know and love today, including Jackie Chan.
Updated: January 2023: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Dylan Reber.
While the subgenre of martial arts films hit its first craze during the Bruce Lee era, a whole new craze emerged in the ’90s (per The Manual). Thanks to martial artists like Jet Li and Donnie Yen, there are a plethora of films made during this wondrous decade that will live on forever. These are the best martial arts movies from the ’90s, ranked.
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10 Tai-Chi Master (1993)
Eastern Production
Tai-Chi Master follows two young martial artists expelled from their Shaolin temple. After taking separate paths in life, the two reunite as men in battle; only they’re fighting for opposing sides. Tai-Chi Master’s lighthearted introduction gives way to a tragic, action-heavy drama for the ages. Featuring star performances by Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, and magical fight choreography by director Yuen Woo-ping, it’s a gem of a film that showcases the best of Hong Kong martial arts cinema. Though it initially struggled to achieve popularity overseas, today it’s regarded highly by wuxia aficionados across the globe.
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9 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)
Universal Pictures
Based on the life and career of martial arts movie star Bruce Lee, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story follows Lee after he moves to America and begins teaching traditional Chinese martial arts, hoping to gain the approval of his superiors in Hong Kong while also gaining popularity as a celebrity along the way. The movie was more than just a biopic, covering a variety of topics and specifically showcasing the racism that Lee faced in Hollywood. Jason Scott Lee (no relation) was praised for his performance as Lee, and while the film was critiqued for its historical inaccuracies, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a heart-warming movie about the biggest name in martial arts.
8 Ashes of Time (1994)
Newport Entertainment
Auteur filmmaker Wong Kar-wai is best known for his cool, smoky mood pieces set in contemporary China, but he also put out an excellent wuxia movie called Ashes of Time. Inspired by a famous novel by Jin Yong, The Legend of the Condor Heroes, the film shows one of the novel’s characters as they descend into villainy. Ashes of Time thus functions as a kind of “fanfiction” prequel to Yong’s novel. Because it’s helmed by the always stylish Wong Kar-wai, the movie is a visual feast, though its confusing narrative has sometimes flummoxed viewers. But once you wrap your head around the story, it becomes one of the most interesting wuxia films ever made.
7 Rumble in the Bronx (1995)
New Line Cinemas
Jackie Chan’s breakout role in Western cinema was Rumble in the Bronx, a story about police officer Keung, who arrives in New York for his uncle’s wedding, but soon finds himself in the middle of a brawl when a biker gang wreaks havoc in Bill’s store. Rumble in the Bronx was one of the highest grossing films of 1996, earning 10 times its budget. The film received marvelous reviews from critics, with particular attention paid to Chan’s performance, both through his comedy and his martial arts. Rumble in the Bronx is a stunt-filled action comedy that even led Chan to break his ankle from one of the stunts. Jackie Chan and Stanley Tong, who choreographed the majority of the fight sequences, earned them a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography.
6 Swordsman II (1992)
Golden Princess Amusement
Swordsman II, also known as The Legend of the Swordsman, follows traveling martial artist Linghu Chong (Jet Li) and his partner Yue Lingshan as they are faced with an evil sorceress who possesses magic scrolls. The second installment in the Swordsman trilogy, Swordsman II is a Hong Kong wuxia film, which loosely translates to “martial heroes” film. The film was a box-office smash and received a great deal of praise, particularly for Brigitte Lin’s performance as the film’s antagonist Dongfang Bubai. Swordsman II was nominated for seven Hong Kong Film Awards and won the award for Best Costume Make Up Design.
5 Wing Chun (1994)
Century Pacific
Featuring critically acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh and martial arts legend Donnie Yen, Wing Chun follows Yip Wing Chun, a talented kung fu practitioner who goes on the warpath when bandits kidnap her friend. Based on the martial arts style of Wing Chun Kuen, invented by Buddhist nun Ng Mui, Wing Chun is a powerful, female-centric martial arts film that focuses on the only martial art to be invented by a woman. While Wing Chun manages to maintain a level of seriousness on its critiques about the treatment of women, there is still a great deal of silliness weaved throughout the film.
4 Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
Golden Harvest
Once Upon a Time in China kick-started the long-running franchise of the same name, which features five feature-length sequels and a TV series of the same name. Jet Li plays the part of Wong Fei Hung, a martial-arts teacher who must protect his school while struggling with his feelings for the aunt who adopted him. Once Upon a Time in China was a box office success and ran for two months in theaters. The film was nominated for eight Hong Kong Film Awards and took home four for Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Action Choreography, and Best Original Film Score.
3 Iron Monkey (1993)
Starring Donnie Yen before he became known the world over for his Ip Man franchise, Iron Monkey is a martial arts classic. In a world where corrupt officials reign, the only one who has the courage to fight the system is the masked “Iron Monkey.” While no one knows his real name or his true identity, he brings hope to the poor and oppressed, earning himself the status of a living legend. A remake of the original Iron Monkey, released in 1977, this film was highly acclaimed for its accounts of the suffering of the oppressed and the entrance of a hero like the Iron Monkey. That said, many fans of Hong Kong cinema were upset with the drastic changes that were made in the North American release of the film, including omitting political context from subtitles and removing entire scenes to cater to the American audience.
2 The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)
A sequel to the original Drunken Master, The Legend of Drunken Master is jam-packed with well-choreographed action sequences balanced with comedy, as did in the first film. As the legendary “Drunken Master,” Wong Fei-Hung, played by Jackie Chan, devastates his enemies with the power of just one drink. And not only does he deliver powerful blows, but he also tickles your funny bone. The Legend of Drunken Master set a record during its box-office run by earning a whopping HK$40,971,484 (US$ 5,301,693). The film was subject to a great deal of praise from critics and audiences alike and was nominated for a number of awards, winning a Hong Kong Film Award and a Golden Horse Award for Best Action Choreography.
1 Fist of Legend (1994)
Golden Harvest Releasing
Fist of Legend, starring Jet Li, is a remake of Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury, set during the beginning of WWII, at the Shanghai International Settlement under the occupation of the Japanese Army. Fist of Legend is considered one of Li’s most successful films, and it left an impact on filmmakers internationally, leading the Wachowskis to hire its fight choreographer, Yuen Woo-ping, for their film The Matrix. In 2010, Gordon Chan and Andrew Lau produced a continuation of this film called Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen starring Donnie Yen.
