As a citizen of one of the most powerful countries in the world, I’m allowed to make fun of it periodically, hence the video. In all seriousness, though, the United States is a hell of a place to live. We’ve certainly got our faults, but where else in the world can you have such diverse opinions on religion and politics and not get in trouble for it…..most of the time? When it comes to film-making, we are pioneers in the field. We have the largest film industry in the world and an entire city dedicated to that industry: Hollywood. We have/had the biggest stars like John Wayne, Clark Gable, Carry Grant, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sylvester Stallone, the list goes on and on. When it comes to martial arts, that genre was never really taken seriously in the US until Bruce Lee entered the picture. When The Green Hornet came out in the 60’s, people noticed the Kato, and were like, “Who IS that guy? He’s fantastic.” I did a post about Bruce Lee a little while back, and I’m going to reiterate that he has done an incredibly thing bringing attention to the martial arts and Kung Fu, specifically. He’s inspired so many actors and martial artists that he’s become a household name. Even if you had never seen a Bruce Lee movie, you know who he is. Because of Mr. Lee, we began to see a lot more in the way of martial arts movies. Most of those movies during the late 70’s and early 80’s really weren’t that good. We got stars like Chuck Norris who stepped in and became a star in his own right. We also got guys like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. When it comes to action movies, nobody does it quite like the United States, and I mean every word of that. Because of that, I’m going to discuss the best fight films that we have released. This is The Best Martial Arts Movies: USA.
Black Dynamite
I think it’s fitting that I start this list with a Blaxploitation Kung Fu Comedy. This is absolutely one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Michael Jai White, who holds NINE black belts in styles such as wushu, Tae Kwon Do, and Kyokushin Karate, is a legitimate bad-ass. Not only that, he’s a fantastic actor as well. He’s been in movies such as Spawn and The Dark Knight. He’s got himself quite a filmography. He’s also got some serious comedic chops, too. Black Dynamite is a PERFECT example. It not only pokes fun at the Blaxploitation genre, while respecting it at the same time, Black Dynamite also pays homage to the old Kung Fu movies of the 1970’s. From beginning to end, it’s an absolute riot. This scene where somebody’s interrupting his Kung Fu is one of the highlights. You have to see this movie to believe it.
Showdown In Little Tokyo
This was one of Brandon Lee’s last movies he did before he died in 1993. This is a very solid little action flick with Dolph Lundgren who has moves of his own. What really makes this movie work is Brandon and Dolph. The two are such a fantastic pair, it’s a shame that they didn’t get a chance to team up again in a later flick. This little fight scene shows a pretty decent fight scene injected with some humor. It’s a fun little movie that doesn’t even last a full 90 minutes, and it doesn’t need to. It gets straight to the point. If you’re a fan of Brandon Lee or Dolph Lundgren, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.
Bloodsport
Of all the films that came out of the Cannon Film Group, Bloodsport was one of the finest. Not only did it some solid fight choreography courtesy of Frank Dux(who the movie was supposedly about), it was the starring vehicle for the up-and-coming Jean-Claude Van Damme. This movie put him on the map and helped make him a legitimate action star. He’s been in a number of solid action movies including John Woo’s Hard Target, which is one of my favorite action movies ever. While the veracity of Frank Dux’s story is up in the air at this point, Bloodsport remains one of the most memorable martial arts films of the 80’s.
Drive(1997)
What we have here is one of the greatest American-made martial arts movies ever made. Why? Because it’s so damn fun. That’s why. Mark Dacascos stars as Toby Wong who is on the run from a ruthless Chinese organization. He “enlists” the help of one Malik Brody(Kadeem Hardison) and they head to Los Angeles to collect on a bounty. From beginning to end the action in the film is phenomenal. Mark Dacascos, at the time, I considered to be the American Jackie Chan, because he’s an amazingly talented martial artist and a good actor, which was a rarity back then. The fights in this movie make it feel like a Kung Fu movie out of Hong Kong. One of the funniest moments is when Malik and Toby actually talk about that. The humor and the writing is spot on. This one is definitely recommended.
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is probably the best video game-to-movie adaptation ever. While that’s not saying a lot, as it’s not a particularly great movie, it’s still has some really awesome moments. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, Mortal Kombat features a rockin’ soundtrack and some pretty stellar fight choreography. The fight between Johnny Cage and Scorpion is one of my favorites. Surprisingly, the writing is not terrible. The movie is pretty faithful to the source material, despite being a PG-13 movie. Also, Christopher Lambert plays Rayden, the god of thunder. He pretty much steals the show in every scene he’s in. He’s genuinely funny at times. Some of the visual effects are extremely dated, but the creature effects for Goro are still impressive. I’m amazed they got him working the way they did. Apparently the head of Goro is in the main lobby of NetherRealm Studios, the guys that made the Mortal Kombat video game. The less said about the sequel, the better, though.
Skin Trade
Featuring Tony Jaa in his English-language debut, Skin Trade follows Nick Cassidy, played by Dolph Lundgren, as he tracks down a ruthless human trafficking organization that attacked his family. Initially at odds with Tony Jaa’s….well, Tony, they team up to take down the organization. After a disastrous come-back in Protector 2, Tony Jaa finally gets to let loose in this film. While dealing with the vile human trafficking issue, Skin Trade also offers up a pretty solid action thriller with some very impressive fights. Michael Jai White also makes an appearance and gets to take on Tony Jaa. While the film has some questionable visual effects, it’s a pretty solid and gritty thriller that shines the light on an insidious industry. Definitely recommended.
Ninja: Shadow of a Tear
During the 80’s, there was a slew of movies centered around ninjas including American Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja, and Enter The Ninja. While only a small handful of those movies were decent, they made ninjas cool. I dressed up as a ninja often for Halloween. But after the 80’s, ninja movies were no longer being made, and I’m not counting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies. They’re not ninjas, they’re turtles. In 2009, we saw the return of ninja movies with Ninja Assassin and Ninja. While I wouldn’t necessarily say they were great, they were a ton of fun to watch. Ninja was the worst of the two, featuring some unwanted bad visual effects and a story that was just ludicrous. Thankfully, Ninja: Shadow of a Tear takes those bad moments and throws them out in favor of a 1980’s-style brutal fight film. Starring Scott Adkins, Ninja: Shadow of a Tear is one of the best fight movies of the decade. Featuring some stellar choreography from fellow martial artist and actor, Tim Man, this movie has some of the best action in a direct-to-video film. Highly recommended.
Undisputed III: Redemption
The second film on this list featuring Scott Adkins(who is British, by the way), Undisputed III: Redemption follows the villain of the previous film, Boyka, as he heads to a tournament that may earn him his freedom. Turning a villain in the protagonist was a very interesting choice, and a good one I think. This allows the character to try and put his past behind him. While the story is…meh, the action can’t be denied. This is a phenomenal fight film. Featuring a cast that includes The Latin Dragon: Marko Zaror, Undisputed III is a balls-to-the-wall action film. The fight choreography is spectacularly brutal, especially when Zaror enters the picture. This fight with the Capoeira fighter is definitely one to watch.
Enter The Dragon
This one’s a bit of a cheat, as the film was made by studios from Hong Kong AND the United States. This was the first major collaboration between worlds, essentially. This was Bruce Lee’s finest effort, and sadly, his last completed film. He passed away before the film was released, so he never got to see the completed footage. For many, and myself included, this is the definitive Kung Fu movie. While the story is kind of…eh, there is no denying that this film bridged the gap between the East and the West. We have Bruce Lee to thank for that. This fight scene with O’Hara is one of many phenomenal fights in the film, but the film was also about Lee’s philosophy as a martial artist. The extended cut of the film includes some philosophical moments that help flesh out Lee’s character. I honestly think that Bruce would be extremely proud of the film and of the people that helped make it happen.
While there are many other martial arts films made in the United States that are pretty good, these ones stand out the most for me. While not everybody is going to agree, I hope that I’ve shined some light on some fairly underrated flicks that any fan of the martial arts should check out. For me: These are The Best Martial Arts Movies: USA. With The Best Martial Arts Movies winding down, my final posts will be about China’s martial arts films, of which there are MANY. So, it may take a few posts to get through my favorite movies from that country. Until then, this is Major Tom, signing off.