These are a few of the many martial arts movies that we recommend watching for outstanding entertainment. These are definitely not the only movies worth watching, but these are a good place to start to get an idea not only of the variety of skills in front of and behind the camera over 40+ years of action. Enjoy!
 

Not interested in movies?    Check out our Amazon page with great ideas and deals.

Notes.    Yeoh's breakout Hong Kong film role was as Inspector Ng in 1985's Yes, Madam starring Cynthia Rothrock for which she received a Hong Kong Film Award nomination for Best New Performer. She continued in various action films and performing her own stunts until she retired following her first marriage in 1987. After her divorce, the Malaysian actress returned to films in 1992 with a series of incredible action films as if making up for lost time: Supercop with Jackie Chan, Tai Chi Master with Jet Li, Wing Chun with Donnie Yen, and several more. She gained international fame co-starring in the 1997 James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies with Pierce Brosnan. Yeoh later starred in 2000's critically acclaimed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon again showing off her incredible martial arts and stunt skills. She continued in a variety of English language films including the film adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and a biopic of Burmese democracy pioneer and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in The Lady (2011).

Notes.    All three films showcase the talents of their amazing stars from Thailand and Indonesia: Tony Jaa, Yanin Vismitanada (aka JeeJa Yanin), and Iko Uwais. These films offer spectacular stunt choreography in addition to plenty of martial arts action. Among other films, Jaa went on to make two sequels (Ong Bak 2 and Ong Bak 3). Vismitanada filmed Raging Phoenix and co-starred with Jaa in 2013's Tom Yum Goong 2, the sequel to his 2005 hit. Both Jaa and Vismitanada worked with choreographer Panna Rittikrai. Uwais starred in 2009's Merantau after Welsh director Gareth Evans took Uwais away from his job as truck driver in Jakarta. Uwais' skills in silat are highlighted in each of his films including the 2014 sequel, The Raid 2: Berandal

Notes.    Sometimes compared to The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise, When the Last Sword is Drawn dramatizes the end of the Edo Period and the beginning of the Meiji Era when the Shogun (protector of the emperor) wanted to maintain the status quo of isolationism whereas the Emperor desired to open Japan to the modern era. In The Last Samurai, the protagonist is an American who learns some impressive skills — in Hollywood-time; the antagonist in WTLSID is a country samurai, and he surprises his peers with his skill and his attention to money never guessing his secret.