Now that you’ve binged your way through Cobra Kai‘s fourth season on Netflix, are you in the mood for even more karate? How about kung fu? If you’re the type of person who watches that show for the action sequences, we’ve got some thoughts on what you should watch next. Netflix has loads of films centered around martial arts, and we’ve vetted them to offer you a few solid options.
While the original Karate Kid trilogy starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita isn’t available on the streamer, the 2010 Karate Kid starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith is, and honestly, while it doesn’t offer the nostalgic, retro appeal of the originals, it’s a solid
remake. (Unlike the much-less-watchable, IMO, Hilary Swank vehicle The Next Karate Kid.) If you want a lesson in more authentic wushu (kung fu), we can’t recommend the Ip Man film series starring Donnie Yen enough. And if you want a film that’s a little lighter on drama but heavy on sport, 2020’s The Paper Tigers is charming and fun, but still full of action. Take a look at the best martial arts movies on Netflix, or if you want a full series to hunker down with, check out these shows like Cobra Kai to watch.
1. Call of Heroes (2016)
This 2016 film from Hong Kong is an old-fashioned period film about a group of villagers, living in the aftermath of the Qing dynasty collapse who fight back against an evil ruler in order to protect their home. It’s a bloody, violent, and all-around classic Hong Kong wuxia film, directed by Sammo Hung, a key figure in martial arts cinema who has worked on many films and choreographed fights for many actors, including Jackie Chan. Call of the Heroes stars Sean Lau (who is an award-winning Hong Kong actor), Louis Koo, Eddie Peng, Yuan Quan, Jiang Shuying. There’s also an appearance by Wu Jing, a treat for fans of Tai Chi Boxer and Wolf Warrior.
2. Kill Zone 2 (2015)
Despite a title that makes it sound like a B-movie that Troy and Abed would make fun of on Community, Kill Zone 2 is a sophisticated, ground-breaking martial arts film, according to critics. (Its other title is SPL II: A Time for Consequences.) The story follows an undercover cop (Jing Wu) who winds up in prison while attempting to take down a drug ring. While in prison, a guard (Thai martial artist Tony Jaa) discovers the undercover cop is a blood match for his sick daughter. The film is technically not a sequel but a follow up to the first Kill Zone, which was directed by Wilson Yip (the second is directed by Chung Chi Li). As Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com put it, “If you like action films, you need to see Kill Zone 2.”
3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Even non-martial arts fans know this film, which is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential martial arts films of all time. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards including, Best Picture, making it the most nominated foreign language film of all time, a title it now shares with Roma. Director Ang Lee took home the Oscar that year for Best Foreign Language Film, as did cinematographer Peter Pau for Best Cinematography. Set in 18th century China, under the rule of the Qing Dynasty, film stars Chow Yun-Fa as a martial arts master on the brink of retirement, Chow Yun-fat as an accomplished martial artist, and Michelle Yeoh as the head of a security company. It’s a beautiful film about love, revenge, and yes, fighting, and should be on every film lover’s must-watch list.
4. Ip Man 2 (2010)
This is one of the weird cases in which the sequel was better liked by critics than the original films. (But again, don’t trust Rotten Tomatoes scores.) The Ip Man film series are biographical films about the life of Ip Man, the real-life martial arts legend who famously trained Bruce Lee. Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen plays Man, and the film was directed by Wilson Yip, who also directed the first film in the series. Even if it was more of the same from the first film—stylishly choreographed fights, dazzling action, and simple storytelling—people generally enjoyed this follow-up.
5. Kickboxer: Retaliation (2017)
Do you know about the Kickboxer franchise starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a kickboxing world champion named Jean-Claude Van Damme? Well, this film is the seventh in the series. It’s certainly no Crouching Tiger, but for the seventh film about a kickboxer, it was just dumb and just satisfying enough to keep fans of the film series happy. In addition to Van Damme, the cast includes Alain Moussi, Christopher Lambert, Ronaldinho, Mike Tyson, and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. It’s basically exactly what you expect from a set-up and cast like that, and it’s undeniably a good time.
6. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
How about a comedy, am I right? This film, from Hong Kong martial artist Stephen Chow (who directed the film in addition to starring in the leading role) features a familiar cast of martial arts actors, including Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan, and Bruce Leung Siu-lung. Set in China in the 1940s, it’s about a wannabe gangster who joins a dangerous gang—and inevitably gets in over his head. It’s part martial arts film, part cartoon, part comedy, and 100 percent a great time.
7. The Night Comes For Us (2018)
This ultra-violent Indonesian film was acquired by Netflix after its premiere at Fantastic Fest in September 2018. Thought the screenplay came first, it was also a graphic novel before the film itself was released. The story follows a triad enforce who returns to a life of crime and murder in order to protect a young girl. It’s a wild ride, and if you can stomach the blood and gore, you’ll likely enjoy the film.
8. Ip Man (2008)
This first Ip Man—which again, is a biographical film that stars Donnie Yen as Ip Man, the real-life martial arts grandmaster who mentored Bruce Lee—surprised critics for being a character-driven, emotionally nuance martial arts films, which are not characteristics that the genre is known for. Though some critics pointed to the film’s lack of historical accuracy when it came to its subject matter, most still considered it an enjoyable, if sentimental, film.
9. Drunken Master (1978)
A sequel to Chan’s 1978 film Drunken Master, The Legend of Drunken Master (also known as Drunken Master II outside of North America), is a classic Chan film to watch if you want to see him at his best before he moved over to Western cinema. The action star plays a young master who specializes in “drunken boxing,” aka a style of fighting where the fighter drinks so much that he cannot feel pain and releases a special kind of rage. (Sounds safe!) The fight scenes are classics, and it’s considered one of Chan’s best films, so go ahead and get your drunk boxing beer and give it a stream.
10. Ip Man 3 (2015)
One more time for the people in the back: The Ip Man film series star Donnie Yen as Ip Man, and are loosely based on the martial arts master who trained Bruce Lee. The third film in the series is perhaps the loosest yet when it comes to accuracy, but critics still felt the fight scenes were entertaining and the drama passable.
11. Headshot (2016)
This bloody Indonesian film stars Iko Uwais, who was also in The Night Comes for Us (see: earlier on this list), as a man with amnesia who must fight to protect and rescue his doctor. Critics weren’t quite wowed by the film, but most felt it was still pretty OK. If you’re itching for one more violent martial arts film, you probably won’t be disappointed.