Are you ready for fists of fury? Here are the best martial arts movies on Netflix, ranked by movie fans. This list of Netflix martial arts movies includes everything from kung fu to karate to tai chi and incredible mixed martial arts experts like Donnie Yen. Whether they’re classic kung fu films or modern karate movies, these films are full of action, honor, training sequences, and top-notch fight sequences full of rapid-fire dragon punches and unstoppable crane kicks. You will no doubt find other great movies like IP Man on Netflix. This list will tell you which ones are the most worth watching.
The best fighting movies on Netflix have some of the best action anyone can want. But which of these martial arts movies streaming on Netflix do you think are the best? Find your favorites, vote them up so other fans know what to watch next.
1. Ip Man (2008)
Ip Man is a 2008 Hong Kong semi biographical martial arts film very loosely based on the life of Yip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and master of Bruce Lee. The film focuses on events in Ip’s life that supposedly took place in the city of Foshan. The film was directed by Wilson Yip, and stars Donnie Yen as Ip Man, with martial arts choreography by Sammo Hung. The supporting cast includes Simon Yam, Lynn Hung, Lam Ka-tung, Xing Yu and Hiroyuki Ikeuchi. The idea of an Ip Man biopic originated in 1998 when Jeffrey Lau and Corey Yuen discussed the idea of making a film based on Bruce Lee’s martial arts master.
2. Ip Man 2 (2010)
In this film inspired by a true story, Wing Chun martial arts master Ip Man (Donnie Yen) and his family are moving from Foshan, China, to Hong Kong, where Ip aspires to create a school so that he may teach his fighting techniques to a new generation. However, he finds resistance from an asthmatic Hung Ga master named Hong Zhen Nan (Sammo Hung). Soon, Ip is drawn into a treacherous world of corruption as well as a fateful showdown with a merciless boxer known as the Twister (Darren Shahlavi).RELATED:
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3. Ip Man 3 (2015)
Ip Man 3d is a 2013 action-drama film written by Edmond Wong.
4. Five Elements Ninjas (1982)
Five Element Ninjas is a 1982 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Chang Cheh. It was released in North America as Chinese Super Ninjas.
5. Martial Arts of Shaolin (1986)
Martial Arts Of Shaolin aka Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts of Shaolin is a 1986 Hong Kong martial arts film. It is notable as the only collaboration between film director Lau Kar-Leung and actor Jet Li. It was later released on Region 1 DVD by The Weinstein Company under the Dragon Dynasty imprint.
6. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
When the hapless Sing (Stephen Chow) and his dim-witted pal, Bone (Feng Xiaogang), try to scam the residents of Pig Sty Alley into thinking they’re members of the dreaded Axe Gang, the real gangsters descend on this Shanghai slum to restore their fearsome reputation. What gang leader Brother Sum (Danny Chan) doesn’t know is that three legendary retired kung fu masters (Yu Xing, Dong Zhihua, Chiu Chi-ling) live anonymously in this decrepit neighborhood and don’t take kindly to interlopers.
7. Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985)
Disciples Of The 36th Chamber is a 1985 Shaw Brothers Studio Hong Kong martial arts film comedy written, directed and choreographed Lau Kar-leung. It is the third in a loose trilogy of films that began with The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and was followed by Return to the 36th Chamber. In Disciples, the action is focused on Hsiao Ho, who portrays legendary martial artist Fong Sai-Yuk. Gordon Liu, a constant in the 36th Chamber series, reprises his role from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin as the monk San Te.
8. Ip Man 4 The Finale (2019)
Ip Man 4: The Finale is a 2019 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film directed by Wilson Yip. Ip Man (Donnie Yen) arrives in San Francisco, United States where his student, Bruce Lee (Danny Chan), has upset the local martial arts community by opening a Wing Chun school.
9. Ninja Assassin (2009)
Trained in methods of killing from an early age, Raizo (Rain) is a member of the secret clan of assassins known as the Ozunu. After the Ozunu kill his friend, however, Raizo breaks free from them and vanishes. Meanwhile, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) discovers a money trail linking the the group to murders. Raizo saves Mika from his former comrades and joins forces with her to bring down the Ozunu forever.RELATED:
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10. The Grandmaster (2013)
The story of the martial arts master (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) who taught the Wing Chun style of kung fu to Bruce Lee.
11. Revenger (2018)
Revenger is a 2018 South Korean action film directed by Lee Seung-won. Set in the near future, a man purposely sends himself to a prison island that houses the most dangerous criminals in order to avenge the death of his family.
12.Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016)
A martial arts master (Michelle Yeoh) assembles a band of fighters to protect a legendary sword from a warlord (Jason Scott Lee) and his clan.
13. Blades (2010)
After he’s framed for treason, a legendary royal guard (Donnie Yen) joins forces with a gang of outlaws to save an empire.
14. Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (2018)
Defeated by Master Ip, martial arts expert Cheung Tin Chi tries to lead a normal life in Hong Kong until triad leaders draw him back into fighting.RELATED:
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15. The Bare-footed Kid (1993)
While working at a family friend’s business, a penniless orphan draws the attention of a corrupt competitor and is torn between divided loyalties.
16. Shadow (2018)
To finally achieve victory over a rival kingdom, a brilliant general devises an intricate plan involving his wife, a look-alike and two kings.
17. The Flying Guillotine (1975)
The Flying Guillotine is an action and drama film directed by Meng Hua Ho. An assassin, trained in the use of a throwing weapon that can behead its victims from a distance, questions the morality of his missions and becomes a fugitive hunted by his former comrades.
18. Legendary Weapons of China (1982
Legendary Weapons of China is a 1982 martial arts fantasy film directed by Lau Kar-Leung. It takes place during the late Qing Dynasty when Empress Dowager Cixi dispatches her agents to various factions of the Boxer Rebellion in order to find supernatural martial artists that are invulnerable to western bullets. When one of the leaders of these groups disbands his forces, assassins from the remaining factions are sent out to kill him for his apparent treason. As the title of the film suggests, a great variety of fights take place involving the “legendary weapons.” Although Lau Kar-Leung is known for showing “real Kung-Fu” in his films, he does take some artistic license by incorporating elements of Taoist Maoshan folk magic with hand-to-hand combat. This is similar to what he did in another of film of his, Heroes of the East.
19. Furie (2019)
Furie is a 2019 Vietnamese action film directed by Lê Văn Kiệt. An ex-gangster, Hai Phuong (Ngô Thanh Vân), who is lying low in the countryside after becoming a mother can’t escape her violent past, when one day while in an argument with her daughter, Mai (Cát Vy), at the market, her daughter is kidnapped.RELATED:
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20. Opium and the Kung-Fu Master (1984)
Opium and the Kung-Fu Master is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Tang Chia, who also serves as one of the film’s action directors, and stars Ti Lung as the titular protagonist.
21. Sword Masters: Two Champions of Shaolin (1978)
2 Champions of Shaolin is a 1980 Shaw Brothers film directed by Chang Cheh. Two young warriors engage in a secret mission that could bring the empire tumbling down.
22. Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018)
One year after avenging his brother’s murder, MMA champion Kurt Sloane finds himself imprisoned by a powerful gangster in Thailand. To win back his freedom, he must train for a fight against a 400-pound killer in an underground death match.