Cinek's best Martial Art movies
Modern(ish) movies that involve some of best MA skills and least amount of cgi/special effects. List is in no particular order.
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- DirectorBen RamseyStarsMichael Jai WhiteJulian SandsEamonn WalkerIn Los Angeles, an ex-con takes the underground fighting world by storm in his quest to fulfill a promise to a dead friend.Michael Jai White shows off his fluency in multiple fighting styles.
7 black belts in awesome action.
Guest appearances by Bob Sapp, Kimbo Slice and lovely Gina Carrano. - DirectorIsaac FlorentineStarsMichael Jai WhiteScott AdkinsBen CrossSequel to the 2002 film. This time, Heavyweight Champ George "Iceman" Chambers is sent to a Russian Jail on trumped-up drug charges.Scott Adkins with his impressive skills. Michael Jai White shows up as well :)
Ignore first Undisputed from 2002 as Wesley Snipes is rubbish MA actor. - DirectorIsaac FlorentineStarsScott AdkinsMykel Shannon JenkinsMark IvanirBoyka is back. This time he is fighting in the first ever inter-prison tournament with one knee.Scott again. This is how he trained for this movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWu_LXME510
Amazing Marko Zaror as bad guy. So much power between them two... - DirectorGareth EvansStarsIko UwaisSisca JessicaChristine HakimA young man from the countryside uses his skills in silat martial arts to survive the slave trade.First collaboration of Welsh director Gareth Evans and guys from Indonesia and their Silat style.
- DirectorGareth EvansStarsIko UwaisAnanda GeorgeRay SahetapyA S.W.A.T. team becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs.This is where Gareth Evans and Iko Uwais team went for full frontal assault producing BEST MA movie in recent years.
I totally geek out even thinking about it. - DirectorGareth EvansStarsIko UwaisYayan RuhianArifin PutraOnly a short time after the first raid, Rama goes undercover with the thugs of Jakarta and plans to bring down the syndicate and uncover the corruption within his police force.Upcoming third movie from Silat practitioners.
I buy movies extremely rarely. But when this comes out with previous two in trilogy box I will be first on this planet to pre-order it. Then build a shrine to place it on and worship it on daily basis.
Watch me go completely *beep* when this movie is out! - DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsTony JaaNathan JonesXing JinA young fighter named Kham must go to Australia to retrieve his stolen elephant. With the help of a Thai-born Australian detective, Kham must take on all comers, including a gang led by an evil woman and her two deadly bodyguards.Tom Yum Goong (or Protector or Warrior King because some English speaking nations are apparently to dumb to deal with foreign names).
First modern MA movie that started new wave of realistic MA action from South-East Asia.
It has longest uncut fighting scene where Tony Jaa is climbing up the stairs fighting tens of enemies and camera man is behind him whole time. And... Lateef Crowder!
Awesome :) - DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsTony JaaRZAPhetthai VongkumlaoWhen the owner of a major elephant camp is murdered, Kham finds himself the number one suspect and on the run from both the police and the deceased's vengeful twin nieces. But luck is on Kham's side when he runs into an Interpol agent sent to Thailand on a secret mission.About to be released Tom Yum Goong 2 with obvious title naming issues.
Jeeja Yanin stars too - very nice touch :) - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsGina CaranoEwan McGregorMichael FassbenderA black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission.I fall in love with Gina Carrano every time I see her in action.
- DirectorGavin O'ConnorStarsTom HardyNick NolteJoel EdgertonThe youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament - a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his estranged, older brother.A masterpiece. Truly amazing.
- DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsJeeJa YaninHiroshi AbePongpat WachirabunjongAn autistic girl with powerful martial art skills looks to settle her ailing mother's debts by seeking out the ruthless gangs that owe her family money.Jeeja Yanin is simply amazing. She plays mentally challenged girl whose autism causes inhuman reflexes.
There is a part where she watches Tom Yum Gong on TV as well :)) - DirectorRashane LimtrakulStarsJeeJa YaninKazu Patrick TangNui SaendaengA violent gang is abducting and killing women around Thailand. Sanim and his friends, having had loved ones abducted, have joined together to break the gang of kidnappers. In a botched kidnap attempt, Deu is saved by Sanim's crew. After learning their unique martial arts style, Deu helps lure the gang into an epic battle to save the women across Thailand.Jeeja again. Not as good as Chocolate but still fun to watch.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsKoji YakushoTakayuki YamadaYûsuke IseyaA group of assassins come together for a suicide mission to kill an evil lord.Japanese movie and so much different from what we are used to. Watching movies set entirely by/in different culture is always very interesting.
I was feverishly searching for Kendo classes for whole month after watching it. - DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenLouis KooRay LuiA hot-headed inspector takes on a small but powerful Vietnamese-Chinese gang, after a series of crimes and murder attempts committed and putting an undercover cop and his girlfriend in great danger.Not a good movie really, you may skip it to end battle which I think was the sole reason to create a movie around:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPeOvVTcljQ - DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenSimon YamSammo Kam-Bo HungA near retired inspector and his unit are willing to put down a crime boss at all costs while dealing with his replacement, who is getting in their way. Meanwhile, the crime boss sends his top henchmen to put an end to their dirty schemes.Donnie Yen again. And again it is a poor movie and you won't miss anything if you skip to see best baton vs knife fight ever made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-gzXwigCC0
turn your audio up music is amazing :) - DirectorErnesto Díaz EspinozaStarsMarko ZarorMaría Elena SwettAriel MatelunaA club bouncer with a dark past and great fighting skills decides to become a superhero.Chilean Marko Zaror had to fight through a lot of negativity from his own country simply because MA movies are new to their industry. But he puled it off against all odds and I am happy to propagate his work to other enthusiasts :)
- DirectorJeff WadlowStarsSean FarisDjimon HounsouAmber HeardA frustrated and conflicted teenager arrives at a new high school to discover an underground fight club, and meets a classmate who begins to coerce him into fighting.I know its Hollywood but still good watch for anyone who trains MA.
- DirectorMichael Jai WhiteStarsMichael Jai WhiteDean GeyerAlex MerazFour fighters with different backgrounds come together to train under an ex-MMA rising star and then ultimately have to fight each other.Even better since it has Michael Jai White in it.
- DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsTony JaaPhetthai VongkumlaoPumwaree YodkamolWhen the head of a statue sacred to a village is stolen, a young martial artist goes to the big city and finds himself taking on the underworld to retrieve it.Ong Bak is amazing, Ong Bak 2 and 3 are not.
- DirectorHarald ZwartStarsJackie ChanJaden SmithTaraji P. HensonWork causes a single mother to move to China with her young son; in his new home, the boy embraces kung fu, taught to him by a master.I know you are laughing sarcastically right about now but if you omit the fact that it has nothing to do with Karate nor with original movies it is pretty good, honest story depicting living in another culture as a migrant worker family.
- DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsCho Jae-hyunYe Ji-wonPhetthai VongkumlaoAfter the son foils an attempt to steal a priceless Thai artifact, the family becomes national heroes and the target of revenge by the criminal gang whose robbery they stopped.Bit lighthearted but good watch regardless.