5 Outstanding Martial Arts Movies With Visually Stunning Fights

Martial arts movies hold a special place in the hearts of many fans, as it is a pure pleasure to watch characters clash in close combat on the big screen, showing off their beautiful moves.

So if you want to see some impressive martial arts combat on your screen, check out these five movies.

The Raid (2011)

Directed by Gareth Evans, this Indonesian action thriller starring Iko Uwais and Joe Taslim features some absolutely incredible and brutal fight scenes that will stay with you for a long time.

The story follows a rookie Indonesian police special forces officer, Rama, as he and other officers storm an apartment block that is completely controlled by a ruthless crime lord and his thugs.

While the plot is fairly straightforward, the film is an unforgettable thrill ride of non-stop, visceral action that will keep you glued to the screen.

The sequel, released in 2014, picks up right where the first film left off and doesn't disappoint, delivering even more visually stunning, brutal action scenes.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

A true classic of martial arts movies, directed by Ang Lee and starring Chow Yun-fat with Michelle Yeoh, the movie is set in 18th century China and revolves around the hunt for a legendary sword that possesses mythical abilities.

Though not as grounded or realistic as our previous entry, it does allow Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to showcase some truly magnificent fight scenes, unfettered by the laws of boring reality.

Ip Man (2008)

Starring Donnie Yen as the titular real-life Grandmaster of Wing Chun (although his life is heavily fictionalized in the movie franchise), the Ip Man movie series currently includes five films, although fans believe that the first two are still the best.

The first film features several events from the master's life, including the time of the Second Sino-Japanese War, along with many breathtaking fight sequences that show how Ip Man attained his famous status.

Shadow (2018)

A more recent addition to our list, this movie combines historical events with some beautifully choreographed fight scenes to amazing effect.

Set in ancient China, the story follows Commander Ziyu and Jingzhou, a man who serves as a body double for the commander after he is wounded in a duel, and who has his own reasons for participating in the elaborate plan.

An intense story with some unexpected twists and turns combined with breathtaking fight scenes make Shadow well worth your time if you are a fan of martial arts movies.

Equilibrium (2002)

Although this Christian Bale starrer is not a martial arts movie in the traditional sense, the fictional martial art of gun kata plays a significant role in its story, resulting in some outstanding action scenes.

Set in the totalitarian city-state of Libria, which emerged after World War III and banned human emotions, claiming they were the cause of the devastating conflict, the story follows John Preston, a high-ranking "cleric" who hunts down those who refuse to take the emotion suppressants.

With exceptional combat skills, Preston is dedicated to the cause, but eventually his confidence starts to crack as he begins to question whether emotions are as destructive as he was led to believe.