Best Movies On Netflix About Martial Arts
There is nothing better than a well-done martial arts movie. Crisp action, amazing choreography, some bone-breaking, and a little blood and guts if called for. Netflix has a great selection of martial arts films that will satiate the appetite of any martial arts fan.
These Netflix films cover the life of a true martial arts grandmaster, include two martial arts legends, and tell the story of the most recognizable martial arts actor. You will also learn that by simply waxing your car, you too can become a martial arts legend. Let’s take a look at these films.
Best Martial Arts Movies on Netflix
The Raid Redemption (2011)
Iko Uwais stars as Rama in this high-stakes, high-adrenaline, action-packed martial arts film. The Raid Redemption tells the story of Rama, who has recently joined a 20-man SWAT team. The team’s first assignment is to infiltrate a tenement building to extract the brutal drug lord who lives within.
What the squad finds out quickly is that they are no longer the hunters and instead have to fight their way out of the building to survive. The martial arts action is intense and inventive.
Watch The Raid Redemption on Netflix.
Unleashed (2005)
Unleashed stars Chinese martial arts legend Jet Li as Danny, a man who has been raised by vicious loan shark Bart (Bob Hoskins) to be his bodyguard. Bart uses a metal collar to control Danny and force him to use his lethal skills on slow-paying customers.
After a battle with another mobster, Danny is left for dead. Taken in by Sam, a blind piano teacher, and his daughter, Danny begins to learn life without violence. That is until violence shows up at his doorstep once again.
Morgan Freeman also stars in this hard-hitting, yet emotional story written by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element)
Watch Unleashed on Netflix.
IP Man (2008)
Get on this one as quickly as you can because it is scheduled to leave Netflix soon. Ip Man tells the true story of Yip Man, a grandmaster of the Wing Chun martial arts style. He is also well-known for being the teacher of martial arts legend, Bruce Lee.
The film follows the early life of Yip Man as he fights friendly matches against local masters. When the Second Sino-Japanese War begins, Yip Man is forced to fight in an arena to win food for his family. Donnie Yen shows off his amazing martial arts ability as Ip Man.
While you’re at it, you may as well binge the other Ip Man movies on Netflix. Yen has made a total of four Ip Man films.
Watch IP Man on Netflix.
Birth of the Dragon (2016)
Birth of the Dragon is the story of Bruce Lee before he became known as martial artist, Bruce Lee. The story is set in the early ‘60s when Lee was teaching kung fu in San Francisco.
While there, two of his students learn that the legendary teacher Wong Jack-man is in town to observe kung fu in America. Wong Jack-man’s visit leads to the historic battle between Lee and Wong Jack-man that was said to have taken place but has never been officially confirmed.
This supposed battle led Lee to develop his own style of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do. Phillip Ng stars as Bruce Lee with Xia Yu as Wong Jack-man.
Watch Birth of the Dragon on Netflix.
The Karate Kid (1984)
Can we call this a martial arts movie? Yes, there is some fighting action going on, but The Karate Kid is more of a relationship piece between Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi and Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso. The story follows young LaRusso as he navigates high school life after moving from New Jersey to California.
Life is tough on him and when he runs afoul of the local high school bullies, he turns to Mr. Miyagi to teach him how to defend himself. This sets up the classic fight between Daniel and his sworn enemy, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka).
The Karate Kid spawned three sequels, a remake, and the Netflix series, Cobra Kai, which brought back both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka.
Watch The Karate Kid on Netflix.
