Non Martial Arts Films with Great Martial arts Action

[TheFlyingPanda]

Just wondering what are other Films out there not labeled Martial Arts, but happen to contain some good Martial arts action choreography? There are some hidden gems and some we all know about.

What are the best, which ones have some unexpectedly great fight scenes? 

When I first went to see THE BOURNE IDENTITY   I was instantly hyped-up out of my seat seeing the first fight scenes and being a Kali Eskrima practitioner myself, I was so excited for throughout the rest the film. My friend did not share the same view, but he did not know about the fight choreography, just focused on the script and pacing.

Another film I watched years ago on TV (A thriller ) was EXPOSURE AKA A GRANDE ARTE  This Film Starred Peter Coyote, who learned how to defend himself with a Knife from Teacher Tcheky Karyo. This is another non Martial arts film, I would love to get a hold of on DVD or Blu-Ray. 

[One Armed Boxer]

I would say Korea pretty much owns this statement in terms of recent output - 

A Dirty Carnival (2006)

The Man from Nowhere (2010)

The Berlin File (2013)

The Divine Move (2014)

Man on High Heels (2014)

Gangnam Blues (2015)

The Villainess (2017)

 

[Drunken Monk]

The one that springs to mind for me is “Captain America: Winter Soldier”. Some great hand-to-hand stuff in that one.

Are the “John Wick” films and “Atomic Blonde” considered martial arts films? They have some really solid actio .

[DragonClaws]

Would people put Haywire(2011) in this category?, some great Martial Arts action from Gina Carano. Yet to me its not really full blown Martial Arts actioner. Steven Soderbergth's pace is a little slow at times, which worked really well for his movie Traffic. Just feel it hampered the action a little in Haywire.

[sym8]

Although it wasn’t that great in terms of great martial arts I loved THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN,for its time I thought it was fun and entertaining.Also passenger 57,I had no idea Wesley Snipes could bust a move like that until I saw it .I loved it.There was also a cowboy which had Jim Kelly play a red indian who had some skills but can’t remember the name(I think it was Jim Kelly)

Edited December 16, 2017 by sym8

[TheFlyingPanda]

I have not seen The Man from Nowhere , but heard good reviews. I watched Haywire a while back and found it to have some good MMA fights as well. I picked up The Villainess last week and consider it a Martial Arts Hybrid, it was overall kick-ass. Grosse Pointe Blank is another one with a surprising kick ass fight sequence with Benny The Jet.

[HyperDrive]

Rorion Gracie choreographed the end fight from Lethal Weapon.

[DragonClaws]

20 hours ago, sym8 said:

There was also a cowboy which had Jim Kelly play a red indian who had some skills but can’t remember the name(I think it was Jim Kelly)

You might be thinking about the Billy Jack movies?.

 

[SamSeed]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I've always really liked the brief tussle between Bruce Willis and Karl Urban in Red, not often you see Willis in a fistfight these days. And, whatever your opinion of the Fast and Furious films, 5-7 in particular have some brilliant brawls. Actually it's quite fun trying to think of non martial arts films with fights in them, some here I have yet to see! Oh, and speaking of Red, I hope I'm right in saying that even Helen Mirren (and her younger self in flashback) has a throwdown in the film The Debt?

 

EDIT: Also just remembered Brit Marling in The East too, a solid thriller with a few fisticuffs.

[danthemandmv]

Considering when they were made, both ''BLOOD ON THE SUN'' (1945) starring James Cagney & ''THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE'' (195?) starring Frank Sinatra had fairly decent martial arts action by Hollywood standards. Also, the Sean Connery-era James Bond flick ''YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE'' (1967) & ''THE WRECKING CREW'' starring Dean Martin as Matt Helm did o k in the MA department (again, for Western films made at the time...)

[KUNG FU BOB]

On 12/16/2017 at 12:04 PM, sym8 said:

Also passenger 57,I had no idea Wesley Snipes could bust a move like that until I saw it .I loved it.There was also a cowboy which had Jim Kelly play a red indian who had some skills but can’t remember the name(I think it was Jim Kelly)

Oh yeah, Wesley Snipes is (or at least, certainly was) a serious practitioner. Excerpt from his IMDb entry: " He is a fifth degree black belt in Shotokan karate. He also studied Kung Fu and has a second degree Black Belt in Hapkido, 9th Dan in the Kushindaryu and Karate, 5th Dan in Sanuces Ryu Jujutsu, and a 9th Dan in Weaponry." Those 9th Dan ranks are REALLY high, and I can't help but wonder if there was a bit of resume padding involved in those claims. But he IS clearly very skilled with extremely precise movements that show he's put a lot of training into the arts.

I know the Jim Kelly film you mean...

4 hours ago, DragonClaws said:

You might be thinking about the Billy Jack movies?.

 

Nope. It's TAKE A HARD RIDE (1975). It's a western starring Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, and Lee Van Cleef, where Jim Kelly plays Kashtok, an African American raised by Native Americans.

But actually @DragonClaws, those Billy Jack films fit perfectly into this category too, so good mention. The films, which include BORN LOSERS (1967), BILLY JACK (1971), THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK (1974), and BILLY JACK GOES TO WASHINGTON (1977), are social commentary / drama/ political activist stories (and the initial entry could also fit into the "biker" genre), but the character, a half Caucasian, half Native American ex-Green Beret Vietnam veteran, is an expert in Hapkido, and occasionally (and memorably) mops up the floor with evil bikers and racist scum. Master Bong Soo-Han (who went on to hilariously play Dr. Klahn in the "Fistful of Yen" segment of THE KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE in 1977) was the fight choreographer and the fight double for star Tom Laughlin in the Hapkido scenes.

 

2 hours ago, SamSeed said:

Maybe I'm the only one, but I've always really liked the brief tussle between Bruce Willis and Karl Urban in Red, not often you see Willis in a fistfight these days. And, whatever your opinion of the Fast and Furious films, 5-7 in particular have some brilliant brawls. Actually it's quite fun trying to think of non martial arts films with fights in them, some here I have yet to see! Oh, and speaking of Red, I hope I'm right in saying that even Helen Mirren (and her younger self in flashback) has a throwdown in the film The Debt?

 

EDIT: Also just remembered Brit Marling in The East too, a solid thriller with a few fisticuffs.

That DIE HARD fight is very brutal and charged with emotion!

I enjoyed the FAST AND THE FURIOUS series' fight scenes a lot too.

 

33 minutes ago, danthemandmv said:

Considering when they were made, both ''BLOOD ON THE SUN'' (1945) starring James Cagney & ''THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE'' (195?) starring Frank Sinatra had fairly decent martial arts action by Hollywood standards. Also, the Sean Connery-era James Bond flick ''YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE'' (1967) & ''THE WRECKING CREW'' starring Dean Martin as Matt Helm did o k in the MA department (again, for Western films made at the time...)

BLOOD ON THE SUN is a perfect example, with James Cagney performing his own stunts in fights where he uses Judo against a much larger Karate opponent. And yes, the fight scene in THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962) was way ahead of its time for depicting this kind of fighting, and is still an exciting sequence when seen today..

 

21 hours ago, TheFlyingPanda said:

I have not seen The Man from Nowhere , but heard good reviews. I watched Haywire a while back and found it to have some good MMA fights as well. I picked up The Villainess last week and consider it a Martial Arts Hybrid, it was overall kick-ass. Grosse Pointe Blank is another one with a surprising kick ass fight sequence with Benny The Jet.

Though he listed it as an example, @One Armed Boxer is not as big a fan of THE MAN FROM NOWHERE as most people that I know who have seen it. IMO it's a great thriller with some killer action scenes, including a vicious knife fight. I highly recommend it to those that haven't seen it.

I just referenced the fight scene from GROSSE POINTE BLANK recently in another thread, praising it for it's ferocity and realism. John Cusack has another good fight in a pseudo-sequel to this film, 2008's WAR, INC., which is a political satire.

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN (1982) is a drama / romance which features some very effective karate fights and demonstrations by Louis Gossett Jr. and Richard Gere.

REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER (1978), a slapstick comedy, has senior Kenpo Karate grandmaster Ed Parker use his skills to demolish his fellow assassins and an office. The film's director, Blake Edwards, was one of Parker's students and asked him to play the role. Edwards also included an on-going plot point throughout the "PINK PANTHER" film series where (Peter Sellers) Inspector Clouseau's servant / assistant Cato (Burt Kwouk) is under orders to constantly surprise attack his boss in order to keep Clouseau's reflexes sharp. They each use martial arts techniques to terrific comic effect in these sequences.

Though brief, during the climax of BLACK RAIN (1989) Matsuda Yusaku as a yakuza busts a few karate moves on Michael Douglas' cop.

In 1981's SHARKY'S MACHINE, Dan Inosanto and Weaver Levy play the villainous characters Chin No. 1 and No. 2 (respectively) who use Escrima sticks to demolish a guy, and dole out some other nasty martial arts violence.

There's some impressive and realistic knife fighting from Peter Coyote in the dramatic thriller EXPOSURE (1991), and Benicio Del Torro and Tommy Le Jones in 2003's THE HUNTED.

Donnie Yen's Chirriut Imwe is a blind pole fighter in the STAR WARS film ROGUE ONE (2016).

[SamSeed]

11 hours ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

Though brief, during the climax of BLACK RAIN (1989) Matsuda Yusaku as a yakuza busts a few karate moves on Michael Douglas' cop.

Black Rain has been sitting on my shelf for about a year, haven't got round to watching it, is it  a good thriller?

I suppose one of the best, or at least most well known, is the fisticuffs in the Indiana Jones films, they were always my favourite moments because it really put Indy in proper danger (not that running away from a huge boulder isn't real danger of course!). Ford was just gruff and tough enough but he never looked overly strong and really had to work to beat the Mechanic in Raiders. In fact technically he doesn't win hand to hand, he was strategic with the blades. 

Oh, and how could I forget Tommy Lee Jones vs Benicio Del Toro in The Hunted, brutal knife fights and, to me anyway, it looked pretty realistic.

Also, maybe more of a curio, but in the film Mad Dog and Glory, Robert De Niro has a punch up with Bill Murray (even better, the role reversal is that Murray plays the gangster and De Niro the weaker everyman)

[KUNG FU BOB]

6 hours ago, SamSeed said:

Black Rain has been sitting on my shelf for about a year, haven't got round to watching it, is it  a good thriller?

I suppose one of the best, or at least most well known, is the fisticuffs in the Indiana Jones films, they were always my favourite moments because it really put Indy in proper danger (not that running away from a huge boulder isn't real danger of course!). Ford was just gruff and tough enough but he never looked overly strong and really had to work to beat the Mechanic in Raiders. In fact technically he doesn't win hand to hand, he was strategic with the blades. 

Oh, and how could I forget Tommy Lee Jones vs Benicio Del Toro in The Hunted, brutal knife fights and, to me anyway, it looked pretty realistic.

Also, maybe more of a curio, but in the film Mad Dog and Glory, Robert De Niro has a punch up with Bill Murray (even better, the role reversal is that Murray plays the gangster and De Niro the weaker everyman)

I'm a big fan of BLACK RAIN, but the fashions and attitude of the lead character does date the film. In the late '80s Michael Douglas' cop Nick seemed like a super cool anti-authority figure. But viewed now, he seems incredibly arrogant, self-centered and reckless. Andy Garcia brings plenty of life to the film with his vibrant performance as Nick's partner Charlie, Matsuda Yusaku is perfect as the sneering, wild-eyed villain, and every second of Ken Takakura is pure gold. Lone Wolf Ogami Itto is even in here briefly as the Yakuza boss, speaking English, in a memorable scene.

Much as I love the Indy films and the action in them, I wouldn't call those fights (nor the one in MAD DOG AND GLORY) "martial arts action".

Ah... just thought of this: though I'd be hard pressed to recall exactly which titles, Elvis used to break out his karate skills and have fight scenes in his musical / romance / comedy movies.

[DragonClaws]

18 hours ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

and Benicio Del Torro and Tommy Le Jones in 2003's THE HUNTED.

Why did I not mention this, one of my favorite action films, the final fight certianly had an influence on Taken and John Wick. When The Hunted was released in 2003, it was a breath of fresh air, becuase Hollywood was still obsessed with copying the Matrix style wire-work.

 

18 hours ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

Nope. It's TAKE A HARD RIDE (1975). It's a western starring Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, and Lee Van Cleef, where Jim Kelly plays Kashtok, an African American raised by Native Americans.

Always forget about this Jim Kelly movie, thanks for that @KUNG FU BOB.

Black Moon Rising(1986) has a nicely staged knife fight in the finale, also featuring Tommy Lee Jones. Who performs a few Karate style moves too, if I recall rightly?. Not sure who he's fighting? it could just be one of the stuntmen. The scene might look dated now,but it was ahead of its time.

Edited December 18, 2017 by DragonClaws

[AlbertV]

Will Ferrell has a small fight scene in Get Hard as his character is apparently learning capoeira and uses those skills to clear his name during the finale.

 

[Omni Dragon]

Bruce Lee showed some moves in Marlowe (1969).

 

[TheFlyingPanda]

On 12/17/2017 at 4:27 PM, KUNG FU BOB said:

Nope. It's TAKE A HARD RIDE (1975). It's a western starring Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, and Lee Van Cleef, where Jim Kelly plays Kashtok, an African American raised by Native Americans.

By the way, Take a hard Ride is available in a Blu-ray 4 pack Western set I picked up a bit back. 

 

On 12/17/2017 at 4:27 PM, KUNG FU BOB said:

In 1981's SHARKY'S MACHINE, Dan Inosanto and Weaver Levy play the villainous characters Chin No. 1 and No. 2 (respectively) who use Escrima sticks to demolish a guy, and dole out some other nasty martial arts violence.

My sifu mentioned this to me and I brought the DVD a few years back. Henry Silva (Manchurian Candidate)  plays a villain in this one too. 

 

Another throwback Crime film with a long fight sequence (Martial arts vs Boxer brawl) is Fear City Were Tom Berenger Plays an Ex-Boxer and Jack Scalia plays a Sociopath, Stripper murderer, who is a martial artist and Uses it for deadly force.   

[SamSeed]

17 hours ago, TheFlyingPanda said:

By the way, Take a hard Ride is available in a Blu-ray 4 pack Western set I picked up a bit back. 

 

My sifu mentioned this to me and I brought the DVD a few years back. Henry Silva (Manchurian Candidate)  plays a villain in this one too. 

 

Another throwback Crime film with a long fight sequence (Martial arts vs Boxer brawl) is Fear City Were Tom Berenger Plays an Ex-Boxer and Jack Scalia plays a Sociopath, Stripper murderer, who is a martial artist and Uses it for deadly force.   

Fear City is going straight on my 'to watch' list! Has anyone mentioned They Live yet? I assume most here will have seen it, but isn't that one of the longest fistfights committed to film, fifteen minutes or so?

There's some nice fight action in The Rundown (or Welcome to the Jungle elsewhere) with Dwayne Johnson, a particularly good brawl with Ernie Reyes Jr in the middle of the film.

This is a bit off piste, but one of my favourite sitcoms is called Bottom, it's English and stars Rik Mayall, and there is a fight scene in every episode. Despite being a studio sitcom, they're actually better shot (if a bit cartoon-y with sound effects et al) than some film ones! It helps that it's hilarious as well, well worth checking out if you're into British humour.

Here's one of my favourites, may not be to everyone;s taste but it gives you an idea. Not martial arts more pub brawl type

 

Edited December 19, 2017 by SamSeed

[DragonClaws]

1 hour ago, SamSeed said:

Fear City is going straight on my 'to watch' list! Has anyone mentioned They Live yet? I assume most here will have seen it, but isn't that one of the longest fistfights committed to film, fifteen minutes or so?

I think it is one of the lonest?, for some time the longst American movie fight, belonged to the John Movie, The Quite Man. Where he fights long time co-star and former boxer Victor McLaglin.

 

Edited December 19, 2017 by DragonClaws

[TheFlyingPanda]

1 hour ago, SamSeed said:

Has anyone mentioned They Live yet? I assume most here will have seen it, but isn't that one of the longest fistfights committed to film, fifteen minutes or so?

I believe it was mentioned in another thread? Love that fight scene! A friend saw They Live at my Studio for the first time and she was like "holy crap that's a long ass fight" and impressed. Roddy was a real nice chap when I met him (around that era), he was hanging out with my cousin (A kick-boxer himself) My grandmother was cooking and he sat and had a plate of food while they chatted away with my father (true story) I need to find that photo.

 

Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies have their fair share of MA fight scenes  and possibly belong on this list.    

 

 

 

[SamSeed]

11 minutes ago, DragonClaws said:

I think it is one of the lonest?, for some time the longst American movie fight, belonged to the John Movie, The Quite Man. Where he fights long time co-star and former boxer Victor McLaglin.

 

Ah yes. Well I suppose if we bring Westerns into it then there are a plethora of punch ups we could talk about. Shane has always been a favourite of mine. And Bad Day At Black Rock!

Edited December 19, 2017 by SamSeed

[DragonClaws]

22 minutes ago, TheFlyingPanda said:

Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies have their fair share of MA fight scenes  and possibly belong on this list.    

Great example, never watched the sequel, bt really enjoyed the first movie, and its approach to the fight scenes.

 

22 minutes ago, SamSeed said:

Shane has always been a favourite of mine. And Bad Day At Black Rock!

I think Shane was the first American movie to use wires, to enhance the action?. There's only what two maybe three gun fights in the whole movie?. You can see the use of wires, to enhance the impact of the gunshots.

One other movie that springs to mind is Hard Times a.k.a The Streetfighter, with WW2 vetetran Charles Bronson.

 

Bronson keeps his eyes on a floored opponent, in an illegal cage fight.

Edited December 19, 2017 by DragonClaws

[ShaOW!linDude]

20 hours ago, TheFlyingPanda said:

Another throwback Crime film with a long fight sequence (Martial arts vs Boxer brawl) is Fear City Were Tom Berenger Plays an Ex-Boxer and Jack Scalia plays a Sociopath, Stripper murderer, who is a martial artist and Uses it for deadly force. 

Great movie! However, Jack Scalia is NOT the psychotic killer in that. The actor/martial artist who played that role is not credited in the film. Always wondered who it was, and I can't say I've ever seen him appear in anything else. Shame, too, because I thought the guy did a top notch job with his fight scenes.

[ShaOW!linDude]

@One Armed Boxer mentioned The Berlin File. That's a really good spy thriller/drama. The MA is sparse. I really only recall 2 fight scenes (one being the finale), but brother, when they hit, it is both stunning and brutal. I'm wanting to see it again. The story was very engaging, too.

[TheFlyingPanda]

4 hours ago, DragonClaws said:

One other movie that springs to mind is Hard Times a.k.a The Streetfighter, with WW2 vetetran Charles Bronson.

Good one! How can I forget Hard Times, one of my favorite Bronson films, lots of fight scenes. 

 

2 hours ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

Great movie! However, Jack Scalia is NOT the psychotic killer in that. The actor/martial artist who played that role is not credited in the film. Always wondered who it was, and I can't say I've ever seen him appear in anything else. Shame, too, because I thought the guy did a top notch job with his fight scenes.

I was wondering, Been a wile since I saw it on TV, It would be interesting in finding out.