The 10 best kung fu films of the 1990s

The ’90s saw a rise in mainstream martial arts actors like Jet Li and Jackie Chan, leading to the release of some of the best kung fu films of the decade. The introduction of such stars and films brought increased interest in the genre and influenced a number of American filmsincluding The MatrixSince the Wachowskis themselves are fans of Hong Kong cinema, they asked famous martial arts director Yuen Woo-Ping to help with the fight choreography of their film.

Chan himself had a great influence on kung fu films. Starting in the late ’70s, Chan was one of the leading actors in kung fu comedies that revived interest in the genre in the decades that followed. Chan and Li are just a few who initially worked in Hong Kong cinema before moving to American films after their breakthrough. As a result, the best kung fu films of the decade come from Hong Kong, but feature many familiar faces well known to American audiences, such as Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh.

10 Rapid Fire (1992)

A young man tries to take down drug lords

As the son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee proved that he was equally talented as a martial artist and actor In Rapid fire. In the 90s film, Lee plays Jake Lo, a college student who becomes the target of the police and the mafia after witnessing a murder. Aside from Lee’s connection to martial arts through his father, Rapid fire The fight scenes are also a homage to Jackie Chan’s filmography.

Rapid fire offers fast action throughout and is well choreographed by Jeff Imada, a famous martial artist who has worked on numerous films, such as Mortal Kombat and Lee’s last film, The Crow. But more than that: Lee was able to truly demonstrate his talent as a charismatic actor. Admittedly, his screen appearances before his unexpected death were minimal, but Rapid fire gave a striking insight into what the rest of Lee’s career could have looked like.

9 The Last Hero in China (1993)

A classic folk hero gets into humorous chaos

Wong Fei-hung is a Chinese folk hero who has been portrayed in numerous films and television shows. One of the people who have played the famous martial artist is Jet Li, especially in Once upon a time in China Film series and again in Last hero in China. The latter film has a much more comedic approach to the character. In the film Wong accidentally opens a new kung fu school next to a brothel.

To make matters worse, Wong becomes the target of a local general who wants the school closed. unfavourable circumstances in Last hero in China provide some equally comical and violent confrontations. Last hero in China is a derivative of Once upon a time in Chinaand because the film captures its humorous tone, it is often seen as a successful parody of the franchise.

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Last hero in China
is a derivative of
Once upon a time in China

8 The Armor of God II: Operation Condor (1991)

Asian Hawk returns in search of gold

As the successor to what was once the highest-grossing film in Hong Kong, The Armor of God II: Operation Condorsees the return of Jackie Chan as his famous character Asian Hawk. The first Armor of God The film was considered a funnier, more stunt-heavy version of Indiana JonesThe sequel bears even more similarities to the American franchise, with its plot following Chan’s character Jackie on his quest for gold across the Sahara Desert.

Despite a serious injury during the filming of the first Armor of God film, the action didn’t stop in the sequel. Like many of Chan’s works, Operation Condor contains some incredible action scenes shot by the actor and his stunt team. Unfortunately, Operation Condor was the last major film in the series, followed by CZ12which lacked the crucial martial arts and stunts that had made the previous films so popular, and Chan was missing as an action star.

7 The Iron Monkey (1993)

A local hunts a masked hero who robs the rich

In Iron MonkeyDonnie Yen plays the protagonist whose task is to catch the masked martial artist who is causing trouble for the wealthy local community. One reason why Iron Monkey is highly praised by the audience in Hong Kong because the film’s commentary on class segregation and the help that oppressed communities receive only thanks to the Iron Monkey.

Unfortunately, Iron Monkey was changed when released for American audiences. Iron MonkeyThe film’s political and historical context, as it also recounts Wong Fei-hung’s childhood, has been removed from the film. However, it is still a real eye-catcher due to its universal use of action and Yen’s strong lead performance. Iron Monkey became the eleventh most successful foreign film in the United States in the year of its release.

The 1993 film
Iron Monkey
was nominated for Best Action Choreography at the 1994 Hong Kong Film Awards

6 Wing Chun (1994)

A local businesswoman faces a gang of bandits

When Michelle Yeoh returned to acting in the early 1990s, she was in Wing Chun. In the film, directed by one of the best martial arts directors of all time, Yuen Woo-ping, Yeoh plays the title character who leads a double life while confronting the bandits plaguing her village while also working at a tofu shop. In addition to Yeoh, some of Hong Kong’s most famous actors are in the cast, including Cheng Pei-pei and Donnie Yen.

The name of the film comes from a kung fu style in which the closeness between the fighters is the main focus. with hand-to-hand combat being used most frequently. Although the film doesn’t use as many Wing Chun techniques as martial arts fans would like, there are still plenty of action scenes for audiences to enjoy. One scene in particular, a final confrontation with Norman Chui’s character, highlights Yeoh’s best martial arts skills.

5 Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

The retelling of the story of a Chinese folk hero

The first time Jet Li played against Wong Fei-hung was at the beginning of his career in Once upon a time in China. The martial arts film is the first of many in the franchise and shows Wong protecting his local martial arts school. Li got the chance to showcase his athleticism and skills in Once upon a time in Chinaincluding the memorable confrontation in which his character Wong jumps off several bamboo ladders while fighting his enemy.

Among the endless action scenes in Once upon a time in ChinaSince the film is set during the Qing Dynasty in the 19th century, it also contains a message about colonization and Chinese history. The real influences on Once upon a time in ChinaThe story of the film and don’t let it become just a compilation of the best kung fu techniques.

4 Police Story 3: The Supercop (1992)

Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh join forces against a drug cartel

Recognized as one of the better parts of the Police history film series, Police Story 3: The Supercop In “The 4000,” Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung and Bill Tung reprise their roles from the previous films. This time, Chan’s character Chan Ka-Kui teams up with Jessica Yang, a police officer played by Michelle Yeoh, to take down a local drug cartel. The energy of Chan and Yeoh as co-leads fits incredibly well together.

Although there are many moments of laughter in Supercop, The most important thing about the film are the action scenes. Their shared love of the genre makes the two stars more fiery than ever. Chan and Yeoh are both known for performing many of the stunts in their action films, and Supercop was no exception. Both suffered minor injuries while filming some of their risky scenes, but fortunately no one was seriously hurt.

3 Rumble in the Bronx (1995)

A Hong Kong police officer gets into trouble in New York

Rumbling in the Bronx is one of the most important films in Jackie Chan’s career. The action comedy film introduced Chan to North American audiences and has a formula that is still used in most of his works today – a mixture of comedy and sensational stunts. The film is set in New York, a Hong Kong police officer travels to the eponymous city and finds himself in the middle of a fight between motorcycle gangs.

Although there are many films in the martial arts genre that have complicated storylines as well as action scenes, Rumbling in the Bronx is not one of them. The story is standard for an action film, especially one starring Chan, so The choreographed stunts are meant to do all the work to capture the audience’s attention, and that’s exactly what it does.The combination of humor and action ensures that Rumbling in the Bronx never loses sight of its central goal of entertaining the audience.

2 Fist of Legend (1994)

Jet Li transforms into Bruce Lee’s cult figure

A remake of Bruce Lee’s Fist of Rage, Fist of Legend Stars Jet Li as a martial artist who grapples more deeply with the death of his old master. Instead of aiming for a comedic tone or focusing solely on incorporating as many fight scenes as possible, Fist of Legend has a compelling story that highlights the stigma against Li’s character as a Chinese martial artist.

However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a number of impressive fight scenes in the film. By using the action Fist of Legend does an excellent job of honoring Lee’s legacy. Fist of Legend‘s action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping worked with Li to create gripping action scenes with minimal wireworkThis allows Li’s physical talents to shine and is absolutely fascinating to watch.

1 Drunken Master II (1993)

Jackie Chan returns in the sequel to his best franchise

Comparable to Jet Li’s portrayal of Wong Fei-hung in Last hero in ChinaJackie Chan also plays a comedic version of the famous martial artist in Drunken Master II. The sequel to Chan’s best franchise, Drunken Master II highlighted everything good about the first film and secured Chan’s place as an up-and-coming actor during that time. As a result of both films, Chan was able to make a name for himself in martial arts films, detached from the legacy of the greats before him.

Drunken Master IIskilfully combines the use of impressive stunt choreography and comedic characters that should continue to be seen for the rest of Chan’s career. Chan understands the importance of a final fight scene and there are many great examples in his filmography. One of the best final fights in Chan’s films is in Drunken Master II when Wong Fei-hung falls onto a bed of hot coals.