10 Greatest American-Made Martial Arts Movies Of The 20th Century, Ranked

Martial arts movies have evolved dramatically over the years, and each decade brings its own flavor of fighting and fisticuffs. Several well-known actors in the genre have become household names, with their own styles you can only see in their movies.

Jackie Chan, for example, is legendary for his intricate martial arts and stunt work. Many of his action scenes are more like technical ballets, and they are fascinating because they're so much more than two fighters swinging at each other. Jackie Chan's movies are often more lighthearted, which makes them stand out against more gritty and serious projects.

Bruce Lee is another martial arts movie icon. His films are classics in the genre, and his jaw-dropping speed and form remain as much of a spectacle now as they were decades ago. Many of the most beloved martial arts movies of the 20th century are Hong Kong productions. However, the era also produced several incredible American-made movies in the genre.

We're showcasing some of the best US martial arts movies of the 20th century in this list. Some hit all the regular beats you'd expect from the genre. Others tread less common ground, but with martial arts woven into their action sequences and stories. Whether you're after a gritty movie full of hand-to-hand combat, or a legendary training montage, here are some of the greatest 20th century American-made martial arts movies.

10 Only The Strong (1993)

Only the Strong is a remarkable early 90s martial arts movie starring Mark Dacascos as Louis. He's an ex-military officer and is saddened to discover that his former school neighborhood has fallen into disarray, with crime running rampant. He sets a plan in motion to help some of the more troubled kids from falling in with the wrong crowds.

Louis isn't your average former soldier, as he also knows capoeira. He plans to teach it to the students as a discipline, not just a fighting style to defend themselves. However, Louis's class draws the attention of one particular drug dealer, Silverio (Paco Christian Prieto). He also knows capoeira, with entirely different ideals on how to use it.

Only the Strong starts our list for its stylish showcase of capoeira. The fighting style was less well known in the early 90s, and it was unusual to see an entire movie focused on it.

9 The Last Dragon (1985)

The Last Dragon is a wild 80s action comedy starring Taimak as Leroy Green. He's a dedicated martial artist and a big Bruce Lee fan. Leroy wants to obtain a mystical power known as the Glow, but he meets another martial artist who makes his quest much harder.

That martial artist is Sho'nuff (Julius Carry). He believes he's the best fighter around and constantly provokes Leroy, even breaking into his fighting class at one point. Leroy refuses to fight Sho'nuff, but events escalate to a point where a clash seems inevitable.

The Last Dragon blends action, martial arts, comedy, and even romance. The fight scenes aren't as well choreographed or technically impressive as in some other movies on this list. However, the characters are unforgettable, and Sho-nuff is so over-the-top that you almost root for him, and he's endlessly quotable.

8 Best Of The Best (1989)

Best of the Best is a grounded martial arts drama where the US Taekwondo team is preparing to compete against Korea. They aren't the favorites, as the Korean team has won gold medals before, but that doesn't mean the US team will go down without a fight.

Frank Couzo (James Earl Jones) is the US team coach and puts his fighters through a grueling training regimen. Tommy Lee (Phillip Rhee) quickly emerges as the team's best competitor. However, he has a history with Korea's Dae Han (Simon Rhee), which may just spill out into the tournament with serious consequences.

Best of the Best tells a dramatic underdog story. It's less well-known than some other movies on this list, but martial arts fans will appreciate the setup and grounded tournament. Future Best of the Best movies move away from the tournament setting, with Tommy Lee as more of an action hero.

7 Rush Hour (1998)

© New Line/courtesy Everett Collection

Rush Hour showcases incredible martial arts and stunt work by the legendary Jackie Chan. He plays Lee, a Hong Kong inspector on an investigation in LA. The LAPD doesn't want him interfering, so they send Carter (Chris Tucker) to keep him busy.

The pair immediately clash. Lee is a professional, while Carter is far more unpredictable. Still, they eventually set their differences aside and work together to crack a kidnapping case.

Rush Hour is laugh-out-loud funny, and Chan and Tucker have great chemistry. The movie showcases Chan's unique fighting style and also his incredible stunt work. It's not a traditional martial arts movie per se, but audiences expecting a thrilling action movie with brilliantly choreographed fights will not be disappointed.

6 Rocky (1976)

Rocky is an iconic sports drama, starring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa. He's an unremarkable boxer living an ordinary life. However, he gets the opportunity of a lifetime when a far more renowned fighter, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), offers him a match.

Rocky doesn't expect to win, but puts everything he has into his training, under Mickey's (Burgess Meredith) guidance. The movie features arguably one of the most well-known training montages in the genre as Rocky's showdown with Apollo draws closer.

As a boxing movie, Rocky features a very different style of combat than other movies on this list. Nevertheless, it includes many hallmarks of the martial arts genre, with a charismatic underdog it's almost impossible not to root for.

5 The Matrix (1999)

The Matrix is a sci-fi adventure epic, and quite different from the other movies on this list. Still, martial arts are central to its identity and feature prominently in many of its best action scenes.

Keanu Reeves stars as Neo. The Matrix has a busy story I won't spoil here, but Neo ultimately learns to 'bend' the rules of reality. He also learns kung fu, and his encounters with Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) are intense martial-arts spectacles. Many of those scenes were also revolutionary at the time for how they were shot.

The Matrix is an ambitious movie, and stellar fight scenes are just one aspect of it. It has an involved story spanning an entire trilogy, but the action scenes and fights are so strong that even non-sci-fi fans can find something to enjoy.

4 Kickboxer (1989)

Kickboxer tells a classic martial arts revenge story, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Kurt. His brother, Eric (Dennis Alexio), is a champion US fighter, hungry to prove himself. The pair go to Thailand, where Eric faces an opponent he's utterly unequipped to beat.

That opponent is Tong Po (Michel Qissi). He utterly dismantles Eric, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Kurt throws in the towel, but Tong Po ignores it, breaking Eric's spine and paralyzing him. It's cold and brutal, and Kurt seeks training to face Tong Po in the arena for revenge.

Kickboxer focuses on Kurt's training and how he eventually surpasses his brother in his prime. We also learn Tong Po and his handlers aren't afraid to play dirty, stacking the odds in his favor.

3 The Karate Kid (1984)

The Karate Kid is another beloved 80s martial arts movie, starring Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso. He's just moved to LA and clashes with another young man, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). The altercation turns physical, and Johnny wins the fight thanks to his karate training.

Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) intervenes, and later agrees to teach Daniel how to defend himself. He also enrolls Daniel in the upcoming All-Valley Karate Tournament, where Johnny is also competing and representing the Cobra Kai dojo.

The Karate Kid tells a great coming-of-age tale, and two sequels expand Daniel's story. The franchise also has multigenerational appeal, with multiple reboots and even the Cobra Kai TV show, which brings back much of the original cast.

2 Bloodsport (1988)

Jean-Claude Van Damme returns to our list with another beloved 80s martial arts movie in Bloodsport. Van Damme stars as Frank Dux. He's a military man, though he goes AWOL to compete in a brutal fighting tournament in Hong Kong called the Kumite.

The Kumite is no ordinary fighting tournament, and elite martial artists from around the world arrive to compete. Each fighter boasts a different style, but Dux quickly earns a reputation after demonstrating the Dim Mak technique. Combat rules are loose in the Kumite, and fighters can, and do, die in the arena.

Bloodsport features intense tournament fights and a superb villain in Bolo Yeung's Chong Li. The movie also boasts an iconic training montage, as Dux studies under Tanaka (Roy Chiao).

1 Enter The Dragon (1973)

Enter the Dragon is widely regarded as one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time. It makes the list because it's an American-Hong Kong co-production and Lee's debut as the lead in a Hollywood-funded film.

Bruce Lee stars as Lee. He's a talented martial artist, and British authorities ask him to attend a fighting tournament on a secluded island run by Han (Shih Kien). They suspect Han runs a drug operation on the island and want Lee to infiltrate to get evidence. He takes a boat to the island as a competitor alongside other fighters, each with unique motivations for attending.

Lee fights in the tournament, and his clash with Han's bodyguard, Oharra (Robert Wall), remains incredible, even after multiple rewatches. The movie is full of intense martial arts set pieces, and even other competitors, like Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly), get their moment in the spotlight.