Action and comedic moments make for an entertaining movie night which pleases everyone. From the legend, Jackie Chan fighting off bag guys with a ladder to Stephen Chow’s crazy characters like a guy would can spin a ball using just his stomach muscles, comedy and martial arts fights that don’t take themselves too serious make for a great entertainment.
Here are some of the top martial arts comedy films, blending impressive fight choreography with laugh-out-loud moments:
- Shaolin Soccer (2001): A classic from Stephen Chow, this film combines martial arts with soccer in a hilarious and over-the-top way. It’s full of visual gags and slapstick humor.
- Kung Fu Hustle (2004): Another Stephen Chow masterpiece, this film is set in 1940s China and follows a wannabe gangster who gets caught up in a battle between rival gangs. It’s known for its creative fight sequences and quirky characters.
- Jackie Chan’s films (various): Jackie Chan is a legend in the martial arts comedy genre. Some of his best include:
- Drunken Master (1978): Chan’s comedic timing and innovative fight choreography are on full display as he learns a drunken kung fu style.
- Police Story (1985): Blends action and humor with impressive stunts.
- Project A (1983): A period piece with swashbuckling action and plenty of laughs.
- Rush Hour (1998): While not strictly a martial arts film, it showcases Chan’s skills alongside Chris Tucker’s comedic style.
- Kung Pow! Enter the Fist (2002): A cult classic that parodies kung fu films with intentionally bad dubbing and absurd humor.
- The Protector (2005): Tony Jaa’s Muay Thai skills are showcased in this action-packed film with moments of humor.
- Hot Fuzz (2007): While not solely a martial arts film, this action-comedy from Edgar Wright features some well-choreographed fight scenes and plenty of laughs.
- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010): This film blends martial arts with video game elements and quirky humor.
- Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022): While having many genres, the fight choreography is heavily inspired by martial arts films, and the film is filled with comedic moments.
This list offers a variety of styles within the martial arts comedy genre, from slapstick to parody to action-comedy.
Jackie Chan
Originally tapped as a potential successor to Bruce Lee, Hong Kong martial-arts phenom Jackie Chan soon established his own unique screen persona, blending goofball slapstick and bone-crunching kung fu into intricate feats of supercharged athleticism. Tracing his rise from breakout star to full-fledged auteur, these six unabashedly silly, unstoppably entertaining early-career highlights find Chan refining the lovably mischievous image that would make him a global icon, while also assuming greater creative control over his projects—first as his own martial-arts choreographer, and later as a writer-director who set a thrilling new standard for daredevil action comedy.
Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar (The Criterion Collection)
