Few genres so often feature movies that can simultaneously boast the title terrible and must-watch, butmartial arts cinemahas had plenty of outlandish films that achieve these unique criteria. From Hong Kong classics to films that were only discovered decades after they had been shot, martial arts movies lean into the campy, over-the-top, andtruly ridiculous side of cinema. While some narratives may leave a lot to be desired, these terrible movies are often redeemed by featuring some of thebest fight choreographyof all time.
While there are plenty ofmust-watch martial arts moviesout there, such as Bruce Lee classics likeEnter the Dragonor Jackie Chan triumphs likeDrunken Master, there’s alsoa side to kung fu cinema that embraces a sense of sillinessfar beyond anything seen in those releases. With fake Olympian competitions hosted by disgruntled Nazis to kung fu legends fighting their way through the Underworld, all of these martial arts movies were terrible, but in a good way.
WhileGymkatamay have earned its star Kurt Thomas a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor, that does not mean it wasn’t a must-watch martial arts movie. As a film widely derided for its dubious premise, poor production quality, and strange setting,Gymkatatold the story of an Olympic gymnast utilizing his martial arts skills to take part in a deadly competition in the fictional country of Parmistan. As a 1980s cult classic,Gymkata’sstatus as one ofMaximmagazine’s ‘Worst Movies Of All Time’ only makes it more alluring to fans of so-bad-it’s-good martial arts movies.
Witnessing Thomas’s portrayal of Jonathan Cabot, an American athlete traveling to take part in a competition not won by a foreigner for 900 years, was truly a sight to behold, especially considering Thomas was a genuine former Olympian, and this was his lone movie role. As a hilarious movie whose humor was mostly unintentional,Gymkatafeatured a potential for a wish come true, the threat of nuclear destruction, and even the kidnapping of a princess.
Miami Connectionwas set in aworld where rock stars want to be ninjas, and ninjas long to be rock stars. Featuring a martial arts rock band going up against a group of motorcycle ninjas, this over-the-top fighting film explores the outlandish world of Florida’s drug trade through a cast of uniquely ridiculous characters. With co-director Y.K. Kim in the lead role as Mark, a Taekwondo instructor and rhythm guitarist of Dragon Sound,Miami Connectionreceived harsh criticism when it was first released and performed poorly at the box office.
As a cult classic that was unavailable for decades,Miami Connectionwas reappraised by viewers after it was restored and re-released in 2012. As a love-it-or-hate-it kind of movie, the sheer ridiculousness ofMiami Connectionmeant it joined the ranks of movies likePlan 9 from Outer SpaceandThe Roomin the discussion around terrible movies that people form an intense connection with. With a goofy energy that made it insanely watchable,Miami Connectionneeds to be seen to be believed.
The South African martial arts movieKill or Be KilledfeaturedJames Ryan as the famous fighter Steve Hunt, arriving at an Olympic-style competition only to realize he’s been trapped by an ex-Nazi general. Still humiliated over the Germans' defeat at the 1936 Summer Olympics, Baron von Rudloff wants revenge, especially against the Japanese martial artist Miyagi, who had bribed the judges with diamonds. With this politically charged premise,Kill or Be Killedsaw the various factions face off against one another in an isolated desert location.
Also released under the titlesKarate Killerin the US andKarate Olympiadin South Africa,Kill or Be Killedmay have had a plot so convoluted that it’s easy to get lost, yet the fight sequences were so spectacular it almost didn’t matter. Featuring an impressive cast of talented fighters,Kill or Be Killedshowcased that there was far more to martial arts cinema in the 1970s than just American and Asian productions.
Ninja Terminatorwriter, director, and producer Godfrey Ho utilized an unusual method of filmmaking for this ridiculous must-watch martial arts movie. Ho’s style was to film scenes that he would add to preexisting movies and then recut them together with actors dubbing their dialogue over the previous film to create an entirely new story. With this unusual method,Ninja Terminatorreused more than 50% of its footage from the Korean movieThe Uninvited Guest Of The Star Ferry.
Ninja Terminatordidn’t feature any appearances from Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800 and instead focused on a group ofthree martial arts students and their search for the magical Golden Ninja Warrior statue. As an over-the-top exercise in cheesy fun,Ninja Terminatorwas the kind of movie that was made to be watched at full volume with a group of like-minded friends who can hoot and holler at its sheer ridiculousness.
WhileMaster of the Flying Guillotinehas achieved cult status, as a sequel to the 1972 classicOne-Armed Boxer, it’s hard to view it as anything but a glorious mess. With Wang Yu back in his role as the one-armed Chinese martial artist Yu Tien Lung, it was thrilling to watch him face off with various enemies before his climactic showdown with a blind Lama from Tibet, dubbed theMaster of the Flying Guillotine. With this blind fighter seeking revenge for two Lamas killed in the original movie, this kung fu classic was packed with tongue-in-cheek humor.
Asa favorite of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, theKill Billdirector describedMaster of the Flying Guillotineas “one of my favorite movies of all time” (viaQuentin Tarantino: Interviews.) With the original movie as one of the most iconic kung fu releases of the 1970s, this was a rare sequel that managed to live up to its predecessor as it leaned more heavily into the ridiculous nature of it all. While the outrageous B-movie energy of this release might lead people to dismiss it as terrible, its excellent choreography, sense of humor, and unique premise made it a must-watch movie.
Riki-Oh: The Story of Rickywas a Hong Kong splatter movie thatadapted the Japanese manga of the same name by Masahiko Takajo and Tetsuya Saruwatari. With Fan Siu-wong as Ricky Ho Lik Wong, a superpowered young man sent to prison for killing the crime boss responsible for his girlfriend’s death, this film achieved cult status due to its over-the-top and highly unrealistic depiction of excessive violence.
With a campy energy and laughably bad English dubbing,Riki-Oh: The Story of Rickyboasts an impressive 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes, as viewers and critics alike appreciate its outlandish nature. With a highly stylized sense of brutality, director Lam Nai-choi’s ghastly and hilarious depiction of violence was comparable to the early works of Western directors like Sam Raimi or Peter Jackson. While other Hong Kong martial arts films may be more well known,Riki-Oh: The Story of Rickywas a must-watch release for those who like their fighting films extra violent.
The direct-to-video triumph that wasSamurai Copfeatured two policemen on a quest to stop a renegade Yakuza gang attempting to take over the drug trade in Los Angeles. As a noticeably low-budget release, perhaps the most jarring thing aboutSamurai Copwas that lead actor Matthew Karedas cut his long hair short after he thought filming had wrapped, only to be brought back for reshoots that amounted to half the movie being made out of chronological order (viaVice.) This meant thatSamurai Copalternates between Karedas with his genuine hair and a laughably obvious women’s wig.
However, despite its major continuity issues,Samurai Copwas so full of B-movie martial arts fun that it was impossible not to be won over by its campy appeal. While the concept itself was already ridiculous, the unintentional humor ofSamurai Copwill leave viewers questioning whether this movie was genuinely terrible or if it was an outstanding masterpiece of martial arts satire.
Martial arts movie legend Cynthia Rothrock has had some extraordinary roles across her career, as her debut alongside Michelle Yeoh inYes, Madamsignaled her as a major new name in the world of fighting films. While Rothrock has plenty of great roles under her belt, Kristi Jones inUndefeatableranks among the most outlandish. As the story of a woman avenging her sister’s death at the hands of a crazed martial arts rapist,Undefeatable’sserious premise made the ridiculousness of its choreography all the more jarring.
While the entire movie was packed with over-the-top sequences, the most ridiculous must-watch moment came as Rothrock backflipped her way through a fight so erratic it managed to be featured on the TV reality showtruTV Presents: World’s Dumbest Brawlers. As a so-bad-it’s-good martial arts movie that was packed with memeable moments,Undefeatablewas not to be missed.
was a martial arts movie shot in 1984 but not released until 2021 after its footage was discovered and restored. With John Liu as the original director and Kurtis M. Spieler as the redirector in charge of reconstructing the movie,New York Ninjahad an unusual production history that only adds to its mysterious legacy. Telling the story of a news station sound technician who becomes a vigilante ninja after the death of his pregnant girlfriend,New York Ninjahad all the tenets of a 1980s classic, even if viewers only got to enjoy it decades later.
Whilethe goofy nature ofNew York Ninjameans it falls into the must-watch terrible movie camp of martial arts films, the genuine heart at the center of its story meant it stood leagues above the average campy 1980s fighting film. As a fun-filled B-movie of exceptional appeal, the film preservation and home video distributor Vinegar Syndrome did the world a favor when they revisited and finally releasedNew York Ninja.
1The Dragon Lives Again (1977)
Directed by Law Kei
The fantasy comedy martial arts superhero movieThe Dragon Lives Againfeatured the soul of Bruce Lee going to the underworldand meeting various cultural icons from times past. With Bruce Leung Siu-Lung in the role of Lee, this film came just four years after the martial arts star’s untimely death and featured him alongside the likes of Dracula, James Bond, The Godfather, and The Exorcist. Adding to this, Lee also befriended martial arts legends like the One-Armed Boxer as he took part in brutal battles across literal Hell.
While the jury’s still out on whetherThe Dragon Lives Againwas a tongue-in-cheek tribute to a kung fu icon or a cheap cash grab attempting to profit from the late actor’s name, it still stood as the most ridiculous must-seemartial arts movieout there. As ridiculous as it was surreal,The Dragon Lives Againrightfully places Lee’s legacy as a figure as iconic and enduring as the greatest literary characters ever created. There have been plenty of terrible martial arts movies over the years, and this was yet another example of a bad movie done well.
