10 Most Impressive Stunts In Martial Arts Movies Not Done By Jackie Chan

Martial arts legend Jackie Chan was responsible for some of the greatest stuntwork that has ever been filmed, but he’s not the only star who has impressed audiences with incredible stunts. Throughout the history of martial arts cinema, there have been plenty of talented performers who have left their mark on the genre and have even matched Chan when it came to delivering awe-inspiringly impressive stunts. From screen icons like Bruce Lee to contemporary sensations such as Michelle Yeoh, there was never a shortage of impressive stunt work in martial arts movies.

Impressive martial arts movie stunts can take many forms, as they include over-the-top fight sequences, incredible feats of human ingenuity, and even death-defying helicopter stunt work. Some performers have even gone the extra mile and literally set themselves ablaze to achieve that perfect shot, and martial arts filmmakers have spent weeks filming to make sure they filmed the perfect scene. When looking at the entire martial arts genre, it’s obvious that Jackie Chan’s not the only martial arts actor who could pull off impressive stunts.

10 Yuen Biao Vs Frankie Chan Fight

The Prodigal Son (1981)

The history of martial arts cinema was littered with incredible fight sequences by insanely talented fighters that had to be carefully choreographed, laid out, and planned by talented choreographers, filmmakers, and stuntpeople. A prime example of impressive stunts in a fight sequence came in the 1981 classic The Prodigal Son, in which legendary martial artists Yen Biao and Frankie Chan faced off against one another. Directed by Sammo Hung, The Prodigal Son had plenty of fast-paced fighting action.

The skill of both fighters was on full display as Biao and Chan kicked and punched each other with increasing precision and intense accuracy. This stunt became even more intense as the two took their battle onto a staircase as they fought in the ruins of an ancient temple. With plenty of blood and strong attention to detail, this fight sequence proved that the best stunts don’t require over-the-top set pieces, as sometimes all it took was simple hand-to-hand combat to blow audiences away.

9 Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Split Punch

Bloodsport (1998)

As a cult favorite that had a noticeable impact on the popularity of martial arts movies, Bloodsport was full of impressive stunts, as its star Jean-Claude Van Damme, showed off his fighting skills in the movie, which turned him into a mainstream action hero. While Bloodsport was based on claims made by the real fighter Frank Dux, many of its sequences should be taken with a pinch of salt, as the over-the-top action and violence were just too extreme to be believed. A highlight of Bloodsport came in the fight between Dux and Pumola, which featured many incredible fighting stunts.

One moment in particular was Dux’s split punch, which was an impressive attack on Pumola’s private area that had him down for the count. These kinds of stunts had a significant influence as they were mimicked in later video games like Mortal Komat and became important parts of popular culture. While Dux’s split punch may have felt like he was fighting dirty, stunts like this should be expected from the cut-throat world of Kumite fighting, the illegal martial arts tournament seen in Bloodsport.

8 Donnie Yen’s Elevator Fight

Ip Man 3 (2015)

The best Donnie Yen movies have featured plenty of impressive stunts, and this was especially true for his lead role in the Ip Man series. While Ip Man has had plenty of over-the-top fights, the elevator sequence seen in Ip Man 3 stood out as one of the most impressive due to just how much action was squeezed out of the actors enclosed in such a tiny space. With incredible precision and not much room to maneuver, Donnie Yen pulled off some of the series’ greatest stunts, taking out a Muay Thai Warrior after he and Wing-sing were attacked inside.

In a highly stylized and impressive fight scene, Yen showcased his cool confidence as he pinned his enemy to the wall, and the sheer power of his punches caused the elevator to move from floor to floor. As the battle exited the area, Yen systematically flung the fighter across the room as he slipped down the hall and tumbled down a flight of stairs. With an incredible bird’s-eye camera angle, the true power of this meticulously planned fight sequence could be observed in all its glory.

7 Jet Li’s Sword Skills

Fearless (2006)

As one of the most renowned martial arts stars of his generation, Jet Li delivered one impressive martial artist movie after another, with a particular standout being Fearless. As an incredible story loosely based on the life of the Chinese martial artist Huo Yuanjia, Fearless depicted Li challenging foreign fighters in highly publicized events to restore national pride amid the increasing threats of Western imperialism and Japanese influences. A truly epic martial arts showstopper, Fearless was full of impressive and well-choreographed stunts.

While a lot of the best martial arts movie stunts involved hand-to-hand combat, being able to pull off an incredible fight sequence using props and weapons was even more impressive. This was the case for the intense sword fight seen in Fearless, as Li took part in what has to be one of the greatest sword fighting scene in any movie ever, martial arts or otherwise. As the two skilled swordsmen faced off against each other, Fearless was at its most epic and intense as the two fighters jump-kicked, backflipped, and sliced their way through the nail-bitingly intense battle sequence.

6 Jet Li’s Lake Fight

Hero (2002)

While many impressive stunts were known for their fighting sequences, unique presentation of violence, or over-the-top spectacle, few were as poetic as the lake fight seen in Hero. With Jet Li as Nameless and Tony Leung as Broken Sword, the two warriors waged an epic battle over a lake that was categorized by pure beauty as a gorgeous traditional score played. With such love and care being given to the presentation of its stuntwork, it’s no surprise that Hero became the first Chinese movie to top the American box office (via Box Office Mojo.)

The memorable lake stunts in Hero were filmed in Jiuzhaigou National Park in northern Sichuan, China, and reportedly the scene took three weeks to film as director Zhang Yimou insisted the lake’s surface be perfectly still (via ZZ Info.) These specific requirements meant the filmmakers arose at 5 a.m. each day and spent five hours preparing the set-up before filming for just two hours when the circumstances were correct. The lake scene in Hero showcased a fierce commitment to the inherent beauty of martial arts filmmaking that paid off in spades.

5 Bruce Lee In The Hall Of Mirrors

Enter the Dragon (1973)

In the climactic final fight of Bruce Lee’s last film before his untimely death, Lee pulled off some incredible stunts in a room surrounded by mirrors. Although Lee did not want Enter the Dragon’s most iconic fight scene to be in the movie, it’s been remembered as one of the best moments of his career, as Lee fought in a room where it was difficult to find his enemy’s whereabouts. The mirrored reflections of the fighters caused a multiplication effect that turned this final fight scene into the tensest moment in Enter the Dragon.

With bloodied scratches across his face and body, Lee’s fight in the hall of mirrors was full of so much iconic imagery that even those unfamiliar with Kung Fu movies would be aware of this scene. The fragmented nature of this fight must have been difficult to pull off as, even as a viewer, it’s hard to pinpoint where each fighter was. In a moment of pure genius, Lee solved this issue by smashing the mirrors before smashing his opponent.

4 Michelle Yeoh’s Acrobatics

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Michelle Yeoh provided she had the skill to stand among the best martial artist in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon where her acrobatic ability and sword skills helped this wuxia fantasy adventure into a major box office success. Yeoh’s unique skills came to the forefront in the Battle for Green Destiny where, using swords and an assortment of other weapons, she fought Jen Yu (Ziyi Zhang) in an awe-inspiring acrobatic showcase. A fiercely committed actress, Yeoh tore a ligament during the filming of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (via Indiewire) but managed to deliver exceptional stunts such as these.

A fighter of great skill, Yeoh beat Jackie Chan in a fight and, as such, deserved to rank among the famed actors and stunt performers as one of the best actors in the world of martial arts filmmaking. It was not just in the Battle for Green Destiny where Yeoh showed off her incredible acrobatic skills, as they were apparent throughout the entire movie. For these reasons, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon stood as one of the most acclaimed and well-known martial arts movies in the Western world.

3 Tony Jaa’s Helicopter Drop

The Protector (2005)

The Thai martial artist Tony Jaa has taken part in some extreme stunts over the years, which makes sense as, before he became a leading man, he worked as a stuntman for the Mai Thai Stunt group. One example of Jaa’s most impressive stunts came in The Protector, a 2005 action movie that followed Jaa’s breakout role in Ong-Bak, which was full of some truly extreme stunts. From start to finish, The Protector delivered intense thrills as Jaa fought, flipped, and flung himself through incredible stunt after incredible stunt.

The most impressive stunt in The Protector came in the form of a helicopter drop that saw Jaa ruthlessly taking out henchmen and kicking them out of a flying helicopter with intense precision. Just when it looked like things could not get any more intense, Jaa, who was playing Tham, pursued the flying helicopter and jumped into the air to take out his foe, Madame Rose. Due to Kham’s attack, the two fell and crashed into a glass roof below in one of the most suspenseful moments in The Protector.

2 Iko Uwais Throws His Enemy And Breaks Their Back

The Raid 2 (2014)

The Indonesian action thriller sequel The Raid 2 was directed by Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans and once again featured incredible action sequences, fighting scenes, and some truly impressive stunt work. One moment that stood out in The Raid 2 was the way that its star, Iko Uwais, threw one of his opponents over a staircase from a height and as he crashed down onto the concrete, the excruciating sound of his back breaking was audible to the viewer. This moment powerfully encapsulated the over-the-top violence and impressive stunt work of The Raid 2.

In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Evans explained that the back-breaking scene was a stressful two-day shoot as the crew worked together to ensure that they got the shot right. “We design the stunts in a way that we can do them as safely as possible,” Evans said as he explained that the sequence was achieved through three separate shots stitched together that involved wires, crash mats, and an intense drop from a height. During filming, the actor crash-landed and injured himself, but luckily he was able to later return, and they got the shot that they needed.

1 Tony Jaa Fighting On Fire

Ong Bak (2003)

There were plenty of martial artists who went above and beyond to get the perfect shot and pull off impressive stunts, but very few went to the extreme levels of Tony Jaa in Ong Bak. In an absolutely incredible stunt, Jaa allowed himself to be set on fire to film the scene where he took out his enemies amid a blazing fire, and after his legs caught a light, he proceeded to attack his foe with a flaming kick. This was the kind of scene that viewers would assume had special effects, although Jaa later explained that they used real fire to get the perfect shot.

In an interview with Firecracker magazine, Jaa outlined the production of Ong Bak, where he revealed he not only sprained his ankle and tore a ligament making the movie, but was also actually set ablaze, stating, “I got burned.” Jaa said once he was on fire the flames “spread upwards very fast” and they had to do a few takes to get it right, which “burnt my eyebrows, eyelashes, and my nose.” That level of commitment goes beyond what could be reasonably expected, which made the fire fight in Ong Bak a truly impressive stunt.

Sources: Box Office Mojo, ZZ Info, Indiewire, Rotten Tomatoes, Firecracker