10 Best Wuxia and Kung Fu Movies

By Vlad Zakh · October 27, 2025

Wuxia turned swordplay into something close to dance, wire-assisted and deliberately theatrical, while kung fu cinema kept its feet on the ground and its fights rooted in real technique. Both run through this list, sometimes in one director’s filmography. The Grandmaster tells Ip Man’s life in Wong Kar-wai’s meditative style, Kung Fu Hustle is slapstick with inventive choreography, A Touch of Zen shifts from ghost story to bamboo-forest battle over three hours, and Enter the Dragon introduced martial arts to Western audiences. Hero, Fist of Fury, House of Flying Daggers, Once Upon a Time in China and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon round out the list.

The Grandmaster (2013)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A stylised account of Ip Man's life, more meditative than the usual martial-arts biopic.

Directed by Wong Kar-Wai · 2h 10m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A wannabe gangster discovers hidden martial arts masters living in a rundown apartment complex.

Directed by Stephen Chow · 1h 39m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

A Touch of Zen (1971)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A three-hour wuxia landmark that moves from ghost story to full-blown battle in a bamboo forest.

Directed by King Hu · 3h 00m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Enter the Dragon (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A martial artist infiltrates a crime lord's island tournament as an undercover agent.

Directed by Robert Clouse · 1h 42m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Fist of Fury (1972)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A martial artist seeks revenge against the rival school responsible for poisoning his teacher.

Directed by Lo Wei · 1h 48m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, Fandor, Fandor Amazon Channel, AsianCrush, Cultpix, Best of British Tv Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Hero (2002)

TMDB ★ 7.9

An assassination story told from four contradicting perspectives, gorgeously staged.

Directed by Zhang Yimou · 1h 39m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A blind dancer and two undercover agents caught in a love triangle staged as pure spectacle.

Directed by Zhang Yimou · 1h 59m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A young rebel trains hard at the Shaolin Temple to master martial arts and take on his enemies.

Directed by Lau Kar-leung · 1h 56m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Hi-YAH, Eternal Family, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hi-YAH Amazon Channel, ARROW · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Jet Li plays folk hero Wong Fei-hung, defending Chinese tradition against colonial pressure.

Directed by Tsui Hark · 2h 13m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

TMDB ★ 7.9

Two warriors and a stolen sword lead to a sweeping tale of honour, love and revenge in ancient China.

Directed by Ang Lee · 2h 00m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

10 Best Wuxia and Kung Fu Movies

The Grandmaster (2013)

Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

A Touch of Zen (1971)

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Fist of Fury (1972)

Hero (2002)

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

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