Jackie Chan might be the number one name in kung fu comedies, but there are plenty of hilarious martial arts movies that don’t star the death-defying legend. Though kung fu is mostly known as an action-oriented martial arts style, it easily lends itself to humor on the big screen. Many of the best kung fu films are a healthy mix of excellent fight scenes and humorous choreography, and the stars of the martial arts genre are often also terrific physical comedians. Jackie Chan set the gold standard in films like Police Story and Meals on Wheels, but he wasn’t alone.

While Chan may have upped the ante with even bigger stunts, the kung fu genre was already infusing comedy into the mix long before he came around. Like films from the West, action and comedy blend together seamlessly in Eastern films, and there has always been an element of physicality to humor. However, the best kung fu films also have the added benefit of strong fight choreography and action direction, and each part stands alone. The best kung fu comedies are not only hilarious, but they are usually also strong examples of the action side of the equation too.

10

Carry On Pickpocket (1982)

A Quintessential Action Comedy With A Lot Of Laughs

While Jackie Chan movies often show roguish heroes and cops, Carry on Pickpocket is a kung fu comedy about the shadier side of things. Choreographer and star Sammo Hung pulls out all the stops in one of the more bombastic comedies from 1980s Hong Kong. There is a charm to the seediness of it all, and Carry on Pickpocket is never guilty of taking itself too seriously.

That being said, the fight choreography is terrific, and there is a fair amount of physical comedy that has nothing to do with kung fu. The pickpocketing scenes are cleverly executed, and there is a lyrical quality to every moment so that the movie flows like the rhythm of classic kung fu action.

9

Peking Opera Blues (1986)

Kung Fu Meets Comedy & Traditional Chinese Theater

Kung fu comedies are often over-the-top, and 1986’s Peking Opera Blues is jam-packed with humor, action, and a fair amount of Chinese culture too. The period piece melds crime comedy with kung fu, and uses the backdrop of Peking Opera as a unique and eye-catching setting. The exaggerated styles of Peking Opera splash across the screen, and it also manages to be a heartfelt romantic comedy as well.

Though the plot is quite busy, Peking Opera Blues is a fleshed-out story with characters who have real motivation. The humor doesn’t detract from the action or the drama, and it’s a rare example of a movie that can balance all of its disparate elements without sacrificing anything.

8

The Legend (1993)

A Jet Li Classic That Kicked Off A Franchise

Behind Jackie Chan, Jet Li might be the most famous name in kung fu cinema around the world, and it’s due in large part to films like The Legend. Though the action comedy might be lighter on the comedy, it’s still an enjoyable kung fu film that isn’t particularly serious. Instead of having a goofy premise, The Legend uses its action in the pursuit of humor, but it’s still exciting in its own right.

Li is naturally charismatic as Fong Sai-Yuk, and he returned to reprise his role in the sequel that was released in the same year. Though Jet Li would star in other great films both in Hollywood and in his native country, The Legend continued his meteoric rise as a star in the early 1990s.

7

The Prodigal Son (1981)

One Of The Best Kung Fu Comedies Of The ’80s

Director Sammo Hung delivered his fair share of great kung fu comedies in the ’80s, and The Prodigal Son might be one of the very best. Yeun Biao stars as a wealthy young man who learns that all of his great feats of martial artistry were actually fake because his opponents were paid to lose. That humorous concept would have been good enough to carry a strong kung fu comedy, but it’s his redemption that makes for such compelling viewing.

Kung fu comedies aren’t mocking martial arts; In fact, The Prodigal Son is an excellent example of the care and love that goes into portraying kung fu on screen. The action is crisp and exciting, and Yeun Biao’s quest to become a real martial artist is as fascinating as it is hilarious.

6

Tai Chi Master (1993)

Jet Li & Michelle Yeoh Light Up The Screen

Often remembered as one of Michelle Yeoh’s best movies, Tai Chi Master features the dream team of Yeoh and co-star Jet Li. The sprawling kung fu epic is all about balance, and the movie finds humor in the juxtaposition of martial arts with tai chi. While there is plenty of humor, the comedy largely takes a backseat to the film’s epic plot and highly-choreographed action sequences.

Though Jet Li and Chin Siu Ho are the film’s two leads, Michelle Yeoh steals the show as Siu Lin and gets to illustrate her own martial arts prowess. A sequel followed in 1996, but Tai Chi Boxer featured none of the original movie’s big stars.

5

The God Of Cookery (1996)

An Off-The-Wall Kung Fu Comedy

Stephen Chow is essentially the Jackie Chan of the ’90s and 2000s, and The God of Cookery helped to cement that fact. Chow stars as a disgraced former celebrity chef, who plots a return to get back at those that caused his downfall. Borrowing the classic story structure of martial arts revenge movies, The God of Cookery has an off-the-wall premise that makes everything farcical.

What makes Chow’s martial arts comedies so special is that they blend absurd premises with legitimately exciting kung fu, and The God of Cookery has both in spades. There is a fast-paced and exaggerated style to every frame of the film, and the humor often borders on downright surrealism.

4

Pedicab Driver (1989)

A Martial Arts Comedy That Turns The Genre On Its Ear

Continuing Sammo Hung’s kung fu comedy domination of the ’80s, Pedicab Driver is a quintessential example of what makes his films fun to watch. The heroes of the film are not martial arts masters or muscle-bound fighters, and instead find themselves in way over their heads because they have fallen in love. The fish-out-of-water protagonists take on hardened criminals, and the culture clash is truly sidesplitting.

Despite being such a silly film overall, Hung’s direction gives equal emphasis on the action, and Pedicab Driver never gets too lost in its own jokes. The film’s premise could easily be swapped into a more straightforward action film, and it would still have the same impact. However, the humor is what helps it stand out.

3

The Magnificent Butcher (1979)

A Response To Jackie Chan’s Drunken Master

Made only a year after Jackie Chan’s Drunken Master, The Magnificent Butcher is based on some of the same folk heroes as the earlier kung fu comedy classic. The movie’s rescue/revenge plot is secondary to the amazing fight choreography and simple humor, and The Magnificent Butcher is Sammo Hung at his very best as an action hero.

Despite being made to capitalize on the popularity of the aforementioned Jackie Chan movie, The Magnificent Butcher is quite different. Director Yuen Woo-ping’s style might not be as animated, but any shortcomings are supplemented by Hung and his co-stars.

2

Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

A Modern Kung Fu Comedy That Re-Wrote The Rules

Released long after the kung fu comedy heyday of the ’80s, Kung Fu Hustle completely changed the subgenre forever. Director/star Stephen Chow pushed the humor to its absolute breaking point when delivering a kung fu comedy that isn’t afraid to indulge in the absurd. Earlier comedies seamlessly blended humor and action, while Kung Fu Hustle is unafraid to look silly.

The action is still abundant, but the comedy is so over-the-top that it completely overshadows the seriousness of the fighting. That’s not to say that the action in Kung Fu Hustle is poor, but that the comedy is the real impetus for the story and not the fighting.

1

Shaolin Soccer (2001)

Kung Fu Meets Sports Comedy

The kung fu comedy has largely fallen out of favor in recent decades, and that due in large part to the fact that director Stephen Chow put a fine point on the subgenre with films like Shaolin Soccer. Thinking outside the box to include sports into the equation, the screwball comedy stretches the idea of kung fu comedy beyond what any film had done before.

Shaolin Soccer is not a realistic sports movie, but that’s not really the point. Instead, the film delivers a ton of laughs by exploring the furthest reaches of its own bizarre concept. Ridiculous characters find themselves in ridiculous situations, and almost every problem is solved using over-the-top kung fu moves. Jackie Chan may have opened the door for the kung fu comedy, but Shaolin Soccer kicked the game-winning goal.