Over the years, a mulтιтude of films have utilized stunning martial arts choreography and other important elements to earn a key place in the genre’s history. Meanwhile, several films deserving of similar respect remain cloaked in obscurity.

Such is not the case for movies like Fist of Legend, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Bloodsport, Enter the Dragon, and for that matter, the rest of Bruce Lee’s kung fu films. Other movies, including The Five ᴅᴇᴀᴅly Venoms, Come Drink With Me, and The Chinese Boxer, are admittedly less famous, but are still rightfully regarded as being among the greatest and most impactful martial arts movies ever made.

This same distinction should also be applied to a slew of under-the radar movies, from Death Duel to Legendary Weapons of China.

Shaolin Mantis

Shaolin Mantis was a 1978 Shaw Brothers period piece that told a fictionalized account of the origins of a fighting style known as Praying Mantis kung fu. In the movie, David Chiang played a scholar forced into the life of a spy. The incredibly nuanced story went from one of espionage, to romance, and finally, to revenge.

In one of the most training sequences ever to be seen in a martial arts movie, David Chiang’s character learned a new way of fighting from observing the moments of a praying mantis, which laid the groundwork for an explosive, martial arts-filled finale.

Beach Of The War Gods

An underrated Jimmy Wang Yu outing, Beach of the War Gods saw the star of The One-Armed Swordsman and The Chinese Boxer lead a movie about a mysterious drifter who wanders into a town about to be attacked by Japanese invaders. To prevent this, he had to recruit a handful of fighters with their own skillsets in the hopes of winning the oncoming battle.

If Beach of the War Gods sounds like a Hong Kong rip-off of Seven Samurai, that wouldn’t be far from the truth. But copycat or not, Beach of the War Gods got the most out of this basic premise, weaving an epic battle that lasted over 30 minutes. The intensity never wavered, as it was made clear early on that none of the heroes were safe.

Born Invincible

A low-budget martial arts film from Xenon Studios, Born Invincible is one of the best martial arts films to come from an independent Hong Kong studio. Born Invincible boasted a surprisingly strong cast, with two veteran martial arts actors in Carter Wong and Lo Lieh playing major roles in a story about a young fighter looking to take revenge against the seemingly unbeatable leader of a kung fu sect.

Born Invincible featured a career-best performance from Carter Wong, who was at his most menacing as the all-powerful kung fu master. Making the movie even better is in the inclusion of another old-school kung fu movie villain actor, Lo Lieh, who once again eats up the screen.

Opium And The Kung Fu Master

Opium and the Kung Fu Master chose an interesting subject matter as the basis of its story, which was about a well-respected, middle-aged kung fu master who smoked opium. He didn’t realize that his use of the drug was a problem until he found out that it hindered his skills as a fighter. As a result, he was unable to prevent his son’s murder, which launched a thrilling, redemptive journey for the character.

One of the most common themes in the martial arts movie genre was utilized to perfection in Opium and the Kung Fu Master. Ti Lung was smartly cast as the lead in the 1984 hidden gem, as it took more than just a martial arts actor to pull off this role; Ti Lung’s dramatic chops made it easy to invest in the movie’s emotionally tortured protagonist.

Legendary Weapons Of China

Legendary Weapons Of China is a solid kung fu film from start to finish, but what really makes it stand out is the ending. Honoring its тιтle and premise, Legendary Weapons of China cleverly implemented all 18 weapons of Shaolin martial arts, most of which in the ten-minute final battle at the end.

The remarkable diversity of the action that this approach allowed, combined with the amazing talents of Lau Kar-leung, one of the best martial arts movie directors of all time, presented plenty of reasons for Legendary Weapons of China to be distinguished as a classic of the genre.

Crippled Avengers

The stars of The Five ᴅᴇᴀᴅly Venoms – collectively known as “The Venom Mob” – headlined Crippled Avengers, a fun, a martial arts ensemble flick where men of various backgrounds find themselves united under one cause when each of them suffers a different, life-changing loss.

Forced to compensate, all of the main characters were forced to endure rigorous training and look for new and unique ways to fight their battles. There’s no denying the gimicky nature of the concept, but it made possible an extremely unique and exciting fight scene that enabled each character to get their fair share of the action.

Dragons Forever

In 1988, Jackie Chan starred in Dragons Forever as a lawyer whose relationships with his two best friends are tested by their mutual hatred of one another. But ultimately, the three have to work together in a fight to defeat a corrupt businessman and his hired goons.

Dragons Forever is typically thought of as being in the lower echelon of Jackie Chan’s best movies, which is a long way from being one of the best martial arts films of all time. But the modern-day 1988 martial arts comedy is better than its often given credit for, owed at least in part to its wonderfully choreographed and intense final battle between Jackie Chan and the highly skilled Benny “The Jet” Urquidez.

But Dragons Forever was more than just a great vehicle for Jackie Chan; equally good in this film were his co-stars, Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung, who delivered excellent performances and showcased impressive but distinct martial arts talents of their own. Dragons Forever succeeded in balancing the stories and hilarious dynamics of all three main characters.

Death Duel

When it comes to this genre, it’s not unusual for action to be prioritized over story, but Death Duel is a rare example of a martial arts movie that could have been great even without electrifying fight scenes. It told a gripping story about a man trying desperately to leave behind his reputation as one of the world’s top swordsmen – and failing in the process.

Through friendships, love, and betrayals, Death Duel employed a tragic theme that brilliantly underscored the consequences of fame and envy. The movie ended in an epic, final showdown that found a compelling way to avoid the good vs. evil stereotype that generally goes along with movies in this genre.

Death Duel isn’t a movie that’s often listed as one of the best martial arts movies ever, but its merits were notably recognized when its star, Derek Yee, directed a remake of the 1978 classic in 2016 via Sword Master.