Martial Arts Movies Released Between 2000 And Today

USADOJO.COM's alphabetical list of martial arts movies with information including synopsis', video trailers, articles and interviews. This list includes newer martial arts movies released between 2000 and today, For older martial arts movies released before 2000 click on the link below:
(Click here for Martial arts movies released between 1949 and 1999)
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Starring: Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Robin Shou Director: James Lew Rating PG13. The "buzz" in Hollywood is that, "18 FINGERS OF DEATH!" will kick the butt out of the low budget martial arts movies genre and knocks us down to the ground laughing! This funny "sockumentart" of the world of Chop sockey, kung fooey, ninja poo poo, karate kidding croutching tiger stuff takes you on the journey of making martial arts movies at it's lowest. The best kept secret in Hollywood is legendary martial arts star, Buford Lee. He has starred in eight hundred and three "B" minus minus martial arts movies. But nobody knows who he is! Nobody, that is, except Ronald Mck, fresh out of inner city high school, full of unstoppable energy and determined to shoot a documentary on his favorite martial arts hero, Buford Lee. Through interviews, personal footage, private behind the scenes clips and selected action scenes from Buford's classic movies like "I KILL YOU UNTIL YOU DIE", "17 FINGERS OF DEATH!", and "THE LEGEND OF THE DRUNKEN BASTARD", you'll really experience what it is like to be the "little fish" in the big pond. The story follos Buford Lee's quest to finally make his "break out" movie, 18 Fingers of Death! When the investors pull out of the project, Ronald teams up with Buford to make their own "independant" movie. Will they succeed? Will he get the girl? Will Hollywood ever know who Buford Lee is? (Photos) (Watch Trailer)

Martial arts champion Andre Lima's fighting days ended with his wife's death. The past nine years Andre has struggled to rebuild his world around his two children. When his daughter's health suddenly fails, his finances collapse. Returning to the ring to save her life, Andre finds himself in a fight to save his own. Directed by Gerson Sanginitto and starring Gary Busey, André Lima and Martin Cove.
(Watch Trailer)

A weak and nebbishy con man panics when he learns he''s going to prison for fraud. He hires a mysterious martial arts guru, who transforms him into a kung fu expert who can fight off inmates who want to hurt him--and love him. (Watch Trailer)

Bulletproof Monk is a 2003 martial arts action/fantasy film starring Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott and Jaime King. The film was directed by Paul Hunter. It is loosely based on the comic book by Michael Avon Oeming. The film was shot in Toronto, Ontario, and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Based on the very underground comic book, an immortal Tibetan monk finds a mentor in a young street kid whom he can teach to protect the ancient scroll he's been guarding for the last sixty years. With the help of a sexy and elusive young woman named Bad Girl, they come together to do battle with the kung fu master who'll stop at nothing to get the scroll. (Watch Trailer)

Billy Lee (Dr. Zee Lo) is an expert martial artist with the ambition to become a film star. He moonlights as a bounty hunter while waiting for his big break in Hollywood. One day he gets a special assignment to become the personal bodyguard of a supermodel named Nicole King(Nikita Agar, Star Trek Enterprise) who happens to be threaten by the local drug lord Wu Feng (Joe Ho, The Green Dragon, Fight Club" It is revealed in a flash back that Lee and Wu are blood brothers. Lee finds it inevitable to go against his once beloved brother in order to save his client, Nicole King. Only mortals doing combat may restore peace and justice in the world. It is an inescapble battle where nothing on earth can save them. (Watch Trailer)

Starring: Chang Chen, Chow Yun-Fat Director: Ang Lee
Rating PG-13
Director Ang Lee surprised everyone with his martial arts epic CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. Based on a novel by Wang Du Lu, CROUCHING TIGER starts with the revenge plot common in the wuxia stories that Lee loved as a child, then adds a feminist twist. Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) is a legendary martial artist who has decided to pass on his sword, the Green Destiny, to a friend. Soon afterward, the sword is stolen by a masked female, setting in motion events that test the bonds of family, love, duty, and sisterhood. Chow appears with three generations of female stars: Cheng Pei Pei, a 1960s action heroine; Michelle Yeoh, the beauty queen turned 1980s action goddess; and newcomer Zhang Ziyi, who smolders as the princess who wants more than domestic tranquillity. Famed action choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping (THE MATRIX) stages jaw-dropping zero-G fights across rooftops, rivers, and bamboo trees, while Yo-Yo Ma punctuates the fisticuffs with dramatic cello solos. Described by Lee as "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY with martial arts," CROUCHING TIGER recalls the best wuxia films of the 1960s and pushes the genre in new directions. (Watch Trailer)

by Dr. Craig D. Reid
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Liu Ye, Chen Jin, Jay Chou Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Zhang returns to the hallowed hallways of halberd hoopla with a tale of court intrigue occurring near the end of China's Tang dynasty. CURSE is a curious maze of deception, backstabbing and decay, brilliantly translated by Zhang into what is perhaps China's last hope for keeping alive a film genre that has been steadily falling (or failing) in the West since HERO. (View Article) (Watch Trailer)

Drunken Master II was directed by Lau Kar-Leung and stars Jackie Chan as Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung and is a take off, but not a sequel to,the first Drunken Master (1978) . The story concerns the misadventures of Wong Fei Hung as he accidentally becomes involved with the affairs of the British consul, who are smuggling ancient Chinese artifacts out of the country. Fei Hung battles the henchmen of the consul using the Zui Quan (Drunken Boxing) style of martial arts. Fei Hung finds that he becomes a more powerful fighter when he consumes alcohol, although after consuming too much alcohol, he becomes very sluggish, drunk, and incapable of fighting. The film ends with a fight between Fei Hung and John (Ken Lo).

Expendable: capable of being sacrificed in order to accomplish a military objective. THE EXPENDABLES is a hard-hitting action/thriller about a group of mercenaries hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow its ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins, the men realize things aren’t quite as they appear, finding themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. With their mission thwarted and an innocent life in danger, the men struggle with an even tougher challenge – one that threatens to destroy this band of brothers. (Read Synopsis)
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(Watch The Expendables Trailers)

Fighting is about small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Public Enemies) who knows first hand that every day in New York City is a struggle to survive. So when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard, Iron Man, Hustle and Flow) gives him a chance to be something more in the brutal underground world of bare-knuckle street-fighting, Shawn decides that he has something worth fighting for and puts everything on the line to win. Every knockout brings him closer to the life he's always wanted, but also traps him in a dangerous web he can't escape. (Watch Trailer)

A young Chinese martial art national champion, Kong, came to Hong Kong on a short contract with a Chinese opera group. A small-time gambling boss, Ma, was impressed with Kong that he wants him to be his fighter in the underground all-contact boxing world. In need of money, Kong makes up his mind to enter the underground boxing scene with his girlfriend Tin, and together they were under control. Kong's fighting skills made him unbeatable in the arena, but after each win, he gets himself in too deep with the underground world. Written and directed by Dennis Law, the movie stars Wu Jing, Ronald Cheng, Theresa Fu, Miki Yeung, Cheung Siu-Fai, Ken Lo, Andy On and Lam Suet. (Watch Trailer)

Jet Li's Fearless, directed by Ronny Yu, is Jet Li's final martial arts masterpiece! Jet Li's Fearless reunites the actor and martial arts superstar with producer Bill Kong (Hero) and action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping (Unleashed) as he portrays martial arts legend Huo Yuanjia, who became the most famous fighter in all of China at the turn of the 20th Century. Huo faced incredible personal tragedy but ultimately fought his way out of darkness and into history, forever defining the true spirit of martial arts and inspiring an entire nation.
(Synopsis) (Poster) (Photos) (Videos) (Watch Trailer)

Ronny Yu is FEARLESS- Gene Ching (View Article)

FEARLESS: If YU Build It, The JET Will Come by Dr. Craig Reid

JET LI INTERVIEW by Gene Ching (Biography) As martial artists go, there's no one like Jet Li (View Biography). Most Americans know him as just another action star, but Li's background is outstanding. Before he reached puberty, he served as an international ambassador, a key figure in the parting of the bamboo curtain that separated China and America in the 1970s. His precocious repartee with President Nixon showed the world that this son of Mainland China was someone to watch. Indeed, with the possible exception of Zhang Ziyi, Jet is the only star from the most populous nation on the planet who is recognized internationally. (Read Interview)

An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself traveling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King. (Watch Trailer)

Hero by Dr. Craig Reid (Read Article)
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai Director: Yimou Zhang Rating PG 13. At the height of China's Warring States period, the country was divided into seven kingdoms: Qin, Zhao, Han Wei, Yan, Chu and Qi. For years, the separate kingdoms fought ruthlessly for supremacy. As a result, the populace endureddecades of death and suffering. The Kingdom of Qin was the most determined of all. The Qin King was obsessedwith conquering all of China and becoming her first Emperor. He had long been the target of assassins throughout the other six states. Of all the would-be killers, none inspired as much fear as the three legendary assassins, Broken Sword, Snow and Sky.To anyone who defeated the three assassins, the King of Qin promised great power, mountains of gold and a private audience with the King himself. But defeating the killers is a near impossible task. For ten years no one came close toclaiming the prize--that is until Nameless, a solitary ranger with a mysterious past, steps out of the shadows looking for a showdown. Starring Jet Li Maggie Cheung Tony Leung Donnie Yen Chen Daoming Zhang Ziyi Directed by Zhang Yimou Made in China, 2003. (Watch Trailer)

Ip Man is a semi-biographical martial arts film based on the life of Ip Man, the celebrated master of Bruce Lee, and the first who was the first to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun to non Chinese. The film focuses on events surrounding Ip Man that took place in the city of Foshan in the 1930s and the 1940s during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The film is directed by Wilson Yip, the film stars Donnie Yen in the lead role, and features fight choreography by Sammo Hung. The cast includes Simon Yam, Lynn Hung, Lam Ka-Tung, Xing Yu and Japanese actor Hiroyuki Ikeuchi. (Watch Trailer) (Read Review)

Kill Bill is the fourth film by writer-director Quentin Tarantino. It stars Uma Thurman as The Bride. Originally conceived as one film, it was released in two separate 'volumes' (in late 2003 and early 2004) due to its running time of approximately four hours. The movie is an epic-length revenge drama, with homages to earlier film genres, such as Hong Kong martial arts movies, Japanese Chanbara films, exploitation films and Italian spaghetti westerns; an extensive use of popular music and pop culture references; and aestheticization of violence. Filming took place in California, Texas, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Mexico.
(Watch Trailer)

It's the story about a lazy, irreverent slacker panda, named Po, who is the biggest fan of Kung Fu around...which doesn't exactly come in handy while working every day in his family's noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po's dreams become reality when he joins the world of Kung Fu and studies alongside his idols, the legendary Furious Five -- Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey -- under the leadership of their guru, Master Shifu. But before they know it, the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it's up to Po to defend everyone from the oncoming threat. Can he turn his dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master into reality? Po puts his heart - and his girth - into the task, and the unlikely hero ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be his greatest strengths. Written by Anthony Pereyra (Watch Trailer)

Kuro Obi was directed by Director Shunichi Nagasaki. The movie stars Taro Suwa, Akito Yagi, Tatsuya Tsujinka, Juji Suzuki, Taro Suwa, Hakuryu, Takashi Naito (narration) Plot: Before World War II, in 1930s Japan, three disciples, Taikan, Choei, and Giryu, were taught by karate master Eiken Shibara in a remote mountain dojo. When the Japanese military police attempt to seize the training hall, the three disciples resist and soundly defeat them, though Choei receives a crippling injury. Afterwards, on his deathbed, their master bids his pupils to focus their skills inward and decide who is worthy of being his successor and inheriting his black belt. Taikan and Giryu, as the only two viable candidates, follow different paths on their journey to discovering the meaning behind their master's last words.
(Read Review By Randy Simpson)
(Read Review By Tom Mes)
(Watch Trailer)

The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
Director: Keith R. Clarke Writer: Christopher Sliney
A look at the history of martial arts films from their chinese roots to the present, presented by Samuel L. Jackson.

David Carradine • Jackie Chan • Pei-pei Cheng • Raymond Chow • Tom Cruise • Sammo Hung • Kam-Bo • Samuel L. Jackson • Ang Lee • Bruce Lee • Raw Leiba • Chia Hui Liu • Chia-Liang Liu ò Hoi Mang • McG • Cynthia Rothrock • Steven Seagal • Stanley Tong • John Woo Robert Yuan • Roger Yuan • Corey Yuen • Ronny Yu
(Read Review) (Watch Trailer)

Starring: Ken Watanabe, Tom Cruise Director: Edward Zwick Rating R. Set in Japan during the 1870s, The Last Samurai tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a respected American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern warfare. As the Emperor attempts to eradicate the ancient Imperial Samurai warriors in preparation for more Westernized and trade-friendly government policies, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai, which places him at the center of a struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his own sense of honor to guide him. Written by la pointe. (Watch Trailer)

Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 film directed, co-produced and scored by Clint Eastwood and starring Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. It is the story of an under-appreciated boxing trainer, his elusive past, and his quest for atonement by helping an underdog amateur female boxer (the film's title character) achieve her dream of becoming a professional. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. (Watch Trailer)

Never Back Down is a 2008 American action film starring Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, and Djimon Hounsou. It was theatrically released on March 14, 2008. Never Back Down is the story of Jake Tyler, a tough kid who leads with his fists, and, often, with his heart. Jake Tyler, played by Sean Faris, is the new kid in town with a troubled past. He has recently moved to Orlando, Florida with his family who has relocated to support his younger brother’s shot at a professional tennis career. Jake was a star athlete on the football team at home, but in this new city he is an outsider with a reputation for being a quick tempered brawler. Making an attempt to fit in, at the invitation of a flirtatious classmate, Baja (Amber Heard) Jake goes to a party where he is unwittingly pulled into a fight with a bully named Ryan McDonald (Cam Gigandet). While he is defeated and humiliated in the fight, a classmate introduces himself to Jake and tells him about the sport known as Mixed Marshall Arts (MMA). He sees a star in Jake and asks that he meet with his mentor, Jean Roqua, played by Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, In America). It is immediately apparent to Jake that MMA is not street fighting, but rather an art form he wants to master. Roqua will take Jake under his wing, but it is up to Jake to find the patience, discipline, willingness and reason within him to succeed. For Jake, there is much more at stake than mere victory. His decision will not just settle a score; it will define who he is. --© Summit Entertainment. (Watch Trailers, Clips and Interviews)

Ninja Assassin follows Raizo (played by Rain), now one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Raizo was taken from the streets as a child and he was transformed into a trained killer by a secret society called the Ozunu Clan, whose very existence is considered a myth. Raizo is haunted by the merciless execution of a friend by the Clan, so he breaks free from them and vanishes. Now he waits, preparing to exact his revenge. In Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) has stumbled upon a money trail linking several political murders to an underground network of untraceable assassins from the Far East. Defying the orders of her superior, Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles), Mika digs into top secret agency files to learn the truth behind the murders. Her investigation makes her a target, and the Ozunu Clan sends a team of killers, led by the lethal Takeshi (Rick Yune), to silence her forever. Raizo saves Mika from the assassins, but he knows that the Clan will not rest until he and Coretti are eliminated. Entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse through the streets of Europe, Raizo and Mika must trust one another if they hope to survive and finally bring down the elusive Ozunu Clan. (Watch Trailer) (Read Interview with Rain)

Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior is, also known in the United States as Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior. It is a 2003 Thai action film directed by Prachya Pinkaew with featured stunt choreography by Panna Rittikrai and starring Tony Jaa. Ong-Bak proved to be Jaa's breakout film, with the actor hailed internationally as the next major martial-arts star.
When the head of Ong-Bak, the sacred Buddha of a poor village is stolen, the population is plunged into misery. The Buddha was the focal point of an anniversary vigil believed to bring rain to the drought-stricken area. Young Ting is selected by the villagers to travel to Bangkok to rescue the relic and retuen it in time for the ceremony. Ting has an affinity with the statue as he was left on the temple steps as a baby and raised by monks, who taught him muay thai, but forbade him to use it in combat. But now he is forced move into a seedy underworld and he must continue to strive to avoid the temptation to fight. (Watch Trailer)

Starring: Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao Director: Prachya Pinkaew Rating. On the eve of presenting a pair of prized elephants to the King of Thailand, a young martial arts expert and his father are shocked to discover that the beloved creatures were stolen by an international mafia syndicate, and now the determined fighter must travel to Australia to get his animals back in this adventure from the team behind the international action hit Ong Bak. To Kham (Tony Jaa) and his father, the elephants that they were about to present to the King of Thailand were not simply pets, but members of the family as well. When Kham learns that the criminals who stole his elephants have taken them back to their home base in Australia, the fearsome fighter vows to brave the strange new land and bring his animals back safely no matter what the cost. Upon arriving in Australia, Kham enlists the aid of Thai Police Sergeant Mark (Petchthai Wongkamlao) and pretty slave Pla (Bongkuch Kongmaili) in taking on down notorious crime boss Madame Rose (Jing Xing) and locating the animals he loves before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Tony Jaa - Dancing with Elephants in
THE PROTECTOR by Dr. Craig Reid (View Article) (Watch Trailer)

The story of Mike Terry, a Jiu-jitsu master who has avoided the prize fighting circuit, choosing to instead pursue a life of honor and education by operating a self-defense studio in Los Angeles. Terry's life is dramatically changed however when he is conned by a cabal of movie stars and promoters. In order to pay off his debts and regain his honor Terry must step into the ring for the first time in his life.
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alice Braga, Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer, Rodrigo Santoro, Rebecca Pidgeon, Randy Couture. (Watch Trailer)

In this dazzling combination of documentary and short film hosted by (and starring) ROBIN SHOU, star of MORTAL KOMBAT, the death-defying feats performed by the world's greatest stuntmen are profiled through interviews and clips that showcase their work. Inter-cutting with the documentary footage is the short film LOST TIME, a futuristic martial arts adventure in the style of Alex Proyas' DARK CITY, where one can appreciate the stuntmen's extraordinary achievement in their final ciematic form. Directed by: Robin Shou Produced by: Bernard Soo, Helen Soo. (Watch Trailer)

Starring: Kristin Kreuk, Moon Bloodgood, Michael Clarke Duncan, Chris Klein, Neal McDonough Directed by: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Devastated by the kidnapping of her father, Chun-Li takes to the streets of Hong Kong, embarking on an epic quest for justice – and hurtling toward a confrontation with a seemingly unstoppable foe. Based on the legendary video game by Capcom.

Starring: Jon Foo, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Luke Goss, Chiaki Kuriyama Mircea Monroe Directed by: Dwight Little
In the year of 2039, after World Wars destroy much of civilization the remaining territories are run by corporations, not governments; the mightiest of which is the Mishima Zaibatsu. Mishima sponsors the King of Iron Fist Tournament, or Tekken, where fighters battle to teh death and the winner receives stardom and wealth. Jin Kazama enters the tournament to avenge the death of his mother by the hand of the Mishima Zaibatsu’s most powerful and controlling chairman – Heihachi Mishima.Jin Kazama knows the only way to get close enough to kill Mishima is to win the tournament, but in doing so, he uncovers his past and inner demons and exposes the dark underbelly of Tekken that threatens the very existence of humanity.

Starring: Takeshi Kitano, Michiyo Ogusu, Taka Gatarukanaru, Yûko Daike, Saburo Ishikura Directed by: Takeshi Kitano
Zatoichi is a 19th century blind nomad who makes his living as a gambler and masseur. However, behind this humble facade, he is a master swordsman gifted with a lightning-fast draw and breathtaking precision. While wandering, Zatoichi discovers a remote mountain village at the mercy of Ginzo, a ruthless gang-leader. Ginzo disposes of anyone who gets in his way, especially after hiring the mighty samurai ronin, Hattori, as a bodyguard. After a raucous night of gambling in town, Zatoichi encoutners a pair of geishas--as dangerous as they are beautiful—who've come to avenge their parents' murder. As the paths of these and other colorful characters intertwine, Ginzo's henchmen are soon after Zatoichi. With his legendary cane sword at his side, the stage is set for a riveting showdown. (Watch Trailer)

As a carefree boy of 13, Mathayus witnessed his father (a renowned Akkadian mercenary-warrior) being kidnapped and murdered by a jealous rival, Sargon. Sent to train at the illustrious Order of the Black Scorpion academy, Mathayus spends the next seven years learning to become a fighting and killing machine-driven by his vow to one day avenge his father. Convinced his only hope of defeating Sargon and his growing power is by retrieving a charmed sword from the Underworld, Mathayus embarks on a perilous supernatural odyssey--accompanied by the tomboyish wannabe-warrior Layla, the aspiring Greek playwright Ari, a freed Chinese captive Fong, and a few other characters he meets and enlists along the way. At stake is not only the fate of the entire Akkadian nation but of Mathayus's very soul as well. (Watch Trailer)

The Spy Next Door is a 2010 martial arts action-comedy film starring Jackie Chan, Magnus Scheving, Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez. The movie was released on January 15, 2010.
While babysitting his neighbor's children, a mild-mannered man (Jackie Chan) is forced to fight off secret agents Poldark (Magnus Scheving) and Larry (Lucas Till), after one of thechildren inadvertently downloads a secret code.
(Watch Trailer)

Throw Down is a 2004 Hong Kong film directed by Johnnie To. One of most his personal films to date, To dedicated the film to the late Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. The film stars Louis Koo, Aaron Kwok, Cherrie Ying and Tony Leung Ka-Fai. The film premiered at the 61st Venice International Film Festival.
Story Line: A former judo champion quits the tournament cirucit and runs a nightclub. However, when a new challenger appears as well as an old rival and a judo master in need of reviving his school, the young man must go back in training and prepare for the ultimate challenge.
(Watch Trailer)

Starring: Jet Li, Morgan Freeman Director: Louis Leterrier Rating R .Written and produced by Luc Besson, and directed by Louis Leterrier, the action drama headlines international martial arts superstar Jet Li. On and beneath the meanest streets of Glasgow, fiery gangster Bart (Bob Hoskins) is merciless with debtors, would-be rivals, and anyone else to whom he takes even a passing dislike. How does Bart maintain his chokehold? Through his unwitting enforcer Danny (Jet Li), who he has "raised" since boyhood. (View Article) (View Trailer)