7 Martial Arts Movie Trilogies That Are Perfect From Star...

7 Martial Arts Movie Trilogies That Are Perfect From Start to Finish (and You Can Stream Them Now!)

Cropped poster for The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)Image via Shaw Brothers Studio

By Diego Pineda Pacheco Published 39 minutes ago Diego Pineda has been a devout storyteller his whole life. He has self-published a fantasy novel and a book of short stories, and is actively working on publishing his second novel. A lifelong fan of watching movies and talking about them endlessly, he writes reviews and analyses on his Instagram page dedicated to cinema, and occasionally on his blog. His favorite filmmakers are Andrei Tarkovsky and Charlie Chaplin. He loves modern Mexican cinema and thinks it's tragically underappreciated. Other interests of Diego's include reading, gaming, roller coasters, writing reviews on his Letterboxd account (username: DPP_reviews), and going down rabbit holes of whatever topic he's interested in at any given point. Sign in to your Collider account follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

There are few action subgenres more storied or more entertaining than martial arts movies. These films, which focus on highly choreographed sequences based on an endless variety of martial arts, have provided some of the greatest action flicks of all time, which, naturally, have sometimes also resulted in some of the best action movie trilogies of all time. Truly perfect martial arts film trilogies aren't exactly common, but they certainly do exist, and thankfully for fans, a few of the best of the best are currently streaming in the US and across the planet.

It can be a comedic martial arts trilogy, like the iconic Rush Hour series, or a purely action-driven yet criminally underrated trilogy, like the classic Water Margin saga. Whatever the case, these franchises prove that martial arts cinema deserves even more love than it already gets, and the fact that their entries are widely available across several streaming services leaves no excuse for cinephiles not to watch them. If they do, it'll be hard for them not to fall in love with them, their intrepid action choreography, and their wide variety of stars delivering unforgettable performances.

'The Street Fighter' Trilogy

Sonny Chiba fighting a man in The Street Fighter - 1974

Image via Toei Company

Not to be confused with the iconic video game series or the movies based on it (whose title was actually inspired by this one), The Street Fighter is instead an essential Japanese trilogy starring Sonny Chiba. Its first installment is notorious for being the first film to receive an X-rating in the US solely for violence, as well as for being one of New Line Cinema's very first commercial successes. It spawned the Sister Street Fighter spinoff trilogy, but it's its two sequels, Return of the Street Fighter and The Street Fighter's Last Revenge, that make this one of the best franchises the genre has ever seen.

All three movies are available to stream, rent, or purchase across a variety of platforms, leaving no excuse for cinephiles to not discover three of the best street-fighting martial arts movies ever. Popularized in the American mainstream by Tony Scott and Quentin Tarantino's True Romance, these three grindhouse classics feature great Sonny Chiba performances and some breathtaking set pieces. The third installment definitely is the weakest of the series, but Street Fighter is still a perfect martial arts trilogy all in all, with some Looney Tunes-coded cartoonish action that's sure to delight any fan of that type of hyper-stylized martial arts flick.

'Shaolin Temple' Trilogy

A man practice karate in 1982's The Shaolin TempleImage via Chung Yuen Motion Picture Company

There's a 1976 film by Shaw Brothers Studio (which used to be the biggest Hong Kong film production studio) titled Shaolin Temple, which is also great, but it's the Hong Kong-Chinese co-production of the same name, released in 1982, that spawned one of the best-ever martial arts trilogies. Featuring Jet Li's debut role, Shaolin Temple is one of the most perfect martial arts films ever, and its two sequels, Kids from Shaolin and Martial Arts of Shaolin, are also among the most fun action flicks of the 1980s. Li would, of course, end up becoming one of the genre's most essential stars, so getting to watch his not-so-humble beginnings will always be a real treat.

None of the installments is truly flawless, and the franchise doesn't really care much for continuity, but the fact that the first installment is estimated to be one of China's highest-grossing films ever when adjusting for inflation tells you all you need to know about the trilogy's timeless quality. Full of stunning kung fu scenes, musical numbers, rom-com elements, and Jet Li kicking butt like it's nobody's business, these three movies are thankfully streaming across a variety of platforms. They refuse to be boxed into any one label, and that's precisely what makes them so charming and entertaining.

'Swordsman' Trilogy

Sam Hui and Cecilia Yip Tung in 'Swordsman' (1990)

Image via Newport Entertainment

Wuxia is a genre exploring the adventures of martial artists in ancient China, and there are plenty of exceptional wuxia films out there—including the Hong Kong gem Swordmsman, loosely based on Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. It's incredibly fun and endlessly rewatchable, as are its two sequels: the physics-defying Swordsman II and the surprisingly unique Swordsman III: The East Is Red.

A Jet Li martial arts film usually comes with a seal of guaranteed quality.

For people who love martial arts films that defy logic (and gravity) in all sorts of fun ways, have effervescent pacing, and please the eyes with some gorgeous colors and impressive choreography, these three movies are all a must-see. They're easily among the best possible martial arts films for beginners, thanks to their impressive martial arts sequences and their unexpected queer content. A Jet Li martial arts film usually comes with a seal of guaranteed quality, and these three movies—all of which are streaming on the Criterion Channel—are no exception.

'The 36th Chamber' Trilogy

Gordon Liu training in The 36th Chamber of ShaolinImage via Shaw Brothers Studio

It's pretty clear that no one does martial arts films like the Hong Kongers, but if any more proof were needed, then The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and its sequels, Return to the 36th Chamber and Disciples of the 36th Chamber, would be the perfect answer. The film that made Gordon Liu an undeniable star, the original installment is typically praised as one of the greatest kung fu films ever made, as well as one of the best R-rated martial arts movies of all time. And though its follow-ups certainly pale in comparison, they still have been hugely influential.

These masterpieces, available to stream on several platforms, are an adrenaline-pumping celebration of Shaolin martial arts. The first is a must-see classic with surprising narrative depth and no shortage of unforgettable action scenes, the second is much lighter in tone yet just as clever and entertaining, and the third strikes the perfect balance between the comedy of its predecessor and the seriousness of the original. There's no possibility of watching this legendary trilogy and not being thoroughly entertained from the first film's beginning to the last installment's credits.

'Rush Hour' Trilogy

Martial arts films aren't necessarily always Asian—in fact, there are plenty of exceptional English-language martial arts movies out there. For proof, one needn't look any further than one of the most iconic action franchises of the '90s and 2000s: the Rush Hour trilogy, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker at the top of their games. As is the case with many of the best martial arts trilogies ever, this one definitely peaked with its first installment, but Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3 are still hilarious and an awful lot of fun, perfect in their own kind of silly way. The franchise won't be a trilogy for long, though, with a fourth installment currently in development following pressure from... Donald Trump.

For the time being, however, Rush Hour still has at least a good couple of years to continue to be one of the most entertaining martial arts movie trilogies ever. Chan and Tucker never lose their spark, and the undeniable chemistry they share is the beating heart of the series. Add to that some transgressive sense of humor that somehow manages to age (somewhat) brilliantly, exceptionally fun martial arts sequences, and a trio of endlessly quotable scripts, and you get a true comedic gem of a trilogy. The third installment may be somewhat weak, but when taking everything into account, the Rush Hour series is a blast from start to finish.

'Samurai' Trilogy

A samurai fighting enemies on a field in Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto

Image via Toho

Samurai mastered multiple martial arts throughout their lives, and as such, many of the best samurai films ever technically count as martial arts movies. This includes a trilogy that's among the best works of Toshirō Mifune, probably the samurai genre's biggest icon: the Samurai trilogy, which includes Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple, and Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island, all adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's epic novel Musashi. The novel isloosely based on the life of the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi.

The third installment is easily the best one, but all three films are among the biggest masterpieces that Japanese cinema had to offer during the era. They're colorful, they're hugely epic, Mifune is incredible in them, and they're all available to stream across a variety of platforms. Richly detailed, undeniably unique, and very much feeling like three of the greatest martial arts films ever committed to celluloid, these classics are the kinds of masterpieces that fans of the genre won't want to miss. They may not be as popular as the samurai flicks of directors like Akira Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi, but they absolutely deserve to be—and the fact that they're streaming leaves no excuse to not watch them.

Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto Not Rated Action Adventure Biography Release Date September 26, 1954 Runtime 93 Minutes Director Hiroshi Inagaki

Cast Toshiro Mifune, Mariko Okada, Koji Tsuruta, Kaoru Yachigusa, Michiko Saga, Kuroemon Onoe, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki Writers Hideji Hojo, Hiroshi Inagaki, Tokuhei Wakao, Eiji Yoshikawa Genres Action, Adventure, Biography Powered by

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