In the long list ofmartial arts filmsthat have graced screens big and small, there is one apparent thing most moviegoers seem to notice. The genre is predominantly led by men in the lead roles. But as time has gone on, women have made their way to the forefront of these kinds of movies. It’s taken decades to move from supporting roles into the spotlight of martial arts films. But women have taken on some of the most memorable roles in some of the most memorable butt-kicking movies of all time.
From Hong Kong action cinema to beautifully shot period pieces of ancient China all the way to Quentin Tarantino’s genre-blending movies. Women are here to take over martial arts films, and we’re here for it. These are the best of the best female-led martial arts films.
12Sister Street Fighter (1974)
TheStreet Fighterfilms that starredSonny Chibapass the reigns off to Etsuko Shihomi, who plays Koryu inSister Street Fighter. A woman returns to her dojo to seek the help of her master as she prepares to go rescue her brother, who was kidnapped by a drug syndicate. A film that hit at the height of 1970s martial arts mania but separates itself from the likes of Shaw Bros.-produced films of the time,Sister Street Fighterwould go on to produce a few sequels, and it is loaded with a ton of brutality that would make any fan of this genre cheer.
11So Close (2002)
A Hong Kong action crime thriller that blends aspects of martial arts,So Closefocuses on a pair of sisters: one is an assassin, and the other is a tech-savvy wiz who facilitates everything else. The two pull off a hit on the CEO of a major company, but are then followed by bigger problems as the criminal underworld looks to hunt them down.
So Closeis one of many films to come out of China in the late ’90s and early 2000s and cross over into the States due to the demand for these kinds of films from American audiences at the time. It’s directed by Cory Yuen, who would go on to give us The Transporter, the film that really kicked things into gear with Jason Statham becoming a star.
10Yes, Madam! (1985)
Speaking of Cory Yuen, his 1985 directorial effort makes this list as well.Yes, Madam!is about a Hong Kong Inspector(Michelle Yeoh) and a Scotland Yard detective (Cynthia Rothrock), who team up to investigate a murder. The film has multiple titles, depending on how you come across a copy of it. It is also known asPolice Assassinsin the UK andIn Line of Duty. It’s a punch-second kind of movie.
It doesn’t waste any time, as it is one action sequence after another. And it’s pretty neat that in the 1980s, an era of buddy cop films with men, you have this one about two women from different countries teaming up to take down some bad guys.
Related:10 Martial Arts Movies Where Actors Got Hurt
9Chocolate (2008)
Respect must be given to Thai martial arts films and the artists who are front and center in the movies.Chocolatehas a plot unlike any other film. It follows Zen (Jeeja Yanin), an autistic woman who sets out to retrieve the debts owed to her ill mother. Due to her condition, she has become hyper-focused on practicing martial arts all her life. So when she encounters anyone who doesn’t want to pay what they owe, she shocks her opponents and absolutely destroys them. Appearances aren’t everything.
Chocolatetakes an autistic hero and never makes you judge her due to any supposed shortcomings; as a matter of fact, you root for her and disregard any of that. So if anyone is ever looking for a film that makes for a great double feature with the Ben Affleck-starring film,The Accountant, here you go.
8Supercop 2 (1993)
Just a heads-up: Michelle Yeoh is going to be on this list a few more times going forward. In the early 1990s, she was hot on the heels of Jackie Chan’s success. The two would appear in each other’s films here and there,and almost teamed up again recently,but in the sequel to Chan’s filmSupercop, Yeoh was cast as the lead forSupercop 2.
A film about a Hong Kong police detective who goes to war with a crime syndicate that is run by a former lover. Yeoh literally fights men that tower over her in height. It’s an action film that was a sign of things to come with her on-screen presence and proof that she could hold her own as a leading woman in a martial arts film.
7Come Drink With Me (1966)
This film is set during the Ming dynasty in ancient China, and is one of the most well-respected films of the Shaw Brothers studio.Come Drink With Meis about a general’s daughter named Chang Hsuan-yen (Cheng Pei-pei) who sets out to rescue her kidnapped brother.Come Drink With Mefeels like a film that is out with the old and in with the new in terms of howWuxia cinemawas presented. There’s brilliant energy all over the movie that stimulates audiences and an unforgettable heroine to cheer for.
6House of Flying Daggers (2004)
It almost felt like competition was brewing in the early 2000s over who could make the most beautiful-looking period piece that took place in ancient China.House of Flying Daggerstakes place during the Tang Dynasty, an era of turmoil as the dynasty in power begins to lose control due to rebel forces.House of Flying Daggers is a group that steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Mei (Zhang Ziyi) is a dancer who is aiding the organization. Ziyi has never been better in a movie. She fits into the aesthetic of the whole movie, from the set design to the wardrobe. The themes of the film are prevalent in terms of it being a man’s world and how women need to navigate their way around it to get ahead.
5Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
With its most recent Best Picture win at the Oscars, as well as multiple awards given to its cast and crew that night as well, you’re probably wanting this to be a little higher on the list. Which is fair, but time needs to take hold ofEverything Everywhere All at Oncebefore we give it a top spot. All that being said, it really is a magical film that blends so many different genres, like martial arts, science fiction, comedy, and drama.
The A24-released film stars Michelle Yeoh as an unlikely hero who must fight off danger in any form it comes in as a multiverse of madness has opened up in the world. There is also a brilliant theme to it: looking at generational trauma and being positive in the face of negative situations. It’s a gorgeous film that touches the soul and is worthy of the praise and recognition it got this past year.
Related:10 Great Movies for Fans of Everything Everywhere All at Once
4Kill Bill Vol 1 (2003)
Kill Bill Vol. 2is not on this list, but let’s just say it’s here in spirit. But quite honestly,Kill Bill Vol. 1is more of a martial arts spectacle thanVol. 2.The elaborate set pieces, the color palette, the Sonny Chiba cameo, Uma Thurman beating the crap out of Vivica A. Fox in the opening scene, and the showdown at the end withLucy Liu’s character,Vol. 1is utterly flawless.
Tarantino movies just seem like they’re fun to make, and it’s the kind of movie that transports you back to the 1970s double feature theater shows with martial arts films. From the set design to the Rza and Ennio Morricone scores, all the way to the homages to past classics,Kill Bill Vol. 1is a movie done out of respect for the past movies that spawned many generations of fans of this genre.
3Magnificent Warriors (1987)
What do you get when you cross a kung fu film with Indiana Jones? You get the 1987 release ofMagnificent Warriors. A film that also goes by the titleDynamite Fightersstars, you guessed it, Michelle Yeoh as an adventurer who teams up with a con man to cause a ruckus with the Japanese military in 1930s China. Not many films that are widely known take place in this era of China, which makes it more of a gem. There is definitely a draw for American audiences. One scene has Michelle Yeoh beating guys up with a rope; the next, she’s like Rambo with heavy artillery.
