You’ve seen the big classics and the obvious modern hits. Now comes the real cinephile struggle: finding martial arts movies where the choreography is elite, the camera actually lets you see it, and the film doesn’t feel like a cheap imitation. These are underrated martial arts gems—movies that deliver “rewind that fight” moments without being everyone’s default recommendation.
This list is made for the pain points martial arts fans talk about nonstop: overcut fights, shaky-cam hiding weak performers, long boring stretches between action, and “style with no impact.” Every pick here earns its violence with rhythm, timing, and clean staging.
Last Updated: 2025-12-28
Best for: Cinephiles hunting hidden-gem martial arts movies with top-tier choreography and clear fight cinematography
Common cinephile pain points this list solves: Overedited fights / “Can’t see what’s happening” action / Great fighters wasted by bad camera work / Too much filler before the good scenes
Related Lists: Martial Arts Movies for Beginners: The Best First Watches / Your Next Step: Martial Arts Movies with Better Story and Better Fights / Must-Watch Martial Arts Classics That Built the Genre / For Pros: Martial Arts Films with Elite Staging, Rhythm, and Camera Work
How to choose your next watch
If you want weapon choreography: pick 2 or 10. If you want modern, hard-hitting speed: pick 1, 3, or 8. If you want “Hong Kong rhythm + clean framing”: pick 4, 5, or 6.
10 underrated martial arts movies with insane choreography
1. SPL: Sha Po Lang (2005) 🇭🇰
Director/Creator: Wilson Yip
Plot: A veteran cop clashes with a ruthless crime boss while a new officer enters the unit, and the case turns into a violent collision of loyalty, duty, and revenge.
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) / Apple TV (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: The fights feel like actual arguments—fast, ugly, personal. The choreography is clean enough to read, but intense enough to feel dangerous, especially when weapons come out.
2. The Blade (1995) 🇭🇰
Director/Creator: Tsui Hark
Plot: A swordsman loses everything and is forced to rebuild himself, entering a brutal world where skill and survival are the same thing.
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: This is messy, sweaty wuxia energy—blades filmed with chaos, speed, and raw intensity. It’s not “pretty swordplay,” it’s survival on screen.
3. Chocolate (2008) 🇹🇭
Director/Creator: Prachya Pinkaew
Plot: A young woman with extraordinary imitation skills uses martial arts to collect debts and protect her family, facing increasingly brutal opponents.
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: The physical performance is unreal, and the fights are staged to show the full movement—no hiding. It’s the kind of choreography that makes you respect what bodies can do.
4. Project A (1983) 🇭🇰
Director/Creator: Jackie Chan
Plot: A marine officer battles pirates and corruption, pulling off daring missions that mix martial arts with stunts and comedy timing.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: People talk about Jackie, but don’t always talk about how insanely precise his action storytelling is. The choreography is readable, rhythmic, and built around real risk.
5. Pedicab Driver (1989) 🇭🇰
Director/Creator: Sammo Hung
Plot: A pedicab driver gets pulled into protecting a woman from violent criminals, leading to escalating fights where survival keeps getting harder.
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: This is Hong Kong choreography at its most “why is this not famous?” The final fights are brutal and technically stunning—timing, impact, and endurance all on display.
6. Righting Wrongs (1986) 🇭🇰
Director/Creator: Corey Yuen
Plot: A prosecutor becomes a vigilante after the justice system fails, colliding with cops and criminals in a chain of fights that keep escalating in intensity.
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: Yuen Biao’s athleticism is insane, and the film gives him space to show it. The action is crisp, creative, and filmed to highlight full-body movement.
7. Ninja Scroll (1993) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Plot: A wandering swordsman is dragged into a conspiracy involving deadly supernatural warriors, forcing him into a series of inventive and violent battles.
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: Animated choreography can do things live action can’t, and this film proves it. The fights are imaginative, brutal, and staged with perfect clarity.
8. Avengement (2019) 🇬🇧
Director/Creator: Jesse V. Johnson
Plot: A man escapes prison and returns to settle old scores, unleashing a violent reckoning shaped by betrayal and survival inside the system.
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) / Apple TV (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s underrated: It’s modern, mean, and surprisingly well-shot for an under-the-radar action film. The fights feel like people trying to hurt each other, not dancers pretending to fight.
9. The Prodigal Son (1981) 🇭🇰
Director/Creator: Sammo Hung
Plot: A spoiled man discovers his skills were protected and staged, then seeks real training to become a true martial artist.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) (Availability varies by region)
Why it’s underrated: It’s funny, but the technique is serious. You can feel the difference between “fake skill” and “real skill” in the choreography—exactly the kind of detail martial arts fans love.
10. The Shadow Strays (2024) 🇮🇩
Director/Creator: Timo Tjahjanto
Plot: A young assassin tries to break away from her violent life after a mission goes wrong, but escaping an organization like that triggers brutal retaliation.
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Where to Watch: Netflix (Availability varies)
Why it’s underrated: It’s a recent title that many casual viewers missed, but the choreography is relentless and modern—fast, heavy, and staged to feel like a real chase through danger.
What to watch next
If you want the most technical, “study-the-scene” filmmaking, go to: For Pros: Martial Arts Films with Elite Staging, Rhythm, and Camera Work.