The 1990s action movie scene took its cues from the martial arts films that were such a huge hit the decade prior and built an entire cinematic industry on that formula. As a result, the budgets started to drop as more and more contenders flooded the market, each vying for their own piece of the pie made so famous by films like Bloodsport and Kickboxer.
Many of these films were instantly cemented into B-movie status, but that doesn't mean they should be overlooked. Some are riotous fun, blending comedy and action together, while others are spectacular action vehicles showcasing the coolest martial arts fights ever set to film.
Samurai Cop (1991)
Few 90s martial arts films are as memorable and cultish as Samurai Cop, but for all the wrong reasons. This is a hilariously over-the-top action spectacle that has to be seen to be believed. It takes its cues heavily from Y.K. Kim's crazy ion project The Miami Connection, with even more cringe-worthy scenes.
The plot centers around an experienced samurai cop with one hell of a haircut, who takes on a drug cartel in Los Angeles. The film is notorious for its absolutely awful acting, horrible performances, and cringe-fest editing, cementing its "so bad it's good" status in the halls of B-movie martial arts history. Definitely worth a watch.
Expect No Mercy (1995)
Billy Blanks and Jalal Merhi teamed up several times during the 1990s when it came to producing martial arts flicks, but Expect No Mercy is one of the better ones. Cinematically, it feels remarkably close to TC 2000 in of bone-breaking fights and high-intensity action sequences.
It's also interesting to see Walking Dead star Laurie Holden long before she landed her iconic role as Andrea. The plot of the film is hokey beyond belief, focusing on a martial arts academy that trains lethal killing machines by putting them in Holodeck-style V.R. simulations.
White Tiger (1996)
Paper-thin plot aside, White Tiger is an excellent homage to the stereotypical low budget martial arts films of old. Expendables alum Gary Daniel stars as Mike Ryan, a DEA agent out to avenge the death of his partner (of course) who was killed by a drug cartel pushing a dangerous synthetic drug on the streets.
The film also stars Mortal Kombat heavyweight Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, long before his Man In The High Castle days. The fight scenes are brilliant, fast-paced, and exciting, which is in line with Gary Daniels' fluid expertise in kickboxing.
Tiger Claws (1991)
Jalal Merhi teamed up with famed female martial arts star Cynthia Rothrock and iconic Asian star Bolo Yeung in this 1991 classic about a serial killer who murders his victims using the brutal martial art of tiger kung fu. Two cops set out to track him, but first, they'll have to learn more about this very ancient and isolated style of combat.
It's always good to see Bolo Yeung tearing it up (no pun intended) on screen, and his ability to play bad guys is used to great effect in this film. It's also interesting to see a martial arts film dabble in a detective-style murder mystery, blending two genres into one.
Martial Law II: Undercover (1991)
Jeff Wincott has made quite a name for himself starring in shows like Earth: Final Conflict, The Wire, JAG, and 24, but he managed to break into the film business when he starred in Martial Law II, opposite Cynthia Rothrock. It's another wafer-thin storyline designed to move from one action scene to the next, but thankfully, they're good ones.
The film centers around a nightclub where the rich elite are in league with a crime lord who hosts them in a lavish nightclub that just so happens to be protected by vicious martial arts experts. Cracking this particular case takes more than a warrant.
American Samurai (1992)
John Wick 3 and The Crow: Stairway to Heaven actor Mark Dacascos starred in this over-the-top martial arts film about a reporter trained in the ways of the samurai who teams up with a female photographer to uncover an opium operation in Turkey. When she's captured, he's forced to enter into a brutal martial arts tournament to save her life.
As he rises through the ranks, he's forced to face off against his jealous stepbrother Kenshiro, a Yakuza killer and expert martial artist who wants revenge for being one-upped years prior. It's a film that focuses more on weapon-based combat, as opposed to hand-to-hand, making it a standout on this list.
Rapid Fire (1992)
The late Brandon Lee carried on in his father's footsteps in 1992 when he starred in Rapid Fire. It wasn't his first foray into the cinematic world, but it did come at the tail end of his career before he died tragically on the set of The Crow, just two years later.
In this film, Lee plays a student who ends up crossing a pair of feuding drug lords. With nobody to turn to except a good-natured cop, he must take on the bad guys using his prowess as a martial artist. The film is notable for an amazing fight between Lee and veteran martial arts actor Al Leong.
Shootfighter: Fight To The Death (1993)
Bolo Yeung headed up this iconic American martial arts flick about a sensei who steps in to help save the lives of his two students after they are pulled into a deadly martial arts tournament. When the two are pitted against each other in a fight to the death, it's up to their sensei to prevent their deaths.
The film is notable for showcasing not one, but two Karate Kid actors who went on to star in the enormously popular Cobra Kai follow-up series. William Zabka plays Ruben, one of two friends forced to fight each other in the ring, and Martin Kove plays Mr. Lee, the principal antagonist.
Bloodsport 2 (1996)
Long before Daniel Bernhardt made a name for himself in The Matrix Reloaded, John Wick, and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., he starred in this follow-up to the Bloodsport. Nobody involved in the making of the original film was involved in this one, and it's generally regarded as a much weaker film, but the fights are another matter.
Despite being chronically underrated, Bloodsport 2 is arguably the better of the two films when it comes to choreographed martial arts fights. There's an astonishing variety of styles put on display in this film, and the action is both explosive and chock-full of energy. It's also backed up with a great cast, including The Karate Kid's Pat Morita, and iconic actor James Hong.
TC 2000 (1993)
This low budget martial arts gem has been relatively forgotten, which is a shame given how absolutely spectacular the fights are. It's an all-star cast of the best martial artists on the block, including Jalal Merhi, Billy Blanks, Matthias Hues, and Enter the Dragon's Bolo Yeung. This post-apocalyptic film centers around a murdered partner brought back as a cyborg to effect a dastardly plot by the military to reclaim a crime-ridden surface world on Earth.
The fights are beyond amazing, brutal, and drawn out, which is the major highlight of the film. The acting and plot are so-so, but it's entertaining as all heck to watch some of the most spectacular 90s martial arts sequences crammed into one bargain bin release.
