Summary
- Several martial arts movies have villains who are clearly better fighters than the heroes.
- Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, Tony in Flashpoint, and Wah Sing Ku in Lethal Weapon 4 are notable examples of this trend.
- The Raid: Redemption, Drunken Master II, and The Matrix also have villains who are formidable opponents.
Martial arts movies often feature skilled pugilist protagonists, but some of the most respected entries in the genre have also featured villains who were more adept at martial arts than the heroes. Martial arts movies are very influential and beloved, and that's largely due to the genre's well-choreographed fight scenes, heart-stopping stunts, and over-the-top villains. One of the tropes commonly associated with martial arts movies is that of the protagonist eventually suring their sensei before challenging the villain to a duel to the death, often for honor or revenge.
While many of the best martial arts movie directors have retired, their prominent works have laid down the blueprint for future generations to follow regarding ways to make their villains genuinely threatening. As is true in real life, the protagonists in most martial arts movies have to undergo a series of trials and challenges before reaching their true potential in any given situation. Whether it be a classic martial arts movie by the prolific East Asian directors of years past or a more contemporary movie in the genre from the West, there are notable examples of the villains in martial arts movies being better fighters than the protagonists.
10 Ivan Drago In Rocky IV
The Russian boxer killed one of the heroes.
Ivan Drago is often considered Rocky Balboa's greatest villain, and his time in the ring exemplifies that he was a much better fighter. Despite inevitably being bested by Rocky during Rocky IV's climactic fight scene, Drago proved himself a force to be reckoned with while fighting Apollo Creed early in the movie's story. The Russian boxer killed Apollo right in front of Rocky. Drago wasn't too far off from beating Rocky too, as he had the Italian Stallion looking worse for the wear before the boxer turned the fight around.
Most might not think of boxing as a martial art in the colloquial sense. However, it is in the sense that it requires great discipline and patience in order for one to master his body and mind. This is intrinsic to every other martial art out there. As a result, Rocky IV proves that Drago is one of the most iconic villains in martial arts movies through his ability to go toe-to-toe with the franchise's best heroes in the ring.
9 Tony in Flashpoint
He draws first blood in the fight.
Wilson Yip's 2007 Hong Kong martial arts film Flashpoint adds a memorable villain to the genre in Collin Chou's gangster Tony. The movie builds to a fight between Tony and Donnie Yen's Detective Ma Jun. The fight is relatively even on the off-set, although it is Tony who draws blood first. The villain seemingly has the upper hand until Ma Jun begins using virtually every fighting style he knows to beat Tony, which exemplifies just how dangerous the gangster really is. Despite ending with Ma Jun winning, Tony's skills in the fight help Flashpoint earn praise for having one of the best fight scenes in a Donnie Yen movie.
8 Henry in Drunken Master II
The criminal is proficient in Taekwondo.
Henry appears in the Jackie Chan classic, Drunken Master II, and is one of the most memorable villains in martial arts movies. Despite his often affable personality, Henry is a sadistic criminal who's just as proficient in Taekwondo as he is at breaking the law. While most audiences likely the conclusion to the fight, the first half of the fight stands out as Henry's furious feet and incredible cardio keep Chan's Wong Fei-hung perpetually on the defense. Before Wong gets intoxicated and beats Henry, he nearly has an early run-in with death thanks to Henry's skill and cunning on the battlefield.
7 Wah Sing Ku in Lethal Weapon 4
Jet Li's villain is more skilled than Riggs and Murtaugh.
Lethal Weapon 4 was, for many Americans, their introduction to the legendary Chinese actor Jet Li, and he did not disappoint audiences as the villainous Wah Sing Ku. A man of very few words, Ku's very presence was intimidating enough, as there was always a hardened coldness behind his eyes. Despite often being outnumbered by Riggs and Murtaugh, Ku competently held his own against them with agile footwork, speedy fists, and incredible use of nearby objects and terrain. Even though Riggs and Murtaugh work together to finally put an end to Ku's terror, it takes everything they have, and they both nearly die in the process.
6 The Beast in Kung Fu Hustle
The Beast is powerful enough to defeat gods.
Kung Fu Hustle's unique blend of humor and action makes it one of the best martial arts comedies ever made. Kung Fu Hustle's big bag, The Beast, is revered by many of the characters in the universe because of legendary tales like catching bullets in midair and deliberately submitting himself to solitary confinement because of his strength. As crazy as it all sounds, it proves to be true when The Beast is seen making quick work of protagonist Sing, and competently holding his own against the Landlord and Landlady - two individuals believed to be gods. Despite his legendary status, The Beast is eventually beaten once Sing unlocks his potential.
5 Mad Dog in The Raid: Redemption
Mad Dog takes on multiple opponents at once.
Mad Dog is one of the best villains in martial movies, and he earned that distinction because of his intense presence and indomitable will. What Mad Dog lacks in height and size, he more than makes up for in his ability to neutralize threats with or without a weapon. Even though there are many great fights in The Raid, Mad Dog steals the show in all of his. He is regularly outnumbered yet still holds his own, proving just how great of a fighter he is. In what is perhaps his best fight, he tragically kills Jaka midway through the movie, thus establishing the severity of the protagonist's mission.
4 Ghost-Faced Killer in The Mystery of Chess Boxing
He kills opponents with ease.
The Mystery of Chess Boxing features some of the best-choreographed fight scenes in martial arts movies and some truly memorable characters. Among The Mystery of Chess Boxing's memorable players is its villain, The Ghost-Faced Killer, a highly skilled martial artist known for his legendary five elements style kung fu. Furthermore, he's seen killing virtually anyone who opposes him with relative ease, and it eventually causes him to cross paths with Ah Pao, the protagonist. Although the fight is an uphill battle, The Ghost-Faced Killer is eventually bested by Ah Pao and chess master Chi Sue at the film's conclusion.
3 Mondale's Henchman in Wheels on Meals
Jackie Chan's character barely beats him.
Often considered the best fight scene in a Jackie Chan movie, Wheels on Meals sees Chan as a small business owner named Thomas, who assists his cousin with rescuing a wealthy heiress from notorious thugs. While nearly any Jackie Chan fight scene could be considered an all-time great, his fight with Mondale's Henchman (played by former kickboxing lightweight champion Benny Urquidez) stands out as one of Chan's best. The scene is also incredibly effective at illustrating that Mondale's Henchman is an even better fighter than Chan's character, as Thomas wins by a razor-thin margin.
2 Agent Smith in The Matrix
Agent Smith easily defeats Morpheus.
The Wachowski's 1999 film The Matrix reinvented the wheel in so many ways when it debuted back in 1999, but it also gave audiences a new, great martial arts villain with Agent Smith. His skills as a fighter are established in many ways. This includes characters running from Smith rather than fighting him, which establishes some in-universe fear of his abilities. Meanwhile, Morpheus' brief fight with Agent Smith in the dilapidated bathroom leads to one of the most one-sided beat-downs in the franchise. Although Neo beats him later on, Agent Smith's fight with Morpheus demonstrates he's the superior combatant before Neo's full powers are unlocked.
1 Sheng Kuan in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
He's a nearly unstoppable force of evil.
Directed by Yuen Woo-ping, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow boasts the strongest example of a villain being levels above the protagonist in a martial arts movie. Whereas most other films in the genre result in a fairly close battle between good and evil, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow switches things up by showing a near-unstoppable force of nature in its villain, Sheng Kuan. Kuan is the master of the Eagle's Claw technique and is seen ravaging anyone who challenges him in combat.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Kuan eventually crosses paths with Pai Chang-tien and Chien Fu, master and student of snake-style kung fu respectively. For the most part, the fight is a one-sided affair in favor of Kuan, but that changes once Chien decides to combine his technique with his master's. This results in Kuan being defeated despite his pedigree seen throughout the film. Despite the outcome, Kuan's status as a better fighter than the heroes of Snake in the Eagle's Shadow puts the villain in rare territory for a martial arts movie.
