The Decline and Fall of Martial Arts Films and the Rise of the Action Blockbuster Movie

Comparing martial arts films of the 1970s to the action blockbusters of 2009/10

Red Cliff, Ip Person and True Legend are previously legendary of the early 21st century “martial arts films”-despite the fact that many can argue they are a lot more motion spectacle than genuine “kung fu” movies. The 1970s, on the other hand, failed to rely on eye-sweet outcomes and were being defined much more by the real grit of its martial arts actors: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, the 5 Venoms, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Jimmy Wong, and other authentic fighters properly trained in authentic kung fu, karate and other arts.

Martial Arts Becomes Mainstream But Evolves Into Spectacle

Cult classics these kinds of as Enter the Dragon helped alter Hollywood. Its rising acceptance compelled filmmakers to undertake martial arts into the system of the “motion flick.” By the eighties and nineties, spectacle thrillers had been anticipated to deliver “the struggle moves”, even if it was only a couple primary moves supported by some stuntmen and wires. Action flicks turned spectacles that essential equal blends of story, drama, pace, “kung fu”, distinctive effects and inconceivable plot twists.

In the 21st century, this turned much less “equal” with movies relying initially on specific outcomes, then improbably plot twists (shock is crucial, suitable?), followed by speed, martial arts capabilities, drama and-last and possibly minimum today-story. This craze extended even to the incredibly hot videos of the past several years, which includes Kung Fu Panda, Forbidden Kingdom, G.I. Joe and even the Transformers.

Asian Movie Industry Threatens to Out-Spectacle Hollywood

With the total support and weight of China’s cultural industries, Asian movie has blossomed into mainstream spectacles in higher demand from customers, led by CGI treats such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Property of Traveling Daggers and other instantaneous classics. Arguably, Asian movie very long back surpassed Hollywood for imagination, with the western producers getting rights to several massively profitable Asian movies. With the biggest population demographic in the planet, there can be no doubt that Chinese films are established to dominate the film marketplace in many years to arrive.

Pink Cliff and Ip Gentleman are maybe the ideal identified of these new hit-classics, but the rumor mills and fansites are buzzing with all the most up-to-date “coming before long” gossip. The big buz movies in 2010 is Correct Legend (Su Qi Er), starring Zhao Wen-Zho as the historic Begger Su, the originator of drunken kung fu. Donnie Yen returns in the two component 2 of the Ip Male saga and in the substantially predicted 14 Blades. Chow Yun-Unwanted fat breaks the mildew and surprises everyone in his function as Confucius.

Both equally Hollywood and Asia Count on CGI and Special Effects

The developing spectacle and importance of the “motion film” is each pleasing to the escapist and bothersome for the aficionado of the genuine martial arts. Whilst the actors in lots of of the movies-in particular Asian films-are real martial artists (for instance, Donnie Yen, Jet Li and Chow Yun-Extra fat)-the in excess of-dependence on CGI and elaborate choreography turns the journey into comedian e-book. With noteworthy exceptions, this sort of as Ip Guy and Tony Jaa in Ong Bak (and to a lesser extent Ong Bak 2 and 3), most motion films count on the “wow” component of dazzling digital camera angles and laptop-aided “enhancements.”

Ninja Assassin and the Cross-About

There are, to be guaranteed, cross-about movies such as Ninja Assassin, the place actor Rain educated 14 hours a working day for months to fantastic actual martial arts moves (albeit only a handful of recurring moves), blended collectively with alternatively Matrix-like exclusive outcomes. To some, the magnificence of the real looking CGI can take absent from the enjoyment of seeing nicely-choreographed authentic martial arts.

Ong Bak, on the other hand, led by real martial arts expert Tony Jaa, obtained by on sound martial arts and great choreography. No stuntmen, thank you. Tony Jaa was hailed as the “following Bruce Lee” for this motive, with significantly buzz and pleasure in the martial arts neighborhood, and martial arts movie fansites.

You will find No Escaping Escapism

Action films are, by style, escapist amusement. They have turn out to be somewhat comic-e-book (pardon me, graphic novel), but which is what most audiences do want. We want to forget about reality.

Destroy Monthly bill and Get rid of Invoice 2 most likely came closest to the ideal mix for each the escapist supporter and the martial arts practitioner-supporter. Though it wasn’t “actual” by any signifies, and contained a good and zesty mix of satire, comedian-reserve, spoof, and choreography, it hardly ever-the-fewer nostalgically hearkened back again to the wondrous times of Enter the Dragon and the typical Japanese Samarai films of the 70s.

Japanese Film Stays Real to Martial Arts Traditions?

Most likely the movie marketplace most aligned with the more mature traditions of martial arts movie producing is Japan. Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman, was a low-finances movie, that became an fast cult basic. Zatoichi took film audiences back again to the typical true-sword competencies of the aged Samarai films of the earlier many years, and spawned video clip game titles and an full business.

Much less is A lot more? The place is the Serious Martial Arts Ability?

Genuine martial arts actors nevertheless abound-led by superstars such as Donnie Yen and Jet Li-and most Chinese martial arts actors are proficient. In Hollywood, the film-makers choose for four-go choreography (two kicks, a block and a punch), several digicam angles (significantly shut ups when the competencies of the martial artist are not genuine), pounding songs, Fx, and stuntmen. With the previous hopefuls long gone from the Hollywood significant display-Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme and the other promising serious martial artists-there’s now a earth of variation concerning Asian film actors-who get the job done in frigid chilly, fourteen several hours a day in frequently primitive disorders, hammering out genuinely intricate martial arts moves for rather paltry paychecks-and Hollywood movies that now count on laptop or computer and actor stand-ins.

Batman Now Does Kung Fu

Batman now does kung fu, and so does G.I. Joe, and even Hellboy. They are enjoyment, but the martial artist fan misses the good luminaries of martial arts films who developed their occupations on the “true factor”: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, David Chiang, Sonny Chiba, Chen Kuan-tai, Tomisaburo Wkayama, Jimmy Wong Yu, Ti Lung and the Liu brothers.