When it comes to the martial arts genre, it’s not exactly uncommon for the final battle to be the best part of the movie. In some cases, it can even be the main reason why fans should check out the film. This notion holds true for the classic kung fu movies that dominated the 1970s and much of the 1980s.

This particular subgenre has delivered some of the greatest martial arts movies of all time, including Jackie Chan’s career-making Drunken Master, The Chinese Boxer, Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, and Master of the Flying Guillotine. Plus, there’s The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which famously put great training sequences at the forefront. Another is The Five Deadly Venoms, which weaved together multiple kung fu styles, an ensemble cast full of talented martial artists, and an intriguing mystery.

Others, which also deserve recognition, invested heavily in their final acts. That’s not to say the rest of the movie was slow or forgettable, but the filmmakers clearly intended to craft a story where most of it is buildup, but is arranged in such a way that the wait entertains rather than bores the viewer. This sort of approach pays off when it turns out that the final showdown really is the spectacle the audience hoped it would be.

6

Five Shaolin Masters

Directed by Chang Cheh, 1974’s Five Shaolin Masters is an old-school kung fu flick brimming with star power. The likes of Alexander Fu Sheng, Ti Lung, David Chiang, Johnny Wang, and Chi Kuan Chun all come together in a fun Shaw Brothers classic that sees a handful of survivors of a massacre at the Shaolin Temple seek revenge on the Qings.

For its central conflict, Five Shaolin Masters makes use of a fun but greatly underused formula. It’s not unusual for a martial arts movie to have multiple protagonists, but Five Shaolin Masters goes a step further; it builds a cast of five heroes and five villains, meaning each of the main characters has their own enemy that they have to deal with when their training concludes.

This setup complements the top-notch choreography perfectly, in that it adds an unpredictable element that’s not easy to incorporate into a martial arts movie. Because there are so many fighters in play, there’s no obvious winner in any fight. You know while watching it that any of its heroes can die.

5

The Victim

The Victim is an early effort from the legendary Sammo Hung, who has since solidified his reputation as one of the top names in martial arts choreography. In The Victim, Sammo Hung plays a character seemingly intent on convincing Bryan Leung’s Chun-yau to become his kung fu master before getting roped into Chun-yau’s conflict with his evil brother, played by Chang Yi. Aside from a surprising plot twist, The Victim is an enjoyable yet still ordinary old-school movie – until the ending kicks things into high gear.

Following a remarkable plot twist and two huge death fakeouts, The Victim’s story culminates in a thrilling one-on-one showdown between Bryan Leung and Chang Yi’s characters. Propped up by some great choreography by Sammo Hung, the final battle showcases both actors’ martial arts skills and leans heavily on Bryan Leung’s talent at playing fierce and angry fighters. The emotion that he brings to his performance helps make the final battle a must-see.

The Victim is currently streaming on Tubi.

4

Five Fingers Of Death

Preceding Enter the Dragon to become the first Hong Kong kung fu movie to become an international box office hit, Five Fingers of Death aka King Boxer is a 1972 martial arts masterpiece that stars Lo Lieh as a kung fu student whose school is locked in a bitter rivalry with a Japanese karate dojo. The two competing schools are on a collision course in a martial arts tournament, and the villains will stop at nothing – even murder – to win.

Five Fingers of Death isn’t short on action, but nearly all of it pales in comparison to the last few minutes, which finally allows Lo Lieh’s character to face off with the main villain’s chief minion and the last surviving member of the opposing side. Although the special effects are obviously outdated, the glowing red hand used to unleash the “Five Fingers of Death” technique will always be a spectacular kung fu movie moment.

3

Legendary Weapons Of China

Legendary Weapons of China stars Hsiao Ho and Kara Hui as two young martial artists who get caught up in the kung fu rivalry between their master and his sibling (played by real-life brothers Lau Kar-leung and Lau Kar-wing respectively.) The former is also the movie’s director.