5 of the Best 2020s Martial Arts Movies With Asian Leads
The best martial arts movie in years is in theaters right now. The Furious, directed by action choreographer Kenji Tanigaki and led by Xie Miao, opened to a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising it as a relentless, expertly staged throwback to the genre’s golden age. If it leaves you wanting more, you are in luck, because the 2020s have quietly built a deep bench of martial arts movies with Asian leads.
Here are five of the best from this decade, ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes critic scores. They run from a scrappy indie comedy to a Marvel blockbuster, but each one puts an Asian or Asian American lead at the center of the action.
1. The Paper Tigers (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%. The highest-rated film on this list is also the smallest. The Paper Tigers follows three former kung fu prodigies, now middle-aged and out of shape, who reunite to avenge the death of the master who trained them. Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, and Mykel Shannon Jenkins carry it with sharp comic timing and a surprising amount of heart.
Writer-director Tran Quoc Bao made it as an independent film, and that underdog energy is the point. The fights are grounded and a little creaky on purpose, which makes them land harder than any CGI could. It is the rare martial arts movie about getting older and showing up anyway.
2. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%. The fourth John Wick is the franchise at its most operatic, and its soul is Donnie Yen. As Caine, a blind assassin bound by obligation, Yen co-leads the film and nearly steals it, turning every set piece into a clinic in Hong Kong action craft. Even franchise lead Keanu Reeves fits the brief: he is Wasian, of Chinese and Native Hawaiian descent on his father’s side. Hiroyuki Sanada and Rina Sawayama anchor an Osaka sequence that plays like its own short film.
Director Chad Stahelski built the series on respect for martial arts and stunt work, and Chapter 4 is its fullest expression: the stairway brawl, the chaos around the Arc de Triomphe, and a finale that puts Asian action stars at the center of the frame. It is the rare blockbuster sequel that keeps getting better as it goes.
3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%. Marvel’s first Asian-led superhero film gave Simu Liu a star-making role as Shang-Chi, a trained assassin trying to escape his father’s shadow. Tony Leung is magnetic as the villain, and Michelle Yeoh and Awkwafina round out a cast that treats the material with both weight and humor.
The action is the real draw. The bus fight and the scaffolding sequence, staged with help from the late Brad Allan and a team of Hong Kong veterans, rank among the best fight choreography Marvel has ever put on screen. It is a blockbuster that genuinely respects the genre it borrows from.
4. Karate Kid: Legends (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 57%. The latest entry in the Karate Kid saga puts Ben Wang front and center as a kung fu prodigy who moves to New York and gets pulled into a new fight. The hook is the team-up: Jackie Chan returns as Mr. Han and Ralph Macchio reprises Daniel LaRusso, bridging two generations of the franchise.
Critics were mixed on the familiar beats, but Wang is a genuine find and Chan’s presence gives the fight scenes real pedigree. For younger viewers, it is a clean entry point into a series built on the underdog formula.
5. Mortal Kombat (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 55%. The video game adaptation leans all the way into its R rating, and fans rewarded it. Lewis Tan leads as Cole Young, but the real pull is a deep ensemble of martial artists: Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, and Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden.
If Taslim’s name looks familiar, it should. He also co-stars in The Furious, a reminder of how small and stacked the world of Asian martial arts cinema really is. Mortal Kombat is not subtle, but the fights are committed and the fan service is gleeful.
Where to start
For the purest martial arts craft, begin with The Paper Tigers and Shang-Chi. If you are here for spectacle, Mortal Kombat delivers. And once you have worked through the list, The Furious is waiting in theaters to remind you why the genre endures. For more of our culture coverage, see our guide to Asian American podcasts worth subscribing to.
Frequently asked questions
What is The Furious about?
The Furious is a Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Kenji Tanigaki and starring Xie Miao, with Joe Taslim and Jeeja Yanin. It follows an ordinary man who battles a criminal network to rescue his kidnapped daughter, and it opened to a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score.
What are the best martial arts movies with Asian leads in the 2020s?
By Rotten Tomatoes critic score, the best martial arts movies with Asian leads this decade include The Paper Tigers (98%), John Wick: Chapter 4 (94%), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (92%), Karate Kid: Legends (57%), and Mortal Kombat (55%).
Where can I watch these movies?
Availability shifts often, so check a service like JustWatch for current streaming and rental options. The Furious is currently playing in theaters.
Featured image: The Furious, courtesy of Lionsgate.
