10 Best Hong Kong Action Films, Ranked
While Hong Kong action cinema is not a genre in itself, it is a means of production, a sensibility, and an execution that signifies a national movement. The action film can mean a great many things – especially in the world of CGI-driven spectacles of the MCU – but usually considers violence as a primary mode of communication.
Whether focusing on Triads, ex-pats, or those with nowhere else to turn, HK action cinema is an inherently political body of films that use violence to dissect the notion of national identity. But perhaps above all else, the world of HK action cinema is full of the world’s greatest action stunts, never rivaled by any other worldwide market, and for that alone, is worthy of praise.
10 Long Arm Of The Law Is An Early HK Action Classic
Directed by Johnny Mak, 1984’s Long Arm of the Law is an early Hong Kong action classic with an angry heart. The film follows a group of men from Mainland China who cross the border into Hong Kong, in order to pull off a heist that will change their lives forever. Things go from bad – one of the men doesn’t even make it across the border – to much, much worse.
After the heist goes wrong, a cop is killed, and the hunt for the men leads to an incredible climactic action sequence set inside the Kowloon Walled City. Given the film’s ending, it’s alright to wonder how three sequels were made.
9 Police Story Propelled Jackie Chan Into Mega-Stardom
Really, the first three films in the Police Story franchise are noteworthy, but it’s the first film that’s a total game-changer for the HK action film scene. The 1985 classic stars Jackie Chan (who also co-wrote the screenplay). It follows Chan as Kevin, an HK police detective. The film also features Brigitte Lin (Chungking Express) and Maggie Cheung (Irma Vep, In the Mood for Love).
Kevin gets framed for murder and must work to clear his name. The film, while telling a pretty simple story, features incredible action set pieces, and breathtaking stunt work, causing anyone to wonder how Jackie Chan is still alive.
8 Yes, Madam Is A Buddy Cop Flick With Phenomenal Fight Sequences
Yes, Madam! is a 1985 HK action buddy cop film directed by Corey Yuen, starring Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once, among much, much more) and Cynthia Rothrock (Above the Law, aka Righting Wrongs).
The film tells the story of two officers who, despite very different methodologies, must team up to secure microfilm that’s fallen into the hands of some thieves named after over-the-counter medicines. Filmmaker Tsui Hark features in the film, playing a Looney Tune-like thief who manages to constantly elude capture.
7 Time And Tide Is Elliptical Action Storytelling At Its Best
Few directorial careers are as explosive and widely varied as Tsui Hark’s, whose early film Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind, is a nihilistic portrait of youth gone to seed. For his 2000 film, Time and Tide, all of the early anarchic energy is still on…
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