Some might argue that a movie is only as good as its villain, and martial arts films are no exception. This subgenre of action films has provided audiences with some of the most thrilling, entertaining, and white-knuckle spectacles in the history of cinema, using movement and combat as a method of storytelling and character development. None of this would work, however, without an imposing villain.
Thankfully for fans of these sorts of movies, there has been a tremendous number of great martial arts movie antagonists over the years. From the funny to the terrifying, from the agile to the heavyweights, and from the highly skilled to the utterly supernatural, these villains show that action is at its best when the hero has a worthy opponent to face up against.
10
Han — ‘Enter the Dragon’ (1973)
Even though not all of his movies have aged particularly well, when you think of martial arts movies, you think of Bruce Lee. The Hong Kong-American martial artist tends to be widely regarded as the first global Chinese film star, as well as one of the most influential martial artists in the history of cinema. For an introduction to his work, one needn’t look any further than Enter the Dragon.
It’s one of the best martial arts movies of all time, anchored by genre veteran Shih Kien and his villain, Han. Aside from how incredible Kien is in the role, Han has an imposing presence that often serves as the dark mirror image of Bruce’s character, Lee. His prosthetic claw is nothing short of a brilliant design choice, giving him something that makes him both visually memorable and a ton of unique fun in combat.
9
Colt — ‘Way of the Dragon’ (1972)
Anyone who has spent longer than a week on the internet has, at least at some point, run into a joke based on how much of a badass Chuck Norris is. He’s an American martial artist and actor, and as such, it’s no surprise that he was friends with Bruce Lee. This friendship led Lee to invite his peer to be the villain of The Way of the Dragon, one of the most nearly-perfect martial arts movies ever.
Norris plays Colt, a world-class martial artist hired to take on Lee’s Tang Lung. It’s not just Norris’ pedigree: Colt, however limited his presence in Way of the Dragon is, is a genuinely great villain in and of himself. He has no ideology, no personal vendetta, practically no personality: He’s a pure fighting machine who lets Tang Lung meet his equal, resulting in one of the most thrilling action sequences in the history of martial arts films.
8
The Ghost Faced Killer — ‘The Mystery of Chessboxing’ (1979)
Also known as Ninja Checkmate, The Mystery of Chessboxing is about a young martial artist training to take revenge on the man who killed his father. That man is the Ghost Faced Killer, played by a top-form Mark Long. This villain loves to taunt his victims with rapid-fire quips before demolishing them with his unique fighting style, making him one of the genre’s most fun antagonists.
Mystery of Chessboxing is easily one of the best 20th-century martial arts movies, and that’s in no small measure thanks to its villain. Quotable and cleverly designed, he’s an essential pillar of martial arts pop culture, having inspired the stage name of The Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah. Villains in this genre can become predictable when they rely too much on a particular combat style, and what makes this character so formidable is how terrifyingly diverse his fighting is.
7
Tong Po — ‘Kickboxer’ (1989)
The Belgian martial artist-actor Jan-Claude Van Damme needs no introduction, seeing as he’s probably one of the most notorious action movie heroes of the late 20th century. The Muscles from Brussels has made several great martial arts films over his career, and Kickboxer—arguably one of the most perfect martial arts movies of all time, the first to bring Muay Thai to a global audience—is one of his best.
The movie’s villain is Tong Po, a fearsome kickboxing champion who paralyzed the protagonist’s brother. Played by the imposing Moroccan-Belgian actor Michel Qissi, Po is a character who’s more than willing to fight dirty in order to ensure victory. This ruthlessness, along with the formidability of Qissi’s physique and fighting style, makes this villain a hugely effective representation of the unstoppable thirst for victory for victory’s sake.
6
The Beast — ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ (2004)
Part Looney Tunes movie, part Jackie Chan comedy, the martial arts comedy Kung Fu Hustle is probably the genre’s single funniest movie. Even an action comedy, however, needs a good villain; one that’s equal parts amusing and terrifying. The Beast meets those qualities and then some. One of the goofiest action movie villains ever, he’s a force of nature that simply can’t be beaten.
This supernatural assassin, played by a supernaturally good Siu-Lung Leung (one of the most notorious Bruce Lee copycats that emerged after Lee’s death in the Bruceploitation movement), meets the rumors that say he’s the most dangerous man alive. His fighting style bends and breaks the rules of physics to his liking, matching the film’s cartoonish tone to perfection.
5
Lord Shen — ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ (2011)
Not all great martial arts films come from Asia, and not all of them are live-action. DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda franchise is probably the best animated martial arts movie franchise, the first two installments in particular being among the greatest animated films of the 21st century. In the case of Kung Fu Panda 2, that’s largely because it has such a strong villain.
A character so well-written that he plays a big role in ensuring Kung Fu Panda 2’s status as one of the best fantasy movies of the 2010s.
Gary Oldman‘s Lord Shen is a peacock warrior, a character so well-written that he plays a big role in ensuring Kung Fu Panda 2‘s status as one of the best fantasy movies of the 2010s. He has a strong personality and a drop-dead gorgeous visual design, and his obsession with power makes for a surprisingly layered and compelling motivation. Lord Shen also has some of the most elaborate fight scenes of the franchise, making for an antagonist that’s a real treat to see in action.
4
Shang Tsung — ‘Mortal Kombat’ (1995)
Paul Anderson‘s 1995 cult classic Mortal Kombat wasn’t exactly loved by critics upon release, but longtime fans of the games had a much warmer reception waiting for it. Its sequel, Mortal Kombat Annihilation, is famously considered one of the worst movies ever made, but fans will always have this gem to go back to. Of course, that includes the villain: Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa‘s Shang Tsung.
“Your soul is mine!” is a line that every Mortal Kombat fan has heard a multitude of times, pronounced with distinct flair by Shang Tsung. Tagawa’s hyper-theatrical performance is an absolute delight, making Shang Tsung the most magnetic and self-assured presence on screen whenever he’s on screen. Equal parts scary and fun, he’s a very welcome villainous presence in a film that wouldn’t be half of what it is without him.
3
John Kreese — ‘The Karate Kid’ (1984)
Directed by Rocky‘s John G. Avildsen, The Karate Kid is probably the most iconic coming-of-age martial arts film of all time. It was a surprise hit when it came out, helping to popularize karate in the United States. To this day, people still remember it as one of the best martial arts movies of the 1980s, and the franchise that it spawned—including the beloved Cobra Kai—has kept it feeling modern and timely.
Cobra Kai has now properly established that Johnny Lawrence was never really the film’s true villain. Instead, that role falls to Martin Kove‘s John Kreese, an unstable karate sensei who sees teenage karate as a bona fide wartime battlefield. As the Karate Kid mythos keeps expanding, so too does Kreese’s popularity as a villain keep growing. Scary yet undeniably human, he’s had plenty of opportunities to prove why his motivation has remained unchanged for years.
2
Sho’nuff — ‘The Last Dragon’ (1985)
Whoever thought of mixing the martial arts genre with Blaxploitation tropes was a genius, because it resulted in the legendary cult classic The Last Dragon. One of the best action comedy movies of the ’80s, this goofy and flamboyant extravaganza may not be a perfect film, but it’s uniquely fun from start to finish—much of that coming from its iconic villain.
Sho’nuff, a.k.a. The Shogun of Harlem, is played by a genuinely impeccable Julius Carry. Badass, stylish, and endlessly quotable, he is the kind of antagonist that lives in your head for weeks after the credits roll. He’s an operatic force of nature with enough swagger to carry the whole film all by himself. A bona fide legend of the genre, fans of martial arts cinema know that no conversation about best villains is ever complete without Sho’nuff.
1
Chong Li — ‘Bloodsport’ (1988)
Many people’s favorite Van Damme film, the American-Hong Kong co-production Bloodsport was one of its star’s first lead roles, helping to launch his career into action superstardom. This cult classic helped the resurgence of the martial arts film genre in the U.S., and though it spawned a franchise that includes four sequels, the original could never be topped.
The movie’s main antagonist is Chong Li, played by Bolo Yeung at his best. At the end of the day, a good martial arts movie villain is one that imposes fear, and there’s no martial arts antagonist more terrifying than Chong Li. He’s a force to be reckoned with both physically and psychologically, playing off Van Damme’s Frank Dux wonderfully. He’s the complete package: Imposing, badass, compelling, and absolutely unforgettable.
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