Unsurprisingly, the martial arts genre has long been dominated by male stars, but over the years, it's certainly had its fair share of entertaining, female-led entries. In fact, women have been headlining martial arts movies since the genre was in its earliest stages, dating all the way back to the 1960s.
A long list of actresses across multiple eras in cinematic history, from Kara Hui to Michelle Yeoh, have helped deliver some great martial arts action. Some benefited from formal training in fighting, not unlike fellow martial arts legends such as Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and Bruce Lee. Most, though, weren't actually martial artists initially, but learned how to look like a master of kung fu on the big screen.
Chocolate
Chocolate, a Thai film starring Yanin Vismitananda, became an unexpected martial arts sensation in 2008. Vismitananda plays Zen, the autistic daughter of a mob boss who falls on hard times and decides that her mother is owed a massive amount of money. Thanks to years of training in kickboxing, Zen is able to approach those who owe those debts, which in turns set off a series of bloody battles with gangsters.
Taking full advantage of Yanin Vismitananda's real-life martial arts background, Chocolate delivers some truly amazing action sequences, complete with great stuntwork. It possesses a feel not unlike the one given off by the John Wick movies in terms of the main character's ability to confidently wade through hordes and hordes of gangsters.
A year after Jackie Chan's Police Story exploded onto the scene, newcomer actress Michelle Yeoh had her own martial arts cop movie make waves at the Hong Kong box office. In Yes, Madam, Yeoh plays Inspector Ng, a Hong Kong police detective who gets involved in a mob-ordered assassination and the theft of an incredibly valuable microfilm.
Yes, Madam works wonders with its martial arts choreography, fully utilizing Michelle Yeoh's athleticism to craft some exciting action sequences that depict her as someone who can almost effortlessly take out dozens of thugs by herself. The formula of Yes, Madam worked well enough to launch a seven-movie franchise, with Yeoh reprising her role for the first of six sequels.
The Fate Of Lee Khan
One of the films that made King Hu one of the most important martial arts film directors was The Fate of Lee Khan, a wuxia adventure classic about a female martial artist participating in the search for a lost map. The film is built on a well-developed, ensemble cast, but it's the female characters that really shine, in both the comedy and well-choreographed action scenes put together by Sammo Hung.
Wing Chun
An underrated 1990s martial arts gem, Wing Chun is a Hong Kong period piece that sees Michelle Yeoh step into the role of a young woman who became a martial arts master in order to defend herself against men tempted by her beauty. Now, she dresses like a man to hide her looks, and unintentionally fools her former boyfriend (played by Donnie Yen) into confusing her with someone else.
Wing Chun's unconventional story, which successfully blends romance with martial arts and comedy, offers a more-than-worthwhile outing for Michelle Yeoh, who once again gets an opportunity to demonstrate her ability to serve as the headlining attraction of a kung fu film. There's also some excellent chemistry on hand between her and Yen's characters.
The Bride With White Hair
Due to a heavy reliance on fantasy elements, The Bride With White Hair doesn't require much actual martial arts from its cast, but Brigitte Lin stands out regardless, putting in a spirited performance as the sword-fighting member of an evil cult who finds herself in love with a man she's supposed to regard as her enemy.
The Lady Hermit
Directed by Ho Meng Hua, The Lady Hermit was a solid effort from Shaw Brothers, the preeminent force behind kung fu movies in the 1970s and 1980s. A relatively early entry into the genre, The Lady Hermit stars two of Hong Kong cinema's top actresses at the time, Shih Szu and Cheng Pei-pei, as student and master respectively.
In the movie, Shih Szu's character is looking to receive training from the famous swordswoman known as the Lady Hermit (Cheng Pei-pei). With her fierce screen presence, Cheng Pei-pei easily carries The Lady Hermit, even with fellow genre icon Lo Lieh also occupying a great deal of screen-time.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Among the greatest martial arts movies of the 21st century is the two-part, Uma Thurman-led action epic from Quentin Tarantino. Functioning largely as a love letter to old-school kung fu movies like Executioners of Shaolin and The Chinese Boxer, both of the Kill Bill movies go extremely heavy on the gore and violence, letting Thurman's The Bride go on a revenge-driven killing spree.
Its themes, including its revenge plot, are full in line with what one would expect from an old-school kung fu movie from Hong Kong, even though the film in question is actually an early 2000s Hollywood blockbuster. And the final showdown where The Bride and her former ally (played by Lucy Liu) doesn't disappoint with its choreography or sheer intensity.
Lady Snowblood
One of the reasons Kill BIll exists in the first place is another classic of the martial arts genre led by a female star.
Released in 1973, Japanese film Lady Snowblood told a dark tale of vengeance centered on a female main character, played by Meiko Kaji. Set in feudal Japan, Lady Snowblood's titular heroine is a young woman who goes on the hunt for the evil men who raped and murdered her mother and left her orphaned.
It's easy to see the influence it had on Kill Bill when witnessing the main character's ruthless resolve as Lady Snowbood's grisly story plays out. Its amazing visual style, coupled with its tragic storytelling make it a must-watch for any fan of martial arts movies.
Come Drink With Me
Seven years before The Fate of Lee Khan, King Hu directed one of the most influential martial arts movies of all time when he helmed Come Drink With Me for Shaw Brothers. In 1966, Cheng Pei-pei became not only the first female martial arts star but a true pioneer of the genre by playing Come Drink With Me's main protagonist, Golden Swallow.
In Come Drink With Me, Cheng Pei-pei's character is introduced as a mysterious swordsman who arrives in town searching for her kidnapped brother. Despite her small frame, Come Drink With Me presents her as a force to be reckoned with. Long, quiet takes build the suspense, which ultimately pays off in exciting fashion in the now-iconic inn scene where multiple thugs observing every move prod her into attacking – laying the groundwork for so many more films to copy this moment.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Two of the three lead characters in Ang Lee's wuxia masterpiece – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – were female fighters, portrayed by Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi. The 2000 period piece rejuvenated the martial arts genre, and revolutionized it at the same time, with its specific – and visually breathtaking style of wirework and return to wuxia inspiring a new wave of similar movies.
Making up a big part of the fabric of the film are the performances of both Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh. The two effectively breath a lot of life into their respective love stories, characters dynamics with each other, and, of course, their fight sequences. By this point, Yeoh was already a veteran of the genre (and it shows here), whereas Zhang demonstrated a talent that would make her a mainstay of martial arts cinema for the next decade.
