10 Movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon you must watch

By Kieran Burt
Published: May 25, 2023 (Last updated: February 8, 2024)
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10 Movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon you must watch

We discuss ten movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon you must watch. Add these well-recommended films to your watch list.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts film directed by Ang Lee. Starring Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-fat, it follows a warrior in the 1800s who gives his sword, called Green Destiny, to his lover. But it gets stolen, so the pair have to get it back.

The film was released to wide critical and audience acclaim, and in 2016 it got a sequel titled Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny. 

Unfortunately for many, this sequel didn’t live up to the high standards of the first. So if you’re looking for other, better, martial arts movies, here are ten films that are like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon you must watch.

10 Movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

IP Man (2008)

A biographical martial arts film based on the life of Yip Man, the first person to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun and Bruce Lee’s teacher. Set during the Sino-Japanese War, it focuses on the events in the city of Foshan in China in 1935. It has several sequels, all of which are also worth checking out.

The Assassin (2015)

In the ninth century, Nie Yinniang (Shu Qi) is kidnapped by her father, Nie Feng (Ni Dahong), and trained to be a top assassin. When she fails to complete a mission, she’s ordered to kill her betrothed, Tian Ji’an (Chang Chen), forcing her to choose where her loyalty lies.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

While not as fully committed to martial arts as others in this life,  this Marvel film still has some excellent action, likable characters, and a great villain. The film follows Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) as his past catches up to him, and he’s forced to confront his father, the leader of The Ten Rings organization (Tony Leung).

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Dreamworks also made a foray into martial arts films, albeit aimed at a younger audience and where all the characters are different animals. Po, a panda (Jack Black), accidentally gets picked to defend the village from the villainous snow leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane). To fulfill this destiny, he must train to become a master of kung fu.

The Matrix (1999)

When computer programmer Thomas Anderson aka Neo (Keanu Reeves), encounters repeating lines of code on his screen reading “the matrix,” he is led to an underworld by Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), where he finds out the world is a simulation. Neo joins Trinity and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) to fight back, attracting the attention of the vicious Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving).

The Promise (2005)

Set in ancient China, a slave called Kunlun (Jang Dong-Kun) manages to become the personal servant to the great general Guangming (Hiroyuki Sanada). On one mission, Kunlun poses as his master and meets Qingcheng (Cecilia Cheung), a beautiful princess who is fated to lose every man she loves. Both Kunlun and Guangming fall for the beautiful princess and fight for her.

The Great Wall (2016)

When mercenary William Garin (Matt Damon) is imprisoned within the Great Wall of China, he discovers that the structure is actually a defense from marauding beasts. He goes from a fortune hunter to a journey toward being a hero as he joins the elite warriors that protect the Wall.

Brotherhood of Blades (2014)

Set toward the end of the Ming dynasty in 1627; three brothers are tasked with destroying a corrupt fugitive and his followers. But a mistake in the plan reveals that the brothers are just pawns in a more giant game of deadly chess, filled with secrets, conspiracies, and lethal consequences.

Sword Master (2016)

Dying from an uncureable disease, Yen Shisan (Peter Ho), once a powerful swordsman, exiles himself to live out the rest of his days as a grave digger. But his past comes back to haunt him, and so the master swordsman must again pick up his sword and vanquish those who are preventing him from enjoying a peaceful life.

Rise of the Legend (2014)

Set in 1868, Wong Fei-Hung (Eddie Peng) is destined to become the next martial arts master. Recruited by The Black Tiger criminal group, Fei-Hung realizes that they’re more involved with his past than he knew, and a showdown between him and The Black Tiger group leader Master Lui (Sammo Hung) begins to take place.

Do you have any other recommendations for Movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? Let us know in the comments below.

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