Summary
The best Sammo Hung martial arts moviesprove why he’s a legend and dominates the genre. Known for choreographing the fight sequences in theIP Manseries, Sammo shows that he isn’t just a martial artist—he’s a director, actor, and choreographer who marked Hong Kong cinema. Some of his notable works areThe Magnificent Butcher, in which he stars, andWheels on Meals, where he directs, showing that Sammo’s versatility is unmatched.
Dominatinggenres like action, drama, and comedy, Sammo Hung’s talent wows fans every time. Are these the best Sammo Hung martial arts films? Some of them definitely are, and for those who disagree,perhaps a rewatchwill change that perspective.
8Millionaires Express
Starring Martial Artists Yuen Biao And Cynthia Rothrock
Sammo Hung directs and stars inMillionaires Express, an action-comedy masterpiece, alongside martial artists Cynthia Rothrock and Biao Yuen. This 1986 movie centers around a train robbery and combines Western-style martial arts like Kung Fu with a great deal of comedy. Some viewers say thatMillionaires Expressisone of the funniest Sammo Hung martial arts movies, while others find it a complete mess, resulting in a6.9/10 rating on IMDb.
Despite the mixed reviews,Millionaires Expressis a must-watch for martial arts fans. The film offers a blend of intense fight sequences and hilarious comedy, with Cynthia Rothrock’s powerful kicks and Yuen Biao’s impressive athletic stunts making it well worth the watch.
7Pedicab Driver
Nominated For Best Action Choreography
InPedicab Driver, Sammo Hung delivers some iconic martial arts sequences, including the last fight scene, which is masterfully choreographed. It combines traditional Kung Fu mixed with street fighting. Viewers can also see some incredible pole fighting between Sammo and Lau Kar-Leung delivered with perfect camera angles.
Fans also praised the realism of the fights, resulting in a7.4/10 rating on IMDb. Fans consider this one of Sammo Hung’s best works, combining fast-paced moves, intense action, and his quintessential comedy.
6Warriors Two
One Of The Earliest Sammo Hung Movies
Sammo Hung directed and starred inWarriors Two, one of his earliest films, in 1978. The film highlights the Wing Chun combat style with realistic strikes and well-choreographed combat scenes. Martial arts fans think the movie takes some time to pick up the pace, but once it gets going, it delivers a worthwhile cinematic experience.
The plot centers on a young banker who trains under askilled martial artistto master Wing Chun. The banker is on a journey to learn the art of Wing Chun, so the major part of the movie focuses on martial arts training and combat, delivered through Sammo Hung’s unique direction. Despite the slow start, most viewers consider it one of the best martial arts movies ever made. It is a must-watch for any classic Hong Kong movie fans.
5Painted Faces
The Best Cinematography Award Winner
Painted Faceswas directed by American writer-producer Alex Law and stars Sammo Hung alongside co-stars Ching-Ying Lam and Pei-Pei Cheng. This action-drama isbased on the true storyof Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao on their journey of being trained by a harsh master at the Peking Opera School. Viewers will have a deeper knowledge of their struggles, achievements, and bonds gained over the years after watching this film.
This movie won 11 awards and received 8 further nominations. In addition, thanks to Sammo Hung’s performance — who plays himself in the movie — he earned the Asia-Pacific Film Festival award for Best Actor.
4My Lucky Stars
The Best Trio In Martial Arts Movies Gets Together
InLucky Stars,Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao team up for another movie, which had action-comedy fans excited. The plot centers around two police officers, played by Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao, hunting a Japanese criminal. When one of them is taken prisoner, the other forms a group, led by Sammo Hung, to rescue their friend.
The highlights of the film are the energetic and fast action scenes and the fight choreography, which makes it a stand out among theLucky Starsseries.
3The Magnificent Butcher
An Easy Favorite Sammo Hung Movie Co-Starring Biao Yuen
The Magnificent Butcherdefinitely needs to be included in any list of the best Sammo Hungmartial arts movies. Directed by Woo-Ping Yuen, this film features intense, well-choreographed fight sequences showing the star’s classic Kung Fu. What fans most like about Sammo Hung’s movies is the blend of humor, emotion, and martial arts techniques he delivers, andThe Magnificent Butcheris a standout in each regard.
Sammo Hung’s characters are always fun, relatable, and full of personality. What makes this movie stand out is its smart use of objects as weapons, which makes it interesting to watch. For martial arts fans who aren’t familiar with this movie, it’s time to give it a watch.
2The Prodigal Son
Best Action Choreography Winner
Directed by Sammo Hung,The Prodigal Sonis a martial arts movie addressing themes of discipline, humility, and growth. Yuen Biao plays a wealthy man who truly believes he’s skilled in Kung Fu. This changes when he encounters a true master.
The film’s reviews are positive, with some fans mentioning the character development, realism, and technique shown in the fight scenes, and namingThe Prodigal Sonas one of the best Wing Chun movies ever created, earning it a7.3/10 rating on IMDb.
1Wheels On Meals
Starring Jackie Chan, Biao Yuen, And Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
Wheels On Mealsis the reason Sammo Hung is known as an incomparable director, actor, and choreographer who always blends action, storytelling, and comedy perfectly. This film revels in the chemistry between the best trio in the martial arts genre—Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Biao Yuen.
In this movie, Sammo Hung plays a private detective who is chaotic and fun to watch. Unpredictable fight sequences also feature in the movie, earning him a nomination for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1985.
