Jackie Chanmight be the number one name in kung fu comedies, but there are plenty of hilarious martial arts movies that don’t star the death-defying legend. Though kung fu is mostly known as an action-oriented martial arts style, it easily lends itself to humor on the big screen. Many of the best kung fu films are a healthy mix of excellent fight scenes and humorous choreography, and the stars of the martial arts genre are often also terrific physical comedians. Jackie Chan set the gold standard in films likePolice StoryandMeals on Wheels, but he wasn’t alone.
While Chan may have upped the ante with even bigger stunts, the kung fu genre was already infusing comedy into the mix long before he came around. Like films from the West, action and comedy blend together seamlessly in Eastern films, and there has always been an element of physicality to humor. However,the best kung fu filmsalso have the added benefit of strong fight choreography and action direction, and each part stands alone. The best kung fu comedies are not only hilarious, but they are usually also strong examples of the action side of the equation too.
10Carry On Pickpocket (1982)
A Quintessential Action Comedy With A Lot Of Laughs
While Jackie Chan movies often show roguish heroes and cops,Carry on Pickpocketis a kung fu comedy about the shadier side of things. Choreographer and star Sammo Hung pulls out all the stops in one of the more bombastic comedies from 1980s Hong Kong. There is a charm to the seediness of it all, andCarry on Pickpocketis never guilty of taking itself too seriously.
That being said,the fight choreography is terrific, and there is a fair amount of physical comedy that has nothing to do with kung fu. The pickpocketing scenes are cleverly executed, and there is a lyrical quality to every moment so that the movie flows like the rhythm of classic kung fu action.
9Peking Opera Blues (1986)
Kung Fu Meets Comedy & Traditional Chinese Theater
Kung fu comedies are often over-the-top, and 1986’sPeking Opera Bluesis jam-packed with humor, action, and a fair amount of Chinese culture too. The period piece melds crime comedy with kung fu, and uses the backdrop of Peking Opera as a unique and eye-catching setting. The exaggerated styles of Peking Opera splash across the screen, and it also manages to be a heartfelt romantic comedy as well.
it’s a rare example of a movie that can balance all of its disparate elements without sacrificing anything.
Though the plot is quite busy,Peking Opera Bluesis a fleshed-out story with characters who have real motivation. The humor doesn’t detract from the action or the drama, and it’s a rare example of a movie that can balance all of its disparate elements without sacrificing anything.
Behind Jackie Chan, Jet Li might be the most famous name in kung fu cinema around the world, and it’s due in large part to films likeThe Legend. Though the action comedy might be lighter on the comedy, it’s still an enjoyable kung fu film that isn’t particularly serious. Instead of having a goofy premise,The Legenduses its action in the pursuit of humor, but it’s still exciting in its own right.
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Li is naturally charismatic as Fong Sai-Yuk, and he returned to reprise his role in the sequel that was released in the same year. ThoughJet Li would star in other great filmsboth in Hollywood and in his native country,The Legendcontinued his meteoric rise as a star in the early 1990s.
Director Sammo Hung delivered his fair share of great kung fu comedies in the ’80s, andThe Prodigal Sonmight be one of the very best. Yeun Biao stars as a wealthy young man who learns that all of his great feats of martial artistry were actually fake because his opponents were paid to lose. That humorous concept would have been good enough to carry a strong kung fu comedy, butit’s his redemption that makes for such compelling viewing.
Kung fu comedies aren’t mocking martial arts; In fact,The ProdigalSonis an excellent example of the care and love that goes into portraying kung fu on screen. The action is crisp and exciting, and Yeun Biao’s quest to become a real martial artist is as fascinating as it is hilarious.
Often remembered as one ofMichelle Yeoh’s best movies,Tai Chi Masterfeatures the dream team of Yeoh and co-star Jet Li. The sprawling kung fu epic is all about balance, and the movie finds humor in the juxtaposition of martial arts with tai chi. While there is plenty of humor, the comedy largely takes a backseat to the film’s epic plot and highly-choreographed action sequences.
Though Jet Li and Chin Siu Ho are the film’s two leads,Michelle Yeoh steals the show as Siu Linand gets to illustrate her own martial arts prowess. A sequel followed in 1996, butTai Chi Boxerfeatured none of the original movie’s big stars.
5The God Of Cookery (1996)
An Off-The-Wall Kung Fu Comedy
Stephen Chow is essentially the Jackie Chan of the ’90s and 2000s, andThe God of Cookeryhelped to cement that fact. Chow stars as a disgraced former celebrity chef, who plots a return to get back at those that caused his downfall. Borrowing the classic story structure of martial arts revenge movies,The God of Cookeryhas an off-the-wall premise that makes everything farcical.
There is a fast-paced and exaggerated style to every frame of the film, and the humor often borders on downright surrealism.
What makes Chow’s martial arts comedies so special is that they blend absurd premises with legitimately exciting kung fu, andThe God of Cookeryhas both in spades. There is a fast-paced and exaggerated style to every frame of the film, and the humor often borders on downright surrealism.
4Pedicab Driver (1989)
A Martial Arts Comedy That Turns The Genre On Its Ear
Continuing Sammo Hung’s kung fu comedy domination of the ’80s,Pedicab Driveris a quintessential example of what makes his films fun to watch.The heroes of the film are not martial arts masters or muscle-bound fighters, and instead find themselves in way over their heads because they have fallen in love. The fish-out-of-water protagonists take on hardened criminals, and the culture clash is truly sidesplitting.
Despite being such a silly film overall,Hung’s direction gives equal emphasis on the action, andPedicab Drivernever gets too lost in its own jokes. The film’s premise could easily be swapped into a more straightforward action film, and it would still have the same impact. However, the humor is what helps it stand out.
Made only a year after Jackie Chan’sDrunken Master,The Magnificent Butcheris based on some of the same folk heroes as the earlier kung fu comedy classic. The movie’s rescue/revenge plot is secondary to the amazing fight choreography and simple humor, andThe Magnificent Butcheris Sammo Hung at his very best as an action hero.
Despite being made to capitalize on the popularity of the aforementioned Jackie Chan movie,The Magnificent Butcheris quite different. Director Yuen Woo-ping’s style might not be as animated, but any shortcomings are supplemented by Hung and his co-stars.
Released long after the kung fu comedy heyday of the ’80s,Kung Fu Hustlecompletely changed the subgenre forever.Director/star Stephen Chow pushed the humor to its absolute breaking pointwhen delivering a kung fu comedy that isn’t afraid to indulge in the absurd. Earlier comedies seamlessly blended humor and action, whileKung Fu Hustleis unafraid to look silly.
The action is still abundant, but the comedy is so over-the-top that it completely overshadows the seriousness of the fighting. That’s not to say that the action inKung Fu Hustleis poor, but that the comedy is the real impetus for the story and not the fighting.
The kung fu comedy has largely fallen out of favor in recent decades, and that due in large part to the fact that director Stephen Chow put a fine point on the subgenre with films likeShaolin Soccer. Thinking outside the box to include sports into the equation,the screwball comedy stretches the idea of kung fu comedy beyond what any film had done before.
the film delivers a ton of laughs by exploring the furthest reaches of its own bizarre concept.
Shaolin Socceris not a realistic sports movie, but that’s not really the point. Instead, the film delivers a ton of laughs by exploring the furthest reaches of its own bizarre concept. Ridiculous characters find themselves in ridiculous situations, and almost every problem is solved using over-the-top kung fu moves.Jackie Chanmay have opened the door for the kung fu comedy, butShaolin Soccerkicked the game-winning goal.
