Despite their visual splendor, narrative intensity, and awe-inspiring choreography, martial arts films rarely received the recognition they deserve from theAcademy Awards. Historically, fighting films were totally ignored by the Oscars, although in the 21st century, major releases likeCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonandEverything Everywhere All at Oncehave managed to break through. However, these were the exceptions that proved the rule, and many of thebest martial arts moviesof all time were snubbed entirely.
Despite being arguablythe greatest kung fu star of all time, martial arts legendBruce Lee was never recognized by the Academy during his lifetime. This discrepancy between Academy Awards and cultural influence highlights how often the Oscars got it wrong and was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to movies that were never in the running for Hollywood’s most coveted prize. While not every one of these martial arts films wastotally snubbed by the Oscars, none of them received the acclaim they deserved from the Academy.
Dev Patel made the astounding transition from actor to co-writer, director, and star with his fantastic directorial debut,Monkey Man,in 2024. This exciting martial arts action movie had a troubled production history and was nearly canceled entirely in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, yet the result was a starkly original and unique film that signaled the dawning of an exciting new director. While Patel rightfully received accolades, such as theBAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer,Monkey Manwas sadly ignored entirely by the Academy Awards.
As a powerful tale of a mysterious young man embroiled in a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother,Monkey Manleaned into long-standing themes of revenge in martial arts movies. With intense thematic depth that explored topics of class, corruption, and discrimination, Patel’s film should have been in the running for at least Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Screenplay awards. Sadly, this was yet another example of the Academy ignoring exciting new films whose reputation will surely only grow in the years to come.
The release ofKill Bill: Volume 1was an extraordinary moment in the history of martial arts cinema, as director Quentin Tarantino repackaged kung fu styles and aesthetics in a way that connected with mainstream viewers. By paying homage to kung fu classics of the past and even integrating legendary Hong Kong martial arts actors into his film, Tarantino should have gained, at the very least, an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Instead,Kill Billwas snubbed entirely and did not receive a single nod from the Academy.
The complete snubbing ofKill Bill: Volume 1was a testament to how out of touch the Academy can bewith their nominations. This was a genre-bending triumph that helped to bridge the gap between Western and Eastern cinematic sensibilities and was an extraordinary lesson in style from one of Hollywood’s most popular directors. That’s not even to mention the incredibly committed performance from Uma Thurman, which earned her several major nominations, including a Golden Globe.
While the Academy Awards have started to recognize non-Western cinema a lot more in recent years, the martial arts genre still often gets left behind. A prime example of this was Choi Jae-hoon’sThe Swordsman, a visually stunning action movie whose astounding sense of style and impressive cinematography could stand up to any Hollywood production. With breathtaking visuals, dynamic camera work, and powerfully captured sword fights,The Swordsmanwas truly on another level, and it’s shocking it was totally ignored by Hollywood’s award circuit.
While it’s difficult for South Korean films to break through in the same way English-language movies can, the Best Picture win forParasitethe previous year helped lay the groundwork for movies likeThe Swordsmanto gain consideration. WhileParasite’sthemes of class conflict and exploitation may have struck a chord with viewers worldwide, it may still take some time before martial arts triumphs likeThe Swordsmangain the same level of recognition.
While everybody knows the Academy loves biopics, for some reason, this does not apply to non-Western movies such asIp Man. This modern martial arts classic starred Donnie Yen as the titular Wing Chun grandmaster, who later became a mentor to Bruce Lee. Set amidst the Sino-Japanese War,Ip Mancontained everything the Academy usually responds to, as it featured a committed performance, historical significance, and complex characters, although this sadly did not translate into Oscar success.
Despite acting as the inception point for one of the most popular martial arts franchises of all time,Ip Manwas not favored by the Academy. While Yen’s impressive performance should have been enough to garner the Best Actor nod, the true travesty was thatIp Manwas not even nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. This feels like a grave omission and the most pressing example of whyIp Mandeserved more recognition from the Academy.
Fearlesswas a Hong Kong-Chinese martial arts film starring Jet Li that was totally overlooked by the Academy. With stunning action sequences, emotional depth, and historical significance, this biopic told the story of the legendary Chinese martial artist Huo Yuanjia, who challenged foreign fighters in highly publicized national events. As a symbol of Chinese nationalism, it’s understandable that the politics ofFearlessmay not have resonated with Academy members, but the truth is that they should try to overcome their own biases.
Sadly,Fearlesswas yet another example of the artistic merits of martial arts films being underplayed by the Academy. The astounding visuals ofFearlessmeant it should have been in the running for a Best Cinematography Oscar, as the aesthetic beauty of this film oozed out of every scene. As one of the best-loved martial arts movies of the past 20 years, although the Academy failed to recognize it at the time, the legacy ofFearlessspeaks for itself.
Director Prachya Pinkaew brought the same level of style and substance from previous works like the Thai classicOng-Bakto the martial arts movieChocolate. With Yanin “Jeeja” Vismitananda in her debut performance, her astounding blend of fighting skills, emotional intensity, and sheer physicality should have received recognition from the Academy as the dawning of a brand new martial arts star. Unfortunately, martial arts performances rarely receive such recognition, and Jeeja received no such accolade.
Instead,the reputation ofChocolatehad to speak for itself, and it proved it did not need the Academy’s approval to build its legacy as a modern classic. As the story of an autistic martial arts prodigy, Jeeja delivered a nuanced performance of a neurodivergent character that arguably surpassed other Academy favorites, such as Dustin Hoffman inRain Man. WhileChocolatedidn’t align with the types of films normally recognized by the Academy, it still remains an astounding achievement from Jeeja and Pinkaew.
AlthoughHouse of Flying Daggerswas China’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, this wuxia classic did not gain that coveted nomination. While ZhaoXiaoding did receive the film’s lone Oscar nod for Best Cinematography, the award that was most notable was snubbed for Best Costume Design. With breathtaking costumes that represented the elegance of the Tang Dynasty,House of Flying Daggerswas a film filled with vibrant, colorful, and eye-catching costumes.
Despite designer Emi Wada previously gaining a Best Costume Design for her work on Akira Kurosawa’sRan, she did not manage to gain a second Oscar for her work onHouse of Flying Daggers. While the nearly 20 years that had elapsed since her previous win highlighted how much her stylistic instincts had improved in the intervening years, the astounding costumes inHouse of Flying Daggerswere totally ignored by the Academy.
If the Oscars gave retrospective awards for the most influential movies,Enter the Dragonwould sweep the ceremony. As the definitive Bruce Lee movie, this undisputed classic helped introduce generations of viewers to martial arts cinema and opened the doors for kung fu movies to explode in popularity throughout the 1970s. With this outstanding cultural impact in mind, it’s shocking to think thatEnter the Dragondid not receive any nominations from the Academy.
Those with an understanding of the history of the Academy Awards will recognize that martial arts films almost never received any nominations, and it was only after the success ofCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonthat fighting films were truly taken seriously as important works of art. Looking back, this paradigm shift should have occurred with the release ofEnter the Dragon, a movie that was absolutely bursting with style. If it was possible to rewrite history, then most would agree thatBruce Lee should have received a nod for Best Actor.
Few martial arts movies reached the intensity ofGareth Evans' Indonesian thrillerThe Raid, a movie that started at a million miles a minute and maintained it throughout the entire runtime. As the story of an Indonesian National Police tactical squad taking part in a raid against a ruthless drug lord, things truly kicked into hyper gear as the rookie cop Rama (Iko Uwais) was forced to single-handedly fight his way through an apartment block filled with foes.
The appeal ofThe Raidwas not in its narrative depth but in the sheer spectacle of its fighting choreography and awe-inspiring editing. The fact thatThe Raiddid not receive an Oscar nomination was an absolute travesty, and sadly, the Academy did not learn its lesson by the time the sequel was released in 2014. When movies likeThe Raidget snubbed for Best Editing, it truly makes you wonder what the category is even for if not to honor astounding pieces of filmmaking like this.
While Zhang Yimou’s wuxia releaseHerodid receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, the fact that the film was shut out of other categories was truly shocking. This technical masterpiece should have gained far more recognition as a visually stunning and emotionally resonant glimpse into the Warring States Period in ancient China.Herolost out on its Oscar to the German filmNowhere in Africa, which, although a solid historical drama, was nowhere near the groundbreaking and visually mesmerizing appeal of Yimou’s movie.
Featuring major stars like Jet Li, Tony Leung, and Donnie Yen,Herowas a chance forthe Academyto showcase their recognition of the trailblazing work that was being done in Asian cinema. As the first Chinese film to ever top the American box office (viaChina Daily),Heroalso helped bring Chinese martial arts cinema into the mainstream and showcase that when these kinds of films received a wide release in the U.S., audiences actually turned up to see them.
