Everyone can appreciate a martial arts movie here and there as they display incredible stunts, fights, and mindless fun for over an hour. Despite its decline in recent years, this genre was incredibly popular during the 1970s and 1980s, and it has been experiencing a slow resurgence recently.
While Kelly's fame would decline in the 2000s, he was a prolific face during the 1970s, starring in multiple highly regarded action movies, including Black Belt Jones and Three the Hard Way. He had impressive talent in these movies, displaying martial arts talent and solid acting. Kelly won multiple awards in karate, including the World Middleweight Karate Title in 1971. He was a world-class martial artist, which made his time on screen a spectacle of fighting.
Jaa's first movie, Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, showcases his skills and dedication. He performs all of his stunts without any rigs or special effects, giving the movies a real feeling that no one can replicate in Hollywood. He is an impressive fighter and the sole highlight of Expend4bles, with charisma, talent, and energy that should earn him his own spin-off. Jaa is a talent who deserves more focus in Hollywood because of his impressive martial arts and presence on screen.
Van Damme, who competed in amateur karate from 1976 to 1980, had an impressive 44 wins and 4 losses and helped the Belgium national team win the European Karate Championship in 1979. He also had a remarkable kickboxing career, with 18 wins and one loss. This professional record helped him rise to stardom with his flashy and well-trained techniques. With his movies making over $1 billion, fans wanted to see kick-ass fighting by The Muscles from Brussels.
Yen would debut as the counterpart to , where he demonstrated impressive technique and acting. The popularity of his character has earned him a spin-off in the John Wick franchise, where he'll be sure to give fans more of his martial arts ability. Yen has found mainstream success as of late as he continues to prove his acting chops and martial arts, making him a household name and a star in the movie scene.