Fearless vs Kickboxer - #7 vs #10 - Martial Arts Movie Matchup

Fearless Vs. Kickboxer

Fearless (83%, 15 Votes)
Kickboxer (17%, 3 Votes)

Total Voters: 18

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Voting will be open until 4/17/19 at 6 pm EDT.

Click on these links to read the full movie reviews of Fearless and Kickboxer.

Fearless vs Kickboxer – In this matchup we have two of the most beloved martial arts movie actors of all time, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Jet Li, squaring off in two of their most successful films. Kickboxer brought in 14 million for Van Damme’s debut in 1989. The 2006 film, Fearless (aka Huo Yuan Jia), was a bit more successful, grossing 68 million globally. Each film is often cited as an example work for the actors, if not *the* example. I enjoy both films, for different reasons. My feelings on the actors are a bit more one-sided, however.

Film Casting

Fearless

Fearless features a strong cast, led by Jet Li in his prime. I’ll confess, I recognize few of the names in this film, with the noted exception of Anthony De Longis playing an unnamed character. It’s not that the other actors in the film were inexperienced or inadequate, it’s just that no one bigger was necessary. Jet Li, at his peak, is as good a martial arts actor as anyone ever has been.

Kickboxer

I don’t think anyone has ever put Jean-Claude Van Damme on a best-actors list. And the rest of the cast wasn’t impressive. However, despite the low budget (1.5 million) the cast managed to work well together, creating some chemistry that helped us survive from one fight scene to the next. Want some behind the scenes info on Jean-Claude Van Damme? Check out the profile episode on Martial Arts Radio.

Plot Comparison

Fearless

As the main character, Huo Yuanjia (Jet Li) becomes a really good fighter, which comes with a really big ego. He wins a fight, killing the guy, and ends up having some of his family murdered in retaliation. Embarrassed, he runs away to wander the countryside. He has an epiphany, believing sport is the way, not violence. Returning to society, he tries to spread his new message, but there are those who won’t have it. So he fights a few of them, including De Longis.

Kickboxer

Tong Po, the villain, paralyzes Eric Sloan in the ring. Kurt Sloane (Van Damme) learns Muay Thai to avenge him. Sloan kicks a tree over during training while the rest of the world clutches their shins.

Martial Arts

Fearless

It’s subjective, of course, but there are few people I feel have done as good a job representing martial arts skill on screen as Jet Li. His attention to detail and fluid movement make every appearance worth watching, and this movie is no exception. It’s hard to imagine the challenge of keeping up with Jet Li on screen, and I give a lot of credit to anyone who does. There are times we talk about martial arts as poetry, as truly artistic, and I think this film is a great example.

Kickboxer

The irony of this film is that the martial arts we see isn’t very good – even by 1980s standards. However, there’s something compelling about the creativity and the simplicity of it. Maybe it’s because most of us hadn’t seen Muay Thai before, or maybe because we give Van Damme credit for actually choreographing the film himself. Yup, look it up. In the end, though, there’s something special in these movements and the way they’re presented. After all, it’s the martial arts of Kickboxer that makes it a favorite.

Fearless vs Kickboxer: Conclusion

There’s a special place in my heart for both movies, and I will continue to watch both. In almost every definable way, I can say that I prefer Fearless. Yet, somehow, Kickboxer isn’t that far behind – which we see in the polling results overall. The statistical difference between #7 and #10 isn’t that big with our sample set, and I fully agree with those placements. If you forced me to pick one to watch, forever, it would be Fearless. But if I wanted to show a fun martial arts film to people who *don’t* train, it would definitely be Kickboxer.