{"id":21654,"date":"2025-12-20T23:01:34","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T15:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=21654"},"modified":"2025-12-20T23:01:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T15:01:34","slug":"these-are-iko-uwais-other-best-martial-arts-films","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=21654","title":{"rendered":"These Are Iko Uwais&#8217; Other Best Martial Arts Films"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Iwa Uwais<\/strong> is an action star. The film industry has plenty of legendary performers who transcend the medium, becoming icons known around the world. More so than any other genre, action has the most bullet-proof track record for turning stars into superstars, even if fewer actors and actresses are reaching that status nowadays than during the &#8217;80s and &#8217;90s. While modern blockbusters tend to be sold on their larger-than-life set piece more than anything else, the martial arts movie subgenre is still driven by leading men and women defined by their physicality. <em>John <\/em><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box; margin:0px; padding:0px\"><em>Wick <\/em>is<\/span> arguably the most beloved action series of the last decade, and Keanu Reeves&#8217; stunt work helped it greatly. Although not as well-known as Reeves, Uwais has also established himself as a genre heavyweight, largely thanks to his performances in <em>The Raid: Redemption<\/em> and <em>The Raid 2<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! -->        <\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"best-hollywood-martial-arts-movies\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/best-hollywood-martial-arts-movies-john-wick-kung-fu-panda-karate-kid.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/best-hollywood-martial-arts-movies-john-wick-kung-fu-panda-karate-kid.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"440\" height=\"364\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"best hollywood martial arts movies john wick, kung fu panda, karate kid\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/best-hollywood-martial-arts-movies-john-wick-kung-fu-panda-karate-kid.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/best-hollywood-martial-arts-movies-john-wick-kung-fu-panda-karate-kid.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t\tThe Best Hollywood Martial Arts Movies<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Taking inspiration from Asia, Hollywood has produced some of the greatest martial arts movies ever.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Gritty and intense, <em>The Raid<\/em> was a breath of fresh air when it came out in the early 2010s, and its success influenced the action genre as a whole. Following its explosion in popularity, movies started to emphasize close-quarters combat more than they had in years, a trend that continues to this very day. Uwais will likely always be known for these two films, but he has starred in many other great action flicks that deserve attention.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"who-is-iko-uwais\">\n                        Who is Iko Uwais?<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"the-raid-39-s-martial-arts-star\">\n            The Raid&#8217;s Martial Arts Star<br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<p>Born Uwais Qorny, Iko Uwais stepped into the acting world through unexpected means. His grandfather, H. Achmad Bunawar, was a respected master and teacher of a traditional Indonesian martial art called silat. Director Gareth Evans came to Uwais&#8217; training hall while he was in Indonesia shooting a documentary about silat. Evans discovered Uwais, taking note of his easy charisma and flawless screen presence, and gave him a shot at feature film success. Few partnerships between actors and directors would be as impactful as Evans&#8217; bond with Uwais. Uwais first starred in <em>Merantau<\/em>, the film that also featured the debut of Yayan Ruhian. Together, Evans, Uwais, and Ruhian would forge one of the most important action films of the 2010s.<\/p>\n<p>The impact of <em>The Raid: Redemption<\/em> can&#8217;t be overstated. It was a realignment only comparable to the &#8217;90s shift that followed <em>The Matrix<\/em>. Its legacy aside, <em>The Raid<\/em> is, in many ways, a perfect action film. It&#8217;s an unrelenting charge through some of the most effective physical violence ever put to screen. The characters are straightforward yet completely identifiable. The performances fit their place in the story very well. Perhaps more than most action cinema, the action set pieces feel like gripping emotional duels between equals. <em>The Raid<\/em> spawned a sequel, and though it was still absolutely incredible, its expansion lost some of the brutal immediacy of the original film. Uwais may not have another film as impactful as <em>The Raid<\/em>, but he has several other excellent ones.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"headshot\">\n                        Headshot<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"epic-action-with-a-side-of-amnesia\">\n            Epic Action With A Side Of Amnesia<br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<p>The Mo Brothers are Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel. They&#8217;re both Indonesian filmmakers who met while studying in Australia and created a few fun films together. <em>Headshot<\/em> was their final feature under their fun nickname, but it wasn&#8217;t their last time working together. Stamboel is a fascinating creator in his own right, but he&#8217;s mostly shifted over to horror movies over the past few years. Tjahjanto might be the most promising martial arts movie director working today.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"best-games-martial-arts-master-pro-skills\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/using-a-mikiri-counter-in-sekiro-shadows-die-twice.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/using-a-mikiri-counter-in-sekiro-shadows-die-twice.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"440\" height=\"364\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Using a mikiri counter in Sekiro Shadows Die Twice\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/using-a-mikiri-counter-in-sekiro-shadows-die-twice.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/using-a-mikiri-counter-in-sekiro-shadows-die-twice.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t\tGames That Make You Feel Like A True Martial Arts Master<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">These great games capture the spirit, not just the style, of martial arts, leading to memorable experiences. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Headshot<\/em> follows a familiar structure, casting Uwais as Ishmael, a man who takes that name from <em>Moby Dick<\/em> after waking up without his memories. Ishmael must fight his way through armies of criminal enforcers and assassins to defend the doctor who saved his life. <em>Headshot<\/em> delivers more of the absurd violence and physical feats that fans of <em>The Raid<\/em> would expect.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"triple-threat\">\n                        Triple Threat<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"a-great-showcase-for-more-than-just-iko-uwais\">\n            A Great Showcase For More Than Just Iko Uwais<br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<p>A lot of martial arts movies exist to promote the skills of a martial artist, but as <em>Triple Threat<\/em>&#8216;s title suggests, it exists to show off three. Iko Uwais joins Tony Jaa and Tiger Chen as the three titans of the film. Since the entire premise exists to bring the trio together, it&#8217;s far from the best story in any of their careers. Chen and Jaa portray soldiers who join a misleading mission, eventually placing them in the line of fire and stringing them along to free terrorists.<\/p>\n<p>Through their actions, an entire village of Indonesian civilians dies horribly, prompting Iko Uwais to swear revenge. The three protagonists shift in and out of competition with each other, allowing them to play heroes and villains. Ultimately, <em>Triple Threat<\/em> is a pretty good showcase for the wacky fun of the genre.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-night-comes-for-us\">\n                        The Night Comes For Us<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"an-action-masterpiece-similar-to-the-raid-movies\">\n            An Action Masterpiece Similar To The Raid Movies<br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<p><em>The Night Comes For Us<\/em> is probably Iko Uwais&#8217; best movie since <em>The Raid<\/em>. It&#8217;s a jaw-dropping explosion of violence with an in-depth story that feels a bit reminiscent of <em>The Raid 2<\/em>. Uwais doesn&#8217;t take the lead role here, handing those duties to Joe Taslim. Taslim portrays a former gang enforcer who turns over a new leaf and tries to escape his life of crime. This film features a lot of the cast and crew behind <em>Headshot<\/em>, including writer\/director Timo Tjahjanto. Uwais portrays the lead villain, a fellow former gang member who also seeks to eliminate Taslim for his own ambitions. Their personal struggle becomes entwined in a massive struggle between colorful killers and stellar action set pieces. It&#8217;s a modern masterpiece of the martial arts genre, and no self-respecting fan can miss it.<\/p>\n<p>Iko Uwais has been all over the industry. He&#8217;s been in some of the biggest Hollywood productions of the past few decades and several excellent indie projects. Fans can follow him through a lot of the best martial arts movies in the industry. He may have started with <em>The Raid<\/em>, but Uwais is still going strong.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"best-martial-arts-anime\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/best-martial-arts-anime-of-all-time.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/best-martial-arts-anime-of-all-time.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"440\" height=\"364\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Best-Martial-Arts-Anime-Of-All-Time\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/best-martial-arts-anime-of-all-time.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/best-martial-arts-anime-of-all-time.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>MORE<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t\tBest Martial Arts Anime Of All Time<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Anime consists of various subgenres, and among the most entertaining is martial arts.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/gamerant.com\/raid-iko-uwais-best-martial-arts-films\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Iwa Uwais is an action star. The film industry has plenty of legendary performers who transcend the medium, becoming icons known around the world. More&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[4681,4921,13697,6106,13698],"class_list":["post-21654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-gadgets-reviews","tag-arts","tag-films","tag-iko","tag-martial","tag-uwais","wpcat-32-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21654\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}