5 of the Best Jiu Jitsu Movies Ever Made
Jiu jitsu movies have come a long way since the days of Hollywood B-movies, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some great movies made in recent years – especially if you’re interested in seeing the sport of jiu jitsu portrayed on the big screen in an accurate and exciting way. In this list, we’ll take a look at five of the best jiu jitsu movies of all time that are sure to get your blood pumping and leave you wanting more! As always, let us know if we missed any of your favorites in the comments below!
1. Warrior
Based on a true story, Warrior is a Jiu Jitsu movie starring Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte. It tells the tale of two estranged brothers who reconnect to compete in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournaments. One brother, played by Hardy, is an ex-Marine turned cage fighter who has everything going for him until he makes a terrible decision to steal money from his employer.
2. Red Belt
The best jiu jitsu movie ever made, in my opinion. It is based on a book by Eduardo Sanchez, who co-wrote and directed with his brother. The film centers around a young man named Jiu Jitsu whose parents were murdered in front of him as a child; he is forced to live on his own and learns how to survive on the streets by any means necessary. One day he stumbles upon an American jiu jitsu dojo run by Mitsuyo Maeda, a celebrated fighter in Brazil.
3. Tokyo Zombie
Tokyo Zombie takes a humorous, yet morbid, look at an apocalyptic world in which most of humanity has been turned into zombies. The film is filled with fight scenes and violent zombie attacks that are so funny they’ll make you laugh even if you’re not a fan of martial arts films. With highly entertaining characters and fast-paced plot, Tokyo Zombie is one martial arts movie that really delivers on action! If your favorite jiu jitsu movie isn’t on our list, let us know what it is! A couple quick searches will tell you whether it’s available to stream online or rent from your local video store. There’s no excuse for not watching more jiu jitsu movies. We’ve got time for more…right?
4. The Art of Self Defense
In our opinion, not only is The Art of Self Defense one of the best jiu jitsu movies ever made, it’s also a great movie to watch whether you’re interested in self-defense or not. In case you haven’t seen it yet, The Art of Self Defense is an absolutely brilliant comedy that follows Owen Wilson as he hires an instructor (Christopher Walken) to teach him how to defend himself against muggers. Naturally, things don’t go as planned and you can probably guess what happens next—we won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t seen it yet! The fight scenes are brilliantly choreographed and showcase some pretty cool moves; on top of that, they’re also very funny!
5. John Wick
Whether you’re a fan of hitman movies or not, John Wick broke into mainstream action cinema in 2014. The flick has received favorable ratings and reviews on Metacritic and is considered to be one of, if not, THE best jiu jitsu movie ever made. The film follows an ex-hitman named John Wick (played by Keanu Reeves) as he seeks revenge for his recently deceased dog. It’s got an impressive cast, including Reeves alongside screen legends like Willem Dafoe, Lance Reddick and Ian McShane. If you’re in it for the fight scenes, John Wick definitely delivers—they’re just as violent as they are amazing!
