Best movies like Balance of Power
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
A martial arts expert who runs a dojo for under-privileged kids from a dilapidated warehouse is shaken down by gangsters demanding protection money. Then when one of his students is gunned down in the street by the gang, he swears revenge. Meanwhile the gang leader is setting up a death match between the best fighters and is forcing a former trainer to find a new champion by threatening his granddaughter.
IMDB Rating: 4.6
IMDB Votes: 398
Genere: Action
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast, surprise ending
Best tv shows and movies like Balance of Power (1996):
Similar in 76%
Showdown (1993)
Plot Summary:
Ken has just moved from Kansas with his mother. He talks to a girl named Julie, not knowing that her boyfriend Tom is very possessive of her. Tom is learning karate from Lee, a sensei whose brother was killed by a rookie cop named Billy. Billy has since then become the janitor of the school that Ken, Julie and Tom go to. When Ken gets beaten up by Tom for talking to Julie again, Billy helps Ken by teaching him how to defend himself, which eventually leads to a battle between student vs. student, and sensei vs. sensei.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 76%
Street Corner Justice (1996)
Plot Summary:
Pittsburgh cop Mike Justus is kicked off the force and moves away to relax in sunny Los Angeles. Unfortunately his dream retirement turns out to be a nightmare and he is forced to deal out his own brand of street corner justice.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 252
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, surprise ending, detective
Similar in 88%
Hawk's Vengeance (1996)
Plot Summary:
Eric Hawke a British Marine, attends the funeral of his policeman brother who he discovers has been attempting to investigate the mysterious kidnappings and murders of a local Asian street gang. The clues seem to point to a rival Nazi white supremacist gang as the culprits, but Lizzie (Hawke's brother's partner in the police force) is not so sure: she suspects a larger conspiracy which involves one of the city's most powerful crime bosses, a man by the name of Garr. As the body count rises, Eric, Lizzie and young Asian gang member Lipo Chung race to uncover the truth behind the murders, before more missing gang members wash up on the beach with missing organs.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 235
Genere: Action
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 76%
Without Mercy (1995)
Plot Summary:
He' s been betrayed by his country, stripped of his honor and exiled to a foreign land. Now maverick Marine officer Frank Zagarino has found a way to get back what was stolen from him. And he'll get it-no matter what it takes.
IMDB Rating: 4.5
IMDB Votes: 144
Genere: Action
Country: Indonesia, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 79%
Pushed to the Limit (1992)
Plot Summary:
Magnificent Mimi is a woman with a destiny and a bright future ahead of her. She is the world's greatest female wrestling champion, she has a loving boyfriend and loyal family members who care and love her. But things take a turn for the worst when Mimi's boyfriend Nick is wounded and her younger brother is shot to death for trying to stiff local druglord Harry Lee. Lee is the toughest and meanest criminal figure in all of Southern California and if you double-cross him, you won't live to see the sun set. Not only does Lee rule his own empire, he also runs the Kumite, a gladitorial fight ring where warriors battle to the death. Mimi knows the police can't touch Lee with a ten foot pole and so she enlists the aid of her martial arts friend Master Vern to teach her kickboxing and tai chi so she can prepare for combat. Vern doesn't think Mimi is ready for Kumite, as it is a place where only one warrior can be left standing and breathing and the one who loses dies.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 115
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 79%
Sucker Punch (2008)
Plot Summary:
Ray 'Harley' Davidson is a hustler. With flash clothes and a fast mouth, Harley lives life in the fast lane. With his passion for all things gambling, money runs like water through Harley's hands and as quickly as he makes a killing he takes a beating, normally at the poker table. Nominally an illegal prize-fight manager, Harley hasn't produced a live one in months, until Charles Buchinsky literally wanders into his life. Charles Buchinsky, street fighter extraordinaire. He's from out of town looking for a fight and the chance to tie up a few loose ends. Keeps himself to himself, lets his fists do the talking and his word is his bond. Victor Maitland, top illegal fight promoter and porn baron. Hates losing and loves the prestige of managing the best hitter in town. Harley dreams of bringing Maitland down and after seeing Buchinsky at work, engineers a fragile partnership. The duo soon becomes a hot ticket.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action
Country: UK
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, humorous, realistic, semi serious, entertaining, action adventure, fairy tale, remake of american film
Similar in 79%
Shootfighter: Fight to the Death (1993)
Plot Summary:
Nick and Ruben are hoodwinked into a "shootfighter" (no-holds-barred, to the death) martial arts match by the evil Mr. Lee, who has a grudge against world shootfighter champ(and teacher of Nick and Ruben) Shingo.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: bloody, suspense, independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 86%
Forced to Fight (2011)
Plot Summary:
Once a legend in the brutal world of illicit underground fighting, Shane Slavin (Daniels) decides to turn his life around, promising his wife and young son he's fought his last battle. But when his younger brother betrays a ruthless crime boss (Weller), Shane is forced back into the arena to pay his brother's debts and to protect his family.
IMDB Rating: 4.3
IMDB Votes: 817
Genere: Action
Country: Canada
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, realistic, tense, suspense, serious
Similar in 89%
To Be the Best (1993)
Plot Summary:
Eric Kulhane, a member of the U.S. Kickboxing Team, lets his quick temper and obsessive love for beautiful Cheryl make him the perfect target for blackmail. In order to stop ruthless gambler from rigging the World Championship and killing Cheryl, Eric and his father, his American teammates and their most feared Chinese opponents join for an explosive climax which rocks the Las Vegas Strip.
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 338
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, fast
Similar in 87%
American Kickboxer (1991)
Plot Summary:
Kickboxing champion B.J. is jailed for an accidental murder thanks to the testimony of his arch-nemesis Denard. A year later, B.J. is released and then challenged by Denard for $100,000. Will B.J. accept and get even with Denard?.
IMDB Rating: 3.7
IMDB Votes: 697
Genere: Action, Sport
Country: USA, South Africa
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, serious, grindhouse, independent film, cult film
Similar in 79%
Shootfighter II (1996)
Plot Summary:
In this martial-arts actioner, Miami mobsters find themselves in mortal danger after an angry police chief hires the world's most vicious fighters and uses them to launch a city-wide vendetta.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 775
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 79%
Bloodsport 2 (1996)
Plot Summary:
After thief Alex Cardo gets caught while stealing an ancient katana in East Asia, he soon finds himself imprisoned and beaten up by the crowd there. One of the guards, Demon, feels upset by Alex appearance and tortures him as often as he gets the opportunity. Alex finds a friend and mentor in the jailhouse, Master Sun, who teaches him a superior fighting style called Iron Hand. When a 'best of the best kumite' is to take place, Demon gets an invitation. Now Master Sun and Alex need to find a way to let Alex take part in the kumite too.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: suspense, intense, serious, realistic, independent film, fast, unusual plot structure, humorous, bad ending, melancholic
Similar in 90%
Beatdown (2010)
Plot Summary:
Brandon, a respected street fighter, is forced to flee the city after his brother is murdered and the money that was supposed to be paid back to a local gangster is stolen. While lying low at his father's house in a small Southern town, Brandon soon gets involved in the local underground cage-fighting circuit. With the help of Drake Colby, a former MMA champion, Brandon devises a scheme to bring a massive payday, if they are able to survive.
IMDB Rating: 4.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, exciting, rough, serious, realistic
Similar in 75%
Max Havoc - Ring of Fire (2006)
Plot Summary:
Max, having forsaken his life as a former world kick-boxing champion to redefine himself as a world class photographer, is on his way to photograph top tennis star and athlete Suzy Blaine. While on assignment, Max uncovers a crime ring and relies on his skills as a martial artist to set the situation straight.
IMDB Rating: 3.4
IMDB Votes: 314
Genere: Action
Country: USA, Canada, Germany
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, tense, suspense, independent film, rough, realistic, suspenseful, fast
Similar in 88%
The Shadow Boxer (1974)
Plot Summary:
Chen Wo-Fu plays construction worker Ku Ting, whose skill at "tai chi" (shadow boxing) is as great as his pacifism. But when his girlfriend is raped by vicious gangsters, he shows everyone the true power and beauty of tai chi.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 124
Genere: Action
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 76%
Fists of Legend (2013)
Plot Summary:
On a television show billed as “the greatest fight show on Earth,” eager amateurs with lots to prove boldly step into the ring and expect to leave bloody but victorious. The ratings hungry producers seek out “legendary” but largely forgotten streetfighters and mine their desperation for recaptured glory and redemption into ratings gold.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action
Country: South Korea
Duration: 154 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, captivating, rough
Similar in 76%
When the Cobra Strikes (2012)
Plot Summary:
One man travels across country, smuggling illegal black diamonds to sell in order to pay for his father's pardon in South Africa. When he arrives to the United States to finalize what appeared to be a simple transaction he is soon double-crossed and becomes caught up in a contraband forcing him to overcome an opponent far more lethal and deadlier than he has ever met.
IMDB Rating: 3.5
IMDB Votes: 376
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, suspenseful, tense, captivating, crime drama, realistic
Similar in 75%
Out for Blood (1992)
Plot Summary:
A lawyer's family is murdered by drug smugglers, and he is beaten and left for dead, but survives although in a coma. When he awakes he only has a partial memory of what happened. In order to find out the real story, he trains with a karate master and becomes a mysterious avenger known as "The Karate Man".
IMDB Rating: 4.6
IMDB Votes: 477
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: independent film, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 76%
Challenge of the Masters (1976)
Plot Summary:
The Wong family kung fu school gets smacked around by a rival school. Wong Fei-hong gets fed up with the abuse and goes to learn from his fathers master. After one of the rival schools members kills some of the towns people Wong Fei-hong becomes enraged trains even more comes back and gets his revenge.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 796
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, fast
Similar in 83%
Fist 2 Fist (2011)
Plot Summary:
Still haunted by his failure to prevent the murder of a young couple years earlier, a mixed martial arts teacher must confront the skeleton in his closet when the boy who was orphaned by the killing shows up at his door.
IMDB Rating: 3.5
IMDB Votes: 188
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, rough, cult film
Similar in 88%
Street Warrior (2008)
Plot Summary:
An Iraqi war vet returns home to find that his brother is in a coma from participating in an illegal underground fight club.
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 603
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: serious, exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, rough, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 77%
The Purifiers (2004)
Plot Summary:
The story of martial arts clubs who have created their own city infrastructure after tiring of government initiatives. Responding to the greed and corruption creeping into the other clubs, headed by capitalist-wannabe Moses, The Purifiers battle to maintain the successful system which has rid the city of crime and violence.
IMDB Rating: 3.3
IMDB Votes: 772
Genere: Action
Country: UK
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: exciting, captivating, tense, suspense, grindhouse, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 83%
Muscle Heat (2002)
Plot Summary:
In the year 2009, a young policeman must collapse a Yakuza family whose members make a large profit with a new drug.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 295
Genere: Action, Adventure
Country: Japan
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, serious, crime drama, fast
Similar in 86%
Wushu Warrior (2011)
Plot Summary:
China, 1862: Lord Lindsey rules the opium trade and enslaves the innocent. The only hope for the oppressed nation, is a covert group of trained Wushu Warriors - The Red Lotus Society – who will fight to restore justice to its people.
IMDB Rating: 3.9
IMDB Votes: 450
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: exciting, captivating, tense, entertaining, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast
Similar in 86%
On the Edge (2002)
Plot Summary:
Dakota Smith is an ex-cop and former private eye with a proclivity for community service. When a young basketball player entangles himself with drug dealers, he turns to Dak for help. Eventually goons are sent to kill the hoopster, but they hit the family of Rex Stevens by mistake. Frustrated by the incompetent and crooked police, the trio of Smith, Stevens, and their friend Frank Harris then battle the drug dealers for control of the streets. Also the heroes must tangle with Felix, a stealthy and ruthless hitman.
IMDB Rating: 4.0
IMDB Votes: 222
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, crime drama, exciting, neo noir
Similar in 78%
Best of the Best II (1993)
Plot Summary:
In an underground fight club, blackbelt Travis Brickley is killed after losing to the evil martial arts master Brakus. Travis' death is witnessed by Walter Grady, the son of his best friend Alex Grady. Alex and his partner, Tommy Lee, vow to avenge their friend's death by defeating Brakus and shutting down the fight club.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: serious, suspense, independent film, rough, realistic, suspenseful, fast, clever, brutal, unusual plot structure
Similar in 76%
Vigilante (2008)
Plot Summary:
When Luke is viciously attacked and his fiancée is raped and murdered, he pledges to train himself in deadly hand to hand combat and use it against any wrong doers who dare to cross his path.
IMDB Rating: 2.6
IMDB Votes: 522
Genere: Action
Country: Australia
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, realistic
Similar in 75%
Confessions of a Pit Fighter (2005)
Plot Summary:
"From the day I was born I had to fight to survive. I fought everyone and everything that came in front of me. On the streets, confessions are made in Blood. They say that when you confess your sins, only then can you be redeemed. This is my redemption. This is my confession." (Eddie Castillo 2005).
IMDB Rating: 4.2
IMDB Votes: 273
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 80%
Urban Fighter (2012)
Plot Summary:
The "Bloods" are the most intimidating and violent gang in the city. A lawless city... where gangs rule the streets... The vicious and blood thirsty murderer Slater is their leader. The city is his domain... he rules! There are those who are not members of gangs such as Mikey and his friends. Mikey lives on the edge, he is daring and always in trouble and fights. His brother Mathis and his friends try to avoid trouble at any cost. Revenge becomes the motive to Mikey when his brother Mathis goes missing and is killed..... Written by Generation X Group GmbH.
IMDB Rating: 3.2
IMDB Votes: 456
Genere: Action
Country: Germany
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast
Similar in 77%
Underground (2007)
Plot Summary:
In the UK suburbs, an underground tournament is set to challenge twelve fighters from different backgrounds to compete for the price of £500,000. They have been handpicked for a no-holds barred competition that will push each fighter to their limit. Each fighter has their own reason for competing, and each will give everything they've got to take the prize...but there can be only one winner.
IMDB Rating: 4.2
IMDB Votes: 590
Genere: Action
Country: UK
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: rough, exciting, serious, suspenseful, realistic