Best movies like No Retreat, No Surrender
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Young Jason Stillwell (Kurt McKinney) moves with his parents to Seattle, where local bullies harass them without mercy. Jason's father Tom (Tim Baker) does not believe in violence, so the family takes it on the chin. One day Jason enrolls in a martial arts class and quietly rises in rank to be a major contender. His mettle is tested in an international match against Ivan, a Russian champion.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: Hong Kong, USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: serious, surprise ending, cult classic, exciting, retro, action adventure, independent film, psychotronic, black comedy, dark comedy
Best tv shows and movies like No Retreat, No Surrender (1985):
Similar in 76%
Last Tiger from Canton (1973)
Plot Summary:
Young Jackie was intrigued by Kung-Fu since an early age, but his father strictly forbade its practice. One day, he meets an old beggar who offers to teach Jackie how to fight. Jackie grows up to be quite good though he keeps his knowledge a secret until he is forced to fight by an extortion ring that's putting the squeeze on his uncle's restaurant. Later released in a re-cut version with the title Master with Cracked Fingers.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, exciting, humorous, realistic, semi serious, fast
Similar in 80%
The Quest (1996)
Plot Summary:
Ghang-gheng, the ancient winner-take-all competition in which the deadliest fighters from around the world employ the most spectacular feats of martial arts skills ever displayed in order to win the prized Golden Dragon. But fighting prowess alone will not be enough for Chris to triumph over such daunting foes.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, stylized, period piece, sentimental, suspense, cult classic, fast, costume drama
Similar in 75%
The Way of the Dragon (1972)
Plot Summary:
Tang Lung arrives in Rome to help his cousins in the restaurant business. They are being pressured to sell their property to the syndicate, who will stop at nothing to get what they want. When Tang arrives he poses a new threat to the syndicate, and they are unable to defeat him. The syndicate boss hires the best Japanese and European martial artists to fight Tang, but he easily finishes them off.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 40000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: breathtaking, humorous, talky, stylized, exciting, serious, suspenseful, grindhouse, cult classic, psychological
Similar in 76%
Game of Death (1978)
Plot Summary:
Billy Lo is a Hong Kong-based movie actor, who is a box office draw. His girlfriend, Ann Morris, is a singer who is also climbing to the top. Now it seems the syndicate wants Billy and Ann to join their "management firm". But Billy knows that they will be treated like property, so he refuses and tells her to do the same. So they try to "encourage" him to join but he still refuses. He would be advised that they will not stop, so he must stop them, permanently. He is even more hesitant to do that but when an attempt on his life is made, he fakes his death and alters his appearance, and decides to go after the syndicate; taking them out one at a time.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, suspenseful, cult classic, psychotronic, stylized, brutal, emotional, harsh, exciting, humorous
Similar in 75%
Only the Strong (1993)
Plot Summary:
Former Green Beret Louis Stevens returns to his hometown of Miami after completing military service in Brazil, only to learn that his old high school has become a haven for gangs and drug dealers. After Stevens uses his capoeira skills to kick several drug dealers off of the school property, Kerrigan, one of Stevens' old teachers, sees the impact that Stevens has on the students. Kerrigan gives him the task of teaching Capoeira to a handful of the worst at-risk students at the school.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: France, USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, independent film, cult film
Similar in 88%
The King of the Kickboxers (1990)
Plot Summary:
Kahn is a heavy weight kick-box champion, who often kills his opponents in front of the running camera, to sell it on video tape. Jake had to witness once how his brother was killed by him, and now has come for revenge. But first he has to improve his fighting skills; he asks Phang, the only person in the whole world who ever had Khan down on his back, to train him until he is a match for him.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Sport
Country: Hong Kong, USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, suspenseful, serious, independent film
Similar in 84%
No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers (1990)
Plot Summary:
Two feuding brothers (one a policeman, the other a martial arts expert) of different political views, join forces to avenge the death of their father, a retired agent, killed by the mafia.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Sport
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, intense, suspense, fast, independent film
Similar in 82%
Kickboxer (1989)
Plot Summary:
If your enemy refuses to be humbled... Destroy him. Accompanied by his brother Kurt (Van Damme), American kickboxing champion Eric Sloane (Dennis Alexio), arrives in Thailand to defeat the Eastern warriors at their own sport. His opponent: ruthless fighter and Thai champion, Tong Po. Tong not only defeats Eric, he paralyzes him for life. Crazed with anger, Kurt vows revenge.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 60000
Genere: Action, Sport, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: cult classic, inspirational, harsh, serious, realistic, grindhouse, feel good, exciting, social, action thriller
Similar in 80%
Mr. Canton and Lady Rose (1989)
Plot Summary:
A country boy becomes the head of a gang through the purchase of some lucky roses from an old lady. He and a singer at the gang's nightclub try to do a good deed for the old lady when her daughter comes to visit.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 139 min
Plot tags: fairy tale, cult classic, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious, slapstick comedy, slapstick, dark comedy, cult film
Similar in 86%
Battle Creek Brawl (1980)
Plot Summary:
A young Asian American martial artist is forced to participate in a brutal formal street-fight competition.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime
Country: Hong Kong, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: humorous, slapstick, action comedy, action adventure, exciting, realistic, semi serious, funny, light, sexy
Similar in 77%
Drunken Master (1978)
Plot Summary:
Jackie Chan stars as Wong Fei-Hung, whose mischievous antics land him in hot water. Having tolerated enough of his son's mishaps, Fei-Hung's dad enlists his sadistic uncle, who specializes in drunken-style kung fu, to teach the lad some discipline. This Hong Kong martial-arts comedy helped establish the slapstick fighting style that would become Chan's trademark.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Action, Comedy
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: humorous, funny, grindhouse, exciting, intense, fast paced, cult classic, slapstick, slapstick comedy, epic
Similar in 79%
Martial Arts of Shaolin (1986)
Plot Summary:
Jet Li weasels out of the north Shaolin temple to assassinate a despotic ruler at the ruler's extravagant public birthday celebration. Two other men from the south Shaolin temple also set out to assassinate the ruler, but all three fail and are chased all over by soldiers. Meanwhile, one of the southerners turns out to be a cross-dressed woman, who is also discovered to wear a footbell to match Jet Li's, meaning they are somehow slated for an arranged marriage.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, cult classic, cult film
Similar in 80%
Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018)
Plot Summary:
One year after the events of "Kickboxer: Vengeance", Kurt Sloan has vowed never to return to Thailand. However, while gearing up for a MMA title shot, he finds himself sedated and forced back into Thailand, this time in prison. He is there because the ones responsible want him to face a 6'8" 400 lbs. beast named Mongkut and in return for the fight, Kurt will get two million dollars and his freedom back. Kurt at first refuses, in which a bounty is placed on his head as a way to force him to face Mongkut. Kurt soon learns he will have no other choice and will undergo his most rigorous training yet under some unexpected mentors in order to face Mongkut in hopes to regain his freedom.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: brutal, suspenseful, exciting, inspirational, feel good, bleak, serious, realistic, tense, rough
Similar in 84%
The Perfect Weapon (1991)
Plot Summary:
Jeff, a young delinquent, is enrolled by his father in a kenpo school, in the hopes of teaching the boy some self-discipline. Years later, Jeff's mentor, Kim, is being threatened by one of the Korean mafia families. Jeff tries to help his old friend, but is too late to prevent Kim's death at the hands of an unknown hitman. Vowing revenge, Jeff takes on all of the families, using his martial arts skills to find the man who killed his friend.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: detective, crime drama, cult classic, independent film, psychotronic, rough, serious, realistic, surprise ending, nostalgic
Similar in 78%
Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)
Plot Summary:
Russian inmate Boyka, now severely hobbled by the knee injury suffered at the end of Undisputed 2. No longer the feared prison fighter he was, he has declined so far that he is now good only for cleaning toilets. But when a new prison fight tournament begins - an international affair, matching the best fighters from prisons around the globe, enticing them with the promise of freedom for the winner - Boyka must reclaim his dignity and fight for his position in the tournament.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 44000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, saga, cult classic, extraordinary, cult film
Similar in 76%
Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978)
Plot Summary:
Everyone abuses and humiliates a downtrodden orphan (Chan) until he befriends an old man, who turns out to be the last master of the "snake fist" fighting style. Jackie becomes the old man's student and finds himself in battle with the master of the "eagle's claw" style, who has vowed to destroy the snake fist clan.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Action, Comedy
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: humorous, semi serious, grindhouse, fast paced, cult classic, exciting, realistic, fast, slapstick comedy, funny
Similar in 76%
The Shaolin Temple (1982)
Plot Summary:
The Tang emperor is betrayed by one of his generals, who installs himself as emperor in the East Capital. The son of one of his slave workers escapes to the Shaolin Temple, learns kung fu, and sets out to kill the traitor who killed his father. Based on a true story from Shaolin folklore, but highly fictionalized.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, stylized, captivating, tense, touching, cult classic, cult film
Similar in 86%
The Protector (2005)
Plot Summary:
In Bangkok, the young Kham was raised by his father in the jungle with elephants as members of their family. When his old elephant and the baby Kern are stolen by criminals, Kham finds that the animals were sent to Sidney. He travels to Australia, where he locates the baby elephant in a restaurant owned by the evil Madame Rose, the leader of an international Thai mafia. With the support of the efficient Thai sergeant Mark, who was involved in a conspiracy, Kham fights to rescue the animal from the mobsters.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 39000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Thailand, USA, Hong Kong, France, Australia
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: action packed, light, brutal, stylized, exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, intense, cult classic
Similar in 85%
Lionheart (1990)
Plot Summary:
Lyon Gaultier is a deserter in the Foreign Legion arriving in the USA entirely hard up. He finds his brother between life and death and his sister-in-law without the money needed to heal her husband and to maintain her child. To earn the money needed, Gaultier decides to take part in some very dangerous clandestine fights.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 39000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, suspenseful, sentimental, psychological, motivational, grindhouse, cult classic, serious, realistic
Similar in 76%
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Plot Summary:
Kreese, his life in tatters after his karate school was defeated by Daniel and Mr. Miyagi, visits Terry, a friend from Vietnam. Terry is a ruthless business man and a martial arts expert, and he vows to help Kreese take revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 68000
Genere: Action, Drama, Family, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: motivational, spiritual, saga, action packed, sentimental, feel good, serious, realistic, inspirational, romantic
Similar in 88%
Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011)
Plot Summary:
Four fighters different backgrounds come together to train under an ex MMA rising star and then ultimately have to fight each other and the traitor in heir midst.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 20000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: exciting, suspenseful, serious, realistic, inspirational, suspense, erotic, cult classic, teen, visually appealing
Similar in 82%
Bloodsport (1988)
Plot Summary:
Frank Dux has entered the "kumite", an illegal underground martial-arts competition where serious injury and even death are not unknown. Chong Li, a particularly ruthless and vicious fighter is the favorite, but then again Dux has not fought him yet.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 92000
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: exciting, intense, grindhouse, cult classic, serious, suspenseful, epic, independent film, rough, realistic
Similar in 82%
Best of the Best (1989)
Plot Summary:
A team from the United States is going to compete against Korea in a Tae Kwon Do tournament. The team consists of fighters from all over the country--can they overcome their rivalry and work together to win?.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: inspirational, emotional, exciting, serious, suspenseful, realistic, cult classic, independent film, feel good, unusual plot structure
Similar in 88%
Sidekicks (1992)
Plot Summary:
Barry is an asthmatic kid having trouble in life. He lives with his father, a computer programmer, in Texas. Barry is struggling to get by in life, dealing with his rough school life, bullies, as well as his health. Barry's only source of enjoyment is fantasizing that he is with Chuck Norris. Barry becomes sick of getting picked on by the bigger guys, and decides to learn karate.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: humorous, motivational, sentimental, epic, suspense, cult classic, independent film, exciting, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 75%
Dragon Eyes (2012)
Plot Summary:
In St. Jude, drug dealers and corrupt cops have destroyed an urban neighborhood. But newcomer, Hong, has the fighting skills and moral vision to save this town from itself.
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, rough, realistic, dark, cult classic, action packed, independent film, exciting, suspenseful
Similar in 75%
Never Back Down (2008)
Plot Summary:
Rebellious Jake Tyler is lured into an ultimate underground fight Scene at his new high school, after receiving threats to the safety of his friends and family Jake decides to seek the mentoring of a veteran fighter who trains him for one final no-holds-barred elimination fight with his nemesis and local martial arts champion Ryan McCarthy.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 105000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min
Plot tags: inspirational, serious, exciting, entertaining, intense, suspenseful, teen, motivational, cult classic, realistic
Similar in 83%
Tekken (2010)
Plot Summary:
In the year of 2039, after World Wars destroy much of the civilization as we know it, territories are no longer run by governments, but by corporations; the mightiest of which is the Mishima Zaibatsu. In order to placate the seething masses of this dystopia, Mishima sponsors Tekken, a tournament in which fighters battle until only one is left standing.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, futuristic, suspenseful, stylized, entertaining, action adventure, spectacular, fast
Similar in 87%
Blood and Bone (2009)
Plot Summary:
In Los Angeles, an ex-con (White) takes the underground fighting world by storm in his quest to fulfill a promise to a dead friend.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 35000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: exciting, inspirational, brutal, harsh, rough, suspenseful, serious, intense, motivational, hood
Similar in 76%
Double Impact (1991)
Plot Summary:
Jean Claude Van Damme plays a dual role as Alex and Chad, twins separated at the death of their parents. Chad is raised by a family retainer in Paris, Alex becomes a petty crook in Hong Kong. Seeing a picture of Alex, Chad rejoins him and convinces him that his rival in Hong Kong is also the man who killed their parents. Alex is suspicious of Chad, especially when it comes to his girlfriend.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, entertaining, suspenseful, action packed, suspense, cult classic, rough, independent film
Similar in 90%
Assassination Games (2011)
Plot Summary:
Brazil is a contract killer, willing to take any job if the price is right. Flint left the assassin game when a ruthless drug dealer’s brutal attack left his wife in a coma. When a contract is put out on the same coldblooded drug dealer, both Brazil and Flint want him dead – one for the money, the other for revenge. With crooked Interpol agents and vicious members of the criminal underworld hot on their trail, these two assassins reluctantly join forces to quickly take out their target before they themselves are terminated.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Hong Kong, Romania
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, suspense, intense, cult classic, surprise ending, neo noir