# Favorite/worst martial artists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193 "2004-08-10T13:27:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/1 "2004-08-10T13:27:12Z")
I didn’t want to hijack the other thread about Chuck Noris… So here we go! My favorite is Jackie Chan. His acting is a little “cheesy”, but I really like his fighting style. Very very creative. My favorite movies are [Who am I](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127357/), and [Rumble in the Bronx](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113326/) My worst is Steven Seagull. His fighting moves are very limited and his acting…lets just say that Chuck Norris looks like an Academy Award winner compared to Seagull 😛 ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/2 "2004-08-10T14:33:09Z")
Favorite: Hong Kong Phooey Least Favorite: Batman ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/3 "2004-08-10T15:02:13Z")
Kazushi Sakuraba Oh wait, you mean one of those fake martial artists. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/4 "2004-08-10T15:26:34Z")
Chow Yun Fat. A very deft touch in the critical skill of balancing-on-bamboo-plants. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/5 "2004-08-10T16:09:52Z")
I always found it amazing how Sammo Hung could move so well at his size. I’m in no position to judge martial arts but Jackie Chan is obviously a tremendous athelete and has no fear. He could do more with no help than most actors can do with wires. Jet Li ain’t too shabby either but too much wire work. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/6 "2004-08-10T20:59:07Z")
Jackie Chan _used_ to be great. His current stuff, though, seems to be an indication that he should migrate to a less strenuous form of acting… ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/7 "2004-08-10T21:34:44Z")
**Dog80** , I don’t know how well-versed you are in Jackie Chan’s filmography, but it sounds like you haven’t seen too many of his Hong Kong classics. If that’s the case, I urgently recommend that you see _Drunken Master_, _Drunken Master II_ (aka _Legend of Drunken Master_), _Project A_, _Police Story_, and _Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow_. Chan was already well past his prime by the time _Who Am I?_ came around. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/8 "2004-08-10T22:17:27Z")
Jet Li has absolutely no charisma whatsoever. At least I can hate Seagal. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/9 "2004-08-10T22:17:35Z")
I’ve gotta be honest, I’m no expert in Martial Arts but I’ve always been impressed with Jet Li. He seems very creative and I very much enjoy his fight seens. I also like Chow Yun Fat. I’ve never much cared for the Mussels from Brussels. He seems to do the same stuff in every movie. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/10 "2004-08-11T05:49:29Z")
I’ve never been impressed with Jet Li. I’ve seen one of his HK movies and 3 of his western movies and in each one there was so much wire-work and computer assist that I couldn’t see why they didn’t just hire someone else who could act. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/11 "2004-08-11T05:55:28Z")
Worst martial artist: William Shatner. Those karate chops to the neck and double-handed back whammies just looked _useless_. Best Martial Artist: That’s a tough one. Best ‘real’ martial artist? You’d have to give the nod to Chuck Norris, or maybe Bill “Superfoot” Wallace. Joe Louis too. Or if we’re going to include REAL martial artists, I might throw in a vote for Gogen Yamaguchi, Chojun Miyagi, or Gichin Funakoshi. Best Movie Martial Artist: You just can’t beat Bruce Lee. He’s legendary. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/12 "2004-08-11T06:02:46Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I always found it amazing how Sammo Hung could move so well at his size… I forgot all about the CBS show _Martial Law_ until this post. I should be so ashamed for having liked that show but I’m not… it was good, goofy fun and it \*was \*amazing that he could do some of those things. I hate Steven Seagal. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/13 "2004-08-11T07:52:41Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > **Dog80** , I don’t know how well-versed you are in Jackie Chan’s filmography, but it sounds like you haven’t seen too many of his Hong Kong classics. If that’s the case, I urgently recommend that you see _Drunken Master_, _Drunken Master II_ (aka _Legend of Drunken Master_), _Project A_, _Police Story_, and _Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow_. Chan was already well past his prime by the time _Who Am I?_ came around. I’ve seen the Drunken Master series, but I haven’t seen the other movies you mention. I will agree with you that the fighting scenes in Drunken master were much better, but I still find “Who am I” a more complete and fun movie. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/14 "2004-08-11T10:18:26Z")
Funniest: Frank Sinatra I just recently watched [The Manchurian Candidate](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056218/) again at a local movie theater that shows old films. There was a pretty good sized crowd and we all had a really good laugh when, in a particular brawl scene, Sinatra breaks out his Judo moves. You could tell watching him he took it very very seriously, but it just looked rigid, awkward, and very silly. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/15 "2004-08-11T10:38:07Z")
Bruce Lee, Jet Li and Jackie Chan were or are among the best martial artists in movies. Adrian and Neil Rayment, the twins in _Matrix 2_, are very good too. The worst martial artist who still claims to be a martial artist is easily chosen: Steven Seagal. Sure, William Shatner and Frank Sinatra are worse, but at least they don’t go around claiming they are martial artists for real. Steven Seagal is a compulsive liar, a piss-poor actor, and his fighting makes it looks like _I_ could take him down. Funny sidenote - Steven Seagal’s IMDb listing used to say this: > [@](#): > > Close friend with Carl XVI Gustaf, high king of Sweden. Shares an interest in knives and hunting and the breeding of the Common Dill dog, a rare Swedish dog. The two friends have been seen in the misty Lovö forrest, outside the royal castle Drottningholm, hunting boar. Never mind that there are no boars in the Lovö forest, and that Common Dill dogs don’t exist. The court denies that Carl XVI Gustaf has ever met Steven Seagal, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/16 "2004-08-11T13:47:44Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > Bruce Lee, Jet Li and Jackie Chan were or are among the best martial artists in movies. Adrian and Neil Rayment, the twins in _Matrix 2_, are very good too. Dja mind telling _why_ Jet Li is considered so good? The amount of camera trickery/wirework/cg I’ve seen in all the movies of his I’ve seen (including one HK) makes him look nowhere near as good as Lee or Chan, much less Seagal. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/17 "2004-08-11T16:01:40Z")
> [@Silentgoldfish](#): > > Dja mind telling _why_ Jet Li is considered so good? Jet Li trained in a sport called Wushu. It’s sort of a competition-style of kung fu, and he was very good at it, winning many tournaments. It’s very acrobatic and crowd-pleasing, but not very authentic. Think of gymnastics: Sure, it’s fun to watch, but what can you use it for? Well, you can use it as a way to get into movies. I’m not saying he couldn’t kick my ass, but for authenticity, he’s not the one to look at. I’d say he’s popular because movie audiences don’t know/care about the distinction, they just want someone who’s got the showy moves. ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/18 "2004-08-11T16:20:13Z")
I’ve always liked Steven Segal’s moves, they look pretty authentic to me. You have to remember he does Akido which is not as flashy as other arts. Though I do agree that he is a nutbar 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/19 "2004-08-11T16:22:09Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > Or if we’re going to include REAL martial artists, I might throw in a vote for … Gichin Funakoshi. Wow not often you meet too many other people familiar with Funakoshi-san. ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193/20 "2004-08-11T17:23:52Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > Wow not often you meet too many other people familiar with Funakoshi-san. Only people who are have usually trained in some form of Okinawan martial arts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-worst-martial-artists/259193.md?page=2)