The classic dynamic of the student and the master has long been a cornerstone ofkung fucinema, often culminating in the student overtaking and defeating the person who gifted them with their martial arts skills. This can be seen through literal battles where the student surpasses their teacher’s ability and beats them for the first time. However, in other kung fu movies, the defeat can be more symbolic as they utilize the skills they have been given to go further than their teacher was ever capable of, and in the process, the student becomes the master.
Many of thegreatest kung fu movieshave featured a student-versus-master dynamic, whether that was a bright-eyed kid on a quest for glory or a more withered hero who was thrust into greatness. Many of thegreatest martial arts movie starshave played essential roles in these types of stories, as the growth and power of a student gaining previously unimaginable skills is a timeless tale that resonates across generations. From farcical comedies to epic action-packed wuxia films, there have been countlessmovies where the student defeats the master.
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow
Cast
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow is a 1978 martial arts film directed by Yuen Woo-ping. Starring Jackie Chan as Chien Fu, the story follows a mistreated janitor who learns the art of Snake Kung Fu from an old master. This newfound skill empowers him to stand up against bullies and defend his school from its enemies. The film is notable for its combination of action and humor, establishing Chan’s trademark style.
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadowwas made right before Jackie Chan achieved his big break withDrunken Master, and similar to that subsequent film, this also dealt with a student surpassing the training of his master. Chan portrayed Chien Fu, an orphaned boy relentlessly bullied at his kung fu school. With a desire to prove his deriders wrong, Chien trained under the guidance of his master, the old beggar Pai Cheng-tien (Yuen Siu-tien), who taught him the ways of Snake Kung Fu.
This unique fighting style allowed Chien to rise above those who had ridiculed him and eventually surpass the skills of his own master. While Pai was always able to best Chien in training, after developing his own ‘Cat Claw’ technique, he was able to surpass the skills of his own master and take out the sinister high master of the Eagle Clan, Sheng Kuan, in battle. While viewers never got to see Chien defeat his own master, his victory over the one foe Pai could not defeat signaled his progress as a martial arts student.
The Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son is a Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Sammo Hung, featuring Yuen Biao in a story about a privileged young man who learns the truth about the origins of his martial arts prowess and seeks to understand it better by training with legendary Wing Chun master.
Kung fu legend Sammo Hungdirected and co-wrote the martial arts 1980s classicThe Prodigal Son, which told the timeless story of a student overcoming his master. This began as a spoiled young man named Leung Chang (Yuen Biao) discovered his reputation as a master martial artist was manufactured by his rich father and soon turned into a classic tale of overcoming the odds when he meets a real master who takes him on as an apprentice.
WhileChang was originally only half-heartedly studying kung fu, the realization that his father had been paying his opponents to lose their fights convinced him to take his discipline far more seriously. While this story may feel familiar, Leung Chang was actually based on a real man named Leung Jan, who was one of the earliest practitioners of Wing Chun, the style made famous by Ip Man. As a classic tale told well,Time Outeven rankedThe Prodigal Sonamong its list of best Hong Kong films of all time.
Master of the Flying Guillotinewas the wuxia sequel to the 1972 classicOne-Armed Boxer, which is also known asOne-Armed Boxer 2andThe One-Armed Boxer vs. the Flying Guillotine. With Wang Yu back in his role as Yu Tien Lung, the skilled one-armed Chinese martial artist, this installment saw the martial student face off against various enemies, culminating in his showdown with the Master of the Flying Guillotine, a blind Lama from Tibet, who sought revenge for two Lamas killed by Tien Lung in the original movie.
This idea of the past coming back to haunt a protagonist was paired with the student-master dynamic of the Boxer versus the Master. As a highly influential kung fu film that director Quentin Tarantino described as “one of my favorite movies of all time” (viaQuentin Tarantino: Interviews), this incredible sequel actually managed to live up to its predecessor. While it seemedTien had already achieved greatness in the first film, his struggles here showcased that a martial arts student always has more to learn.
The 7 Grandmasterstells the story of Sang Kuan Chun (Jack Long), an aging kung fu master who is about to retire; however, before he calls it quits for good, he embarks on an epic journey to defeat the seven grandmasters and prove once and for all he is the kung fu world champion. This unique take on the student versus master premise was a clever inversion of the normally young student taking on the old wise master. InThe 7 Grandmasters, instead of an ambitious young fighter rising the ranks, it is an older master wishing to showcase one last time he’s still got it.
As an example of pure cheesy 1970s kung fu cinema,The 7 Grandmastershad an over-the-top premise and just ran with it. While the plot may have been wafer thin,The 7 Grandmastersmore than made up for this with some epic fight sequences and a great blend of action and comedy. As an obscure classic with some stunning visuals, hilariously dated whooshing sound effects, and aclassic underdog story,The 7 Grandmastersis a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered.
Fist of Legendis a South Korean action movie that provides a unique spin on the classic trope of a student defeating their master as a former would-be Olympian takes part in a mixed martial arts reality TV competition. Im Deok-kyu (Hwang Jung-min) was in need of extra money and took part in a competition where former legends of martial arts during their high school days come back andbash it out for a chance to win ₩200 million.
Another martial arts film also titledFist of Legendwas released in 1994. This starred Jet Li and was a remake of Bruce Lee’s 1972 kung fu classicFist of Fury.
As Deok-kyu runs into not only martial arts masters but also his old friends and rivals,Fist of Legendis a tense and suspenseful martial arts movie with plenty of excitement. With a story populated by real characters that the audience can connect with, it was enjoyable to see the former martial arts student Deok-kyu do everything in his power to overcome master fighters. This enjoyable release showcased the South Korean film industry’s ability to keep up with their Hong Kong counterparts.
Fearless
This biopic chronicles the life of Chinese martial arts legend Huo Yuanjia, who rises from personal tragedy and the despair of defeat to inspire his nation. Battling foreign challengers to restore pride, Huo becomes a symbol of Chinese resilience and spirit.
Fearlesswas one of Jet Li’s greatest films, as it told the story of Huo Yuanjia, a skilled martial artist who challenged foreign fighters and restored pride and nationalism in China. However,Fearlesstook audiences through the full story of Huo’s journey toward greatness as he watched his father’s defeat as a child and vowed to train and restore his family’s honor. While Huo’s mother warned him that martial arts are for self-improvement and to help others and not for personal glory, he still carried these desires forward.
Although Huo was seen defeating many foes throughoutFearless, it was the master Qin Lei who proved his exceptional skills, and Huo finally grew from a student into a master himself. However, Huo actually kills Qin in battle, which has ripple effects as his godson seeks revenge. As an epic martial arts tale thatbrought together many of the main tenets of wuxia kung fu movies, Huo’s victory over martial arts masters was just one dimension of the triumph that wasFearless.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 follows an assassin as she seeks revenge after being betrayed by her former employer, Bill, and fellow assassins. Released in 2003, the film initiates a violent journey of vengeance directed by Quentin Tarantino and stars Uma Thurman as the central character known as The Bride.
Quentin Tarantino paid tribute to his love of kung fu cinema with his own homage to the genre with the back-to-back releasesof Kill Bill Vol. 1andVol. 2. This epic story starredUma Thurman as the Bride, a woman on an epic quest for revenge against Bill, the leader of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, who tried to kill her and their unborn child. This unique take on the student and master relationship showcased how the need for vengeance spurred the Bride on to defeat the martial arts master she once loved.
The Bride was seen defeating various members from the Deadly Viper Assassin Squad and other foes such as the Yakuza gang, The Crazy 88’s, including characters played by kung fu greats like Gordon Liu. However, the Bride’s ultimate foe is Bill, with whom she comes face-to-face inVol. 2’sconclusion. This highly stylized take on the student versus master dynamic showcased the potential for kung fu cinema geared toward an American audience.
Drunken Master
Drunken Master is a martial arts film featuring Jackie Chan as a mischievous young man who is sent to train under a rigorously unorthodox old beggar. Released in 1978, it follows his journey to mastering the Drunken Fist fighting style amidst comedic and action-packed encounters.
Drunken Mastersignaled the breakout success for kung fu icon Jackie Chan as he, like so many martial artists before him, starred in a story about a student defeating his master. Telling a fictionalized version of the stories of Wong Fei-hung and Beggar So, Chan played Wong, the young man who practices under the guidance of his drunken master So. While Wong was initially hesitant about So’s wisdom, he soon took on his drunken fighting style to become a skilled martial artist in his own right.
This hilarious kung fu film blended action and comedy and laid the groundwork for Chan’s unique comedic style that mixed stuntwork with slapstick humor. As Wong continued to train and improve, he soon mastered the Drunken Boxing style called “The Eight Drunken Immortals” and even defeated the notorious killer Yim Tit-sam. As a true kung fu classic,Chan returned as Wong for the sequel,Drunken Master II,in 1994.
Five Deadly Venoms
Five Deadly Venoms is a Chang Cheh-directed martial arts classic that follows a dying master who sends his final pupil to check on five former students, each trained in a unique animal-inspired martial arts style. The young protégé must navigate a web of alliances and rivalries to uncover a hidden treasure. Known for its intricate plot and distinctive fighting styles, the film has become iconic within the genre.
Five Deadly Venomsstarred Chiang Sheng as Yang Tieh, a martial arts student, on a quest to fulfill their dying master’s wish to locate and defeat the master’s previous pupils. This fascinating spin on the classic student versus the master trope saw Yang embroiled in a conspiracy where their previous master’s students had turned evil after gaining their masterful skill in martial arts. With all five former students-turned-masters involved in a series of murders, it was up to Yang to finally bring them to justice and restore order.
The five pupils were each represented by one of the Five Poisonous Creatures of Chinese folklore, which saw Yang taking on fighters whose style embodied that of a scorpion, lizard, toad, snake, and centipede. With each fighter possessing a new specialty, Yang’s challenge involved mastering each style and coming out on top. As a true test of skill,Five Deadly Venomstold a classic tale of a student becoming the master wrapped up in an engaging story influenced by Chinese mythology.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin follows Lui, a young man who escapes a Manchu attack and seeks martial arts training to avenge his fallen comrades. Set against the backdrop of anti-Ching resistance, Lui’s journey leads him to the Shaolin Monastery, where he undergoes rigorous training.
The definitive movie where a martial arts student defeats their master just might also be the greatest kung fu movie of all time,The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. This is a classic story of a young Shaolin disciple, San Te (Gordon Liu), training under General Tien Ta (Lieh Lo) to fight back in a local rebellion against the oppressive Manchu government. However, to achieve this,San Te had to make his way through the chambers of the iconic Shaolin Temple.
From learning lightness and balance in the first chamber to the enlightenment and wisdom that came in the 35th, San Te progressed faster than any monk before him. Despite showcasing extraordinary martial arts skills, the monastery’s Discipline Chief saw him unfit for the role of deputy overseer and challenged him. While it took several exhibition matches before San Te emerged victorious, the skilled fighter proved that eventually, the student must become the master.
