Movies like 18 Fatal Strikes (1978)
The best movies like 18 Fatal Strikes (1978) are Legend of the Red Dragon (1994), Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin (1978) and Showdown (1993). If 18 Fatal Strikes hooked you with its action, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedTai-Chi Master (1993)7.2/10 from 287 votes
- NewestLion Fist (2026)Released 2026
Legend of the Red Dragon (1994)
A young father and his infant son are beset by forces of evil and corruption. They wander China, upholding their sense of honor and protecting the weak. When they are forced into combat, spectacular and hilarious fast-motion kung fu sequences follow. In the end, they must call on all of their abilities in a battle royale, to attempt to vanquish a supernatural man-monster or die trying.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSnake & Crane Arts of Shaolin (1978)
Jackie Chan stars as the young warrior Hsu Yiu Fong. Hsu has been entrusted with the book of the "Art of the Snake and Crane," after the mysterious disappearance of the eight Shaolin Masters who had written it. He must fight off numerous clans who are all attempting to steal the book from him, to find out the true reason for the disappearance of the Shaolin Masters.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisShowdown (1993)
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.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Prodigal Son (1981)
A rich man's son believes himself to be the best kung fu fighter in Canton. Unfortunately, his father, anxious for his son's safety, bribes all his opponents to lose. After a humiliating defeat at the hands of an actor in a traveling theatre company, the son resolves to find a better teacher.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTai-Chi Master (1993)
Falsely accused for cheating in a martial arts competition, two boyhood friends are banished from their Shaolin Temple and go their separate ways. As adults, they join opposing sides in a civil war. When one betrays the other, they settle their differences mano-a-mano.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Blade (1995)
Adopted by a renowned swordsmith, a young man discovers that his biological father was killed by a powerful bandit called Lung. Leaving to seek revenge, he runs afoul of vicious desert scum, losing his right arm in the process. After being nursed back to health, he learns to compensate for his loss and returns to confront Lung.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTwilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)
In 1980s Hong Kong, troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun, a mainland refugee, struggles to survive in the Kowloon Walled City by joining underground fights. Betrayed by crime boss Mr. Big while trying to buy a fake ID, he steals drugs from him and seeks refuge in the Walled City, where he encounters Cyclone, a compassionate yet authoritative crime lord.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFearless Hyena (1979)
Lung is a talented fighter but prefers to spend his time loafing around and picking fights, despite orders from his grandfather not to fight. Unknown to him, a brutal general has been slaughtering all the people from his grandfather’s clan. When the general recognizes Lung’s style of kung fu during one of his street fights, he hunts down Lung’s grandfather and kills him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMad Monkey Kung Fu (1979)
A disgraced former Kung Fu expert makes a living as a merchant with the help of a hot headed friend. When the men are harassed by gangsters, the merchant decided to teach his friend monkey boxing so they can defend their business.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDangerous (2021)
A reformed sociopath heads to a remote island after the death of his brother. Soon after his arrival, the island falls under siege from a deadly gang of mercenaries, and when he discovers their role in his brother’s demise, he sets out on a relentless quest for vengeance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSakra (2023)
Qiao Feng is the respected leader of a roving band of martial artists. After he is wrongfully accused of murder and subsequently exiled, Qiao Feng goes on the run in search of answers about his own mysterious origin story—and the unknown enemies working to destroy him from the shadows.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLion Fist (2026)
Martial arts fighter Joe goes to prison for four years and takes his wife's blame for a drug bust. After his release, he learns that his son needs expensive surgery because of a life-threatening tumor. Joe's only chance to save him: a brutal all-styles tournament with a $100,000 prize.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMaster Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018)
Following his defeat by Master Ip, Cheung Tin Chi tries to make a life with his young son in Hong Kong, waiting tables at a bar that caters to expats. But it's not long before the mix of foreigners, money, and triad leaders draw him once again to the fight.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Perfect Weapon (1991)
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.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Marine 5: Battleground (2017)
While working as an EMT back stateside Jake Carter after responding to a distress call, finds himself caught up protecting a person of interest from a biker gang ruthlessly hunting them down.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWarriors Two (1978)
In an attempt to save his village from being taken over by brutes, Wah is beaten to a pulp and his mother brutally murdered. Determined to take revenge, Wah learns the art of Wing Chun and enters into a showdown with the nasty villains.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDragon Tiger Gate (2006)
Three young martial arts masters emerge from the back streets of Hong Kong to help the powerless fight injustice.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeckman (2020)
A contract killer, becomes the reverend of a LA church, until a cult leader and his minions kidnap his daughter. Blinded by vengeance, he cuts a bloody path across the city. The only thing that can stop him is his newfound faith.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Enforcer (1995)
An undercover cop struggling to provide for his son and ailing wife, must infiltrate a ruthless gang. But things turn sour when another cop blows his cover and he quickly finds himself battling for his life and the lives of his family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHounds of War (2024)
After a mission goes wrong, only one of a group of mercenaries is left alive to avenge his fallen brothers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like 18 Fatal Strikes?
The closest matches to 18 Fatal Strikes are Legend of the Red Dragon (1994), Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin (1978) and Showdown (1993). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after 18 Fatal Strikes?
Start with Legend of the Red Dragon (1994), the closest match to 18 Fatal Strikes.
What is the highest-rated movie like 18 Fatal Strikes?
Tai-Chi Master (1993), rated 7.2/10 by 287 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like 18 Fatal Strikes?
Lion Fist (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to 18 Fatal Strikes chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside 18 Fatal Strikes, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.