Jet Li is one of the most popular cinematic martial arts actors that has graced the screens since the '80s. He debuted as a Chinese actor in the film Shaolin Temple (1982) and then starred as a villain in the movie Lethal Weapon 4 (1998). If you have been a moviegoer for a long time, you must be familiar with his superlative martial art skills by now.

Updated April 21st, 2023: If you're a fan of the celebrated martial artist and his performances, you'll be happy to know this article has been updated by Micah Bailey with additional content and films.

At age 59, Jet Li is devoted to charity work through his One Foundation, which provides counseling services to natural disaster victims and youth battling mental health issues. Over the years, Li has been featured in a long list of movies; let us now cast a glance at some of his best gems.

13 Kiss of the Dragon (2001)

Jet Li in Kiss of the Dragon
20th Century Fox

In Kiss of the Dragon, Jet Li grabs the attention of his audience with his nearly emotionless face. Throughout the film, he serves his fighting skills to dozens of bad guys in a Stoic fashion. You can hardly notice him breaking a sweat, as he punches his way through people's faces, radiating that cool vibe. Chris Nahon, the director, delivers a slick and enjoyable film by adding hip-hop music to match the tempo of the action scenes.

Related: Best Bruce Lee Movies, Ranked

The film is about Liu Jian (Li), a Chinese secret agent, who travels to Paris to assist in the arrest of a drug kingpin. Armored with good intentions, a corrupt detective, Jean-Pierre Richard, betrays him by setting him up for killing the drug lord. The movie then focuses the story on Liu Jian working with an American woman, who is forced into sex work, to strike back, and stop Richard’s criminal endeavors and clear his name.

12 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

Jet Li and Brendan Fraser in The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Universal Pictures

Jet Li is a versatile actor who both acts as a villain and hero in convincing ways. In The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, he plays the role of a ruthless emperor, commanding a large army of fearless warriors. If you like movies with sorcery, ancient stones with immortal powers, tombs, mummies, and evil warlords, this iteration of The Mummy franchise is right up your alley.

The story begins with a long history of a mythic battle between good and evil in ancient China. Emperor Han, a power-hungry leader, vanquished every kingdom on his path, killing anyone who dared to resist his conquest. He was an emperor who had it all, but he still wanted more. What more could he want? The power to cheat death. Cursed by a devious and beautiful sorceress, the emperor and his army were buried in clay. Imagine a mad emperor, mummified for millennia trying to come back and enslave mankind; you don't want to be alive at that time.

11 Mulan (2020)

Jet Li in Mulan
Disney

Jet Li has a thing for being an emperor in movies. In Mulan, he also plays a regal emperor, who calls upon every family to provide one man to fight against the invaders — the Rouran army. Many fans who watched Mulan stated that Jet Li looked frail in the film, raising concerns about his health. Ironically, that is far from the truth. He appeared strong, wise, and resolute in his role.

According to USA Today, Steven Chasman, Li's manager, sent a statement, "We appreciate everyone's concern. But Jet is completely fine. There's nothing wrong with him. There's no life-threatening illness. He's in great shape." Mulan is a live-action remake of the animated version, and the only reason why Li took on the role in the film is that his daughters loved the original movie.

10 Cradle 2 the Grave (2003)

A still from Cradle 2 the Grave
Silver Pictures

2003's Cradle 2 the Grave would be the second film to feature a collaboration between Polish filmmaker Andrej Bartowiak, Jet Li, and underrated comedic actor Anthony Anderson. The film follows the late DMX as Anthony Fait, a jewel thief, and Jet Li as Duncan Su, a Taiwanese intelligence agent, and their unlikely partnership to take down a major crime syndicate. The support from comedic actors Tom Arnold and the aforementioned Anderson perfectly balance the film's dramatic moments with levity.

Bullets fly and fists blaze in this early 2000s action flick, but it is the unexpected chemistry on display by the Dark Man X and Li. What could have otherwise been written off as a gimmick to capitalize on the popularity of the Rush Hour franchise and DMX's celebrity, the exchanges between the two leads tend to be the strongest aspect of the film in most viewers' estimation. Cradle 2 the Grave easily could have been dismissed as another by-the-numbers action movie, but it ends up being fun and wildly entertaining, and that's largely due to the interesting casting of the film's leads.

9 Romeo Must Die (2000)

Jet Li and Aaliyah in Romeo Must Die
Warner Bros.

Just by reading the heading, you immediately tune into Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo Must Die, Romeo is played by Jet Li, and Juliet is played by the late R&B sensation, Aaliyah, whose death was a big blow to the entertainment industry. Romeo Must Die was the first collaboration between Polish filmmaker Andrej Bartowiak, Jet Li, and Anthony Anderson.

In this movie, Li plays an ex-cop investigating the murder of his brother, who was in bed with the Chinese mafia. Aaliyah, on the other hand, is the daughter of a Black American mob boss.

Related: Best Martial Arts Movies of the 2000s, Ranked

The tension that erupts when both camps cross paths brought about exciting fights in clubs, explosions in barbershops, and in the midst of it all, love between Romeo and Juliet, as they both work together to find his brother’s murderer. As a bonus to audiences, fans of the late Aaliyah and her music will also be delighted to hear her vocals accompany the film's soundtrack.

8 War (2007)

Jet Li and Jason Statham in War
Lionsgate

If you are looking for a film that deserves a beer at hand, check out War. Any movie that stars Jason Statham and Jet Li oozes fights and aggression. Li and Statham have appeared in other movies like The One and The Expendables franchise.

In War, both stars are on opposing sides, where Jet Li is a contract killer and Statham an FBI agent. Fans of Li will be in awe of his fluid fighting skills with swords and guns at age 47, and we all know Statham never disappoints. The movie has a storyline that creates intrigue and suspense, along with a delightful plot twist.

7 The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

Jet Li and Jackie Chan in The Forbidden Kingdom
Lionsgate Releasing

How cool would it be to discover an ancient golden staff in a pawn shop? In The Forbidden Kingdom, Jason discovers a staff that magically transports him to ancient China. As fate would tell, the only way he would travel back to his time is after successfully freeing the legendary warrior, the Monkey King (Jet Li). Guess who co-stars alongside Jet Li in this movie? Jackie Chan.

The perfect combo of the two martial arts masters is an entertainment success that strikes sparks throughout the film; no wonder the movie performed well in theaters. Although some fans prefer to have watched the two talents in their prime, the movie still delivers the best of both actors.

6 Unleashed (2005)

A still from Unleashed
EuropaCorp

Written and co-produced by Luc Besson and directed by The Transporter 2 director Louis Leterrier, Unleashed is a criminally underrated action thriller starring Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, the late Bob Hoskins, and Kerri Condon of Better Call Saul fame. In the film, Li plays Danny, a quiet young man who wears a collar around his neck similar to a dog. However, when the collar is off, he turns into a violent pugilist who can only be controlled by the vicious loan shark Bart, Danny's surrogate father.

After a chance meeting with Sam and Victoria, Freeman and Condon respectively, Danny learns more about civilization and yearns for a life outside the violent one he's become accustomed to. With their help, Danny eventually develops into a competent young man and leaves Bart.

The film is notable for displaying Li's range as an actor. Audiences have come to expect brilliant fight choreography from Li, but his subtle performance as a man with dog-like behavior is truly special and worth a viewing.

5 Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

Jet Li in Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
Golden Harvest

Jet Li helped launch a lucrative and critically-acclaimed film franchise with the Hong Kong hit Once Upon a Time in China, in which he portrayed folk hero and legendary martial artist Wong Fei-hung as he fights to protect his local militia and school from invading forces in 19th century China.

The thrilling series features a superb performance by Li, who brilliantly embodies the hallowed master Fei-hung and expertly displays his physical prowess as he squares off against dangerous outsiders for the sake of his country. Once Upon a Time in China went on revitalize the period martial arts subgenre that was popular in the 90s and was the first of six action-packed films, with Li starring in four.

4 Hero (2002)

Jet Li in the martial arts film Hero
Beijing New Picture Film

Chronicling the complicated history surrounding the Warring States period that ran rampant in ancient China and the assassination attempt on the country's first emperor the King of Qin, 2002's Hero centers on the skilled assassin sent to eliminate the leader right before China's unification. Jet Li stars as Nameless, a Qin prefect who initially conspires to take out the emperor but ultimately realizes peace within his country is more important; Nameless then fights to protect the King of Qin from lethal hitmen.

Hero was a critical and commercial success, earning both an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination and winning seven Hong Kong Film Awards. In his glowing review of the stunning picture, Roger Ebert raved that it "demonstrates how the martial arts genre transcends action and violence and moves into poetry, ballet and philosophy."

Related: John Wick: Chapter 4 Director Wants to Add Jackie Chan & Jet Li to the Franchise

3 Fearless (2006)

Jet Li in Fearless
Edko Films

The story in the movie Fearless is about the act of instilling virtues in a young soul. We are familiar with the statement, "pride comes before a fall;" this is something that Huo Yuanjia (Jet Li) experiences once his family is murdered as a result of his foolish actions. As he wallows over his loss, Huo is showered with love, compassion, and other essential philosophical virtues that steer him to reform his ways and return to his hometown to be of service to others. The movie tilts on violence for the most part, but it wraps up with a strong moral lesson.

2 The Bodyguard from Beijing (1994)

Jet Li in The Bodyguard from Beijing
Golden Harvest Releasing

Originally christened Bodyguard from Beijing, the film was later renamed The Defender for the American market. Jet Li plays Allan Hui Ching-Yeung, an elite security expert hired by a wealthy Hong Kong businessman to protect his beautiful maiden Michelle Leung, the only living witness to a murder committed by Triad gangsters.

Michelle, who is adamant about the 24/7 protection from the bodyguard, grows fond of him, and they become attracted to one another. The clear but dangerous love interest is never quenched, and the story ends on a smart but ambiguous note. The audience is left to wonder, "What if he stayed?"

1 Fist of Legend (1994)

Jet Li in Fist of Legend (1994)
Golden Harvest 

Fist of Legend is a classic martial arts film with neck-breaking fight scenes and the infusion of an emotional story. The fictional character Chen Zhen was first portrayed by Bruce Lee in The Chinese Connection. Since then, many films and TV series have adopted this character.

Although no one can outperform Bruce Lee, Jet Li comes close. As a tribute to the legendary Bruce Lee, the fights are pure in this film, where the star incapacitates the opponent in the most efficient way. The fist of legend is a story about Chen Zhen, who learns about his master's death in a fighting match. After realizing that his master was poisoned, he goes after the Japanese and the aftermath brings about dynamic fighting scenes.

When the Wachowskis watched Fist of Legend, they had to contact Yuen Woo-Ping, the movie's martial arts choreographer, to work on all the martial arts fighting scenes in The Matrix.