Television series

Martial Law

Name: Martial Law
Genre: Action, Crime
Released: 1998
Cast: Sammo Hung, Kelly Hu, Tom Wright, Louis Mandylor, Tammy Lauren

Sammo Hung plays a Shanghai detective transplanted to the LAPD, solving crimes through martial arts expertise and wisecracking charm. It's a buddy-cop action series that treats the action scenes seriously while keeping the tone loose and fun. Made for viewers who want their procedurals spiced with genuine fight choreography and star power.

TVMaze rating

3.8

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Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker's chemistry defined the buddy-cop action formula. Inventive fight choreography, genuine laughs, and a plot that serves the action rather than drowning it.

But The humour is broad and occasionally relies on stereotypes. Some action scenes stop the momentum dead to reset the joke.

Police Story1985

Jackie Chan at his absolute peak, performing stunts that still look impossible. The action is balletic and violent in ways that make most modern fight scenes look timid by comparison.

But The plot is thin and occasionally nonsensical. Pacing drags in the middle act before the finale justifies everything.

Lethal Weapon1987

The blueprint for buddy-cop action done right. Riggs and Murtaugh bicker and bond while the action escalates with real stakes. Both comedy and danger feel earned.

But The first film's impact has been dulled by thirty years of imitation. Some action beats feel dated now.

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The wildcard

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The Protector2005

Both are about a cop using martial artistry to solve crime. Jaa commits to the physicality the way Hung does; both make the fighting the story.

Tony Jaa's breakthrough: a cop hunting his stolen elephant through Bangkok. The action is balletic and brutal—Jaa moves like water. Every staircase becomes choreography.

But Minimal plot and minimal dialogue. If you're not watching for the pure kinetics, you'll be bored between set pieces.

NYPD Blue1993

A procedural with actual character work beneath the cases. The squad room dynamics are sharp and funny; the crimes matter. This is what network drama aspired to be.

But Very much of its era—the pacing feels slow if you're used to modern editing. Some storylines are dated in their attitudes.

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But The plot is threadbare and confusing. The dubbed English version loses nuance, though that's part of the charm.

Under Siege1992

Steven Seagal in the one film where his martial-arts background and action direction align perfectly. Gloriously dumb fun with real fight expertise on display.

But The script is paper-thin and Seagal's acting is wooden. The film works despite him, not because of him.

Renegade1992

Lorenzo Lamas as a cop on the run, using martial arts and his wits to survive. Tight action scenes, genuine chemistry with guest stars, and a plot that moves.

But Syndicated action TV means budgets show their limits. Some episodes are filler between the good ones.

Walker, Texas Ranger1993

Chuck Norris doing what he does best: solving crimes with roundhouse kicks and folksy wisdom. Sincerely committed to both the action and the moral clarity.

But The earnestness can tip into unintended comedy. Action scenes are repetitive; Norris doesn't move like Hung does.

Black Belt Jones1974

Jim Kelly in a martial-arts crime thriller made with genuine style. The action is crisp and inventive; the vibe is pure 1970s cool without irony.

But The plot is slight and the dialogue creaks. You're really here for the fight scenes, and those only last so long.

Bloodsport1988

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Jean-Claude Van Damme's star vehicle: a soldier competing in an underground martial-arts tournament. The splits are gravity-defying; the fights are earnest and oddly moving.

But The story is glorification of military machismo with a paper-thin plot. Dialogue is stiff; the film is really just an advertisement for Van Damme's flexibility.

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky1991

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A Hong Kong film where a martial artist imprisoned in a dystopian jail fights his way to justice. Cartoonishly violent, visually inventive, and weirdly moving about injustice and redemption.

But The gore is extreme and the tone lurches wildly between camp and tragedy. Subtitled; the dubbing is famously bad if you avoid the original Cantonese.