Quentin Tarantino Picks the One Movie With the Best Stunts in Film History
Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker whose work is almost synonymous with high-octane action, whether he is orchestrating a tense standoff in a warehouse or rewriting historical events with explosive finales. While elements of the genre appeared in his early hits, it was his 2003 epic Kill Bill that saw him fully commit to the martial arts tradition.
The two-part saga follows the Bride, portrayed by Uma Thurman, on a blood-soaked journey of vengeance against the team of assassins that betrayed her. The film serves as a grand tribute to the kung-fu cinema of the late twentieth century, characterized by its stylized violence and theatrical combat.
Much of the inspiration for Thurman’s unstoppable protagonist came from the work of Michelle Yeoh, specifically her role in the 1992 film Police Story 3: Super Cop. Tarantino has long been a vocal admirer of the film, once describing it as containing the most incredible stunts ever captured on camera, even when compared to the legends of early cinema.
He often points to a specific moment in that film where Yeoh launches a motorcycle onto a moving train as a pinnacle of action filmmaking. Super Cop, which stars Jackie Chan as a rogue detective alongside Yeoh, is considered a definitive classic of the genre and was the project that truly established Yeoh as an international action icon.
Years later, Yeoh recalled a lighthearted conversation with the director where she questioned why she wasn’t the one leading his revenge epic. Tarantino reportedly quipped that no one would actually find it believable that Uma Thurman could defeat her in a fight.
Beyond just inspiration, Tarantino played a vital role in Yeoh’s personal career longevity after she suffered a devastating injury on the set of The Stunt Woman in 1996. The actress admitted that she genuinely feared she had broken her back and was facing permanent paralysis, leaving her in a state of constant physical and emotional pain.
She credits Tarantino’s relentless enthusiasm for pulling her out of that dark period, noting that his unwavering passion for the craft eventually wore her down. His encouragement helped her realize that she wasn’t quite ready to walk away from the film industry just yet.
Since that pivotal moment, Yeoh has reached the very pinnacle of Hollywood success, becoming the first Asian woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Most recently, she has been celebrated for her role as Madame Morrible in the blockbuster musical films Wicked and its sequel Wicked: For Good.
As of this year, the legendary actress shows no signs of slowing down, as she is set to receive the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement at the Berlin International Film Festival this February. She is also headlining the upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Blade Runner 2099, where she plays an aging replicant hunter alongside Hunter Schafer.
What is your favorite Michelle Yeoh action sequence from her incredible four-decade career? Share your thoughts in the comments!