How Involved are Filipinos in Hollywood Action Films?
WRITTEN BY FRANCESA JANA SANTIAGO
What if Santa Claus… could kick your ass??? In the 2022 Christmas action-comedy Violent Night, Stranger Things’ star David Harbour takes on the role of jolly ‘ol St. Nick, but in a combatant version! And if the unique concept isn’t enough to make you want to watch then wait ‘til you hear that the intense stunts in the film were directed by a Filipino! Jonathan “Jojo” Eusebio has worked as a fight choreographer and coordinator in numerous big-name productions, including the John Wick franchise, Deadpool 2, Birds of Prey and Doctor Strange! Another Filipino pulling the punches like Jojo is industry veteran Sonny Sison, who with over 30 years of experience contributed to movies like 2014’s Godzilla, Olympus Has Fallen and even a series of Power Rangers projects! In addition to that, 2022 introduced one Robert Alonzo through his work on The Batman, where he trained Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz for their fight sequences!
It’s undeniable that Filipino talent can be found just about anywhere in the entertainment field— and that includes Hollywood stunts and martial arts. Arnis is the Philippines’ national martial art and it involves striking, grappling, and throwing moves, often with sticks and blades in hand. While it’s unidentifiable to the untrained eyes, it has been featured in a number of Hollywood films and television shows already such as with Charlize Theron in The Old Guard, Tom Cruise and Keri Russell in Mission: Impossible III and even Matt Damon in his Bourne series. Another form of Arnis called Balintawak Eskrima was also featured in the Hollywood sci-fi Dune, which was designed by choreographer Roger Yuan based on Filipino fighting techniques. The same goes for Vin Diesel and Jason Statham’s final fight scene in Furious 7, as confirmed by director James Wan.
Unlike with the Chinese and Koreans, Filipino martial arts are not as mainstream yet. Still, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t entered in some way, shape or form. In actuality, Filipinos’ involvement in martial arts and stunt choreography can be seen on screen as early as 1947, when Bruce Lee himself trained and performed it for the film Enter the Dragon. He had the help of Filipino American martial artist Dan Inosanto, who has grown to become a prominent figure in the FMA industry. Years later, his daughter Diana Lee Inosanto followed in his footsteps as a stuntwoman and got involved in movies such as I, Frankenstein and Spy! You can find the same kind of combat in small or independent projects like in the 2022 Independent Spirit Award-nominated film Leonor WIll Never Die. According to director Martika Ramirez Escobar, you’re bound to find an ode to classic Pinoy action films as you watch a lola kick ass and become an unlikely heroine.
From the use of bolos and balisong knives to the presence of Kali-inspired methods in stunt training, Filipinos and our heritage contribute a great deal to the action genre, both locally and internationally. And it’s clear that this is no dying art or industry as well. Rather, it’s further proof of both the competitive spirit and creativeness that Filipinos possess. By continuing to honor, promote and incorporate our local martial arts into modern popular culture, the more legacies we leave to the next generations of Filipinos.