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{{short description|Style of fictional fighting found in film, television, and videogames}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Gun ''fu''}}
{{multiple issues|
{{original research|date=July 2009}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2009}}
{{example farm|date=January 2019}}
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'''Gun ''fu''''', a [[portmanteau]] of ''[[gun]]'' and ''[[kung fu]]'' (also known as '''gun ''kata''''', '''bullet ballet''', '''gymnastic gunplay''' or '''bullet arts'''),<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Seattle Post Intelligencer | url=http://www.seattlepi.com/movies/98610_equilibrium06q.shtml | title=Just saying no to drugs in the fascist future | author=Sean Axmaker | date=December 6, 2002}}</ref> is a style of sophisticated close-quarters [[shootout|gunfight]] resembling a [[martial arts]] combat that combines [[firearms]] with [[hand-to-hand combat]] and traditional melee weapons in an approximately 50/50 ratio. It can be seen in [[Hong Kong action cinema]],<ref>{{cite book|title=The Cinema of Tsui Hark|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hv3yJ6MaoYsC|page=203|author=Lisa Morton|publisher=McFarland|isbn=0-7864-0990-8|year=2001}}</ref> and in American [[action films]] influenced by it.

The focus of gun ''fu'' is both artistic style and the usage of firearms in ways that they were not designed to be used. Shooting a gun from each hand (usually paired with jumping to the side at the same time), [[dual wield]]ing, shots from behind the back, as well as the use of guns as melee weapons (usually [[knife fight]]s) are all common. Other moves can involve [[submachine gun]]s, [[assault rifle]]s, [[combat shotgun]]s, [[Shoulder-fired missile|rocket launchers]], and just about anything else that can be worked into a cinematic shot. It is often mixed with [[grappling]] maneuvers.

Gun ''fu'' has become a staple of modern [[action film]]s due to its visual spectacle, a result of often impressive [[choreography]] and [[stunt]]work, regardless of its unrealistic elements when compared to real-life [[Modern warfare|gun warfare]].

==Hong Kong origins==
{{See|Heroic bloodshed}}
As the name suggests, gun ''fu'' has roots in [[martial arts film]]s from [[Hong Kong action cinema]], including ''[[wuxia]]'' films and [[Kung fu film|''kung fu'' films]] from the likes of [[Bruce Lee]] and [[Jackie Chan]]. These films typically involved [[martial artists]] fighting large numbers of enemies in stylized choreographed action set-pieces, with a fighting style that lay somewhere between [[Punch (combat)|brawling]] and [[dancing]]. Hong Kong filmmaker [[John Woo]], who began his career directing martial arts films, took the martial arts style of action and added [[guns]], combining the elegance and precision of ''[[kung fu]]'' with the brutality and violence of [[gangster film]]s.<ref name=":0" />

John Woo originated the style that would later be called gun ''fu'' in the 1986 Hong Kong action film ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]''. The film launched the "[[heroic bloodshed]]" genre in Hong Kong, and gun ''fu'' action sequences became a regular feature in many of the subsequent heroic bloodshed films, which combined the elegance and precision of ''kung fu'' with the brutality and violence of gangster movies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lincoln |first=Kevin |date=12 October 2016 |title=From John Woo to John Wick, Here's Your Guide to Gun Fu |url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/10/john-wick-gun-fu.html |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref> John Woo continued to make several classic heroic bloodshed films, all featuring gun ''fu'', and all starring leading man [[Chow Yun-fat]].

Anthony Leong wrote of the gunfights in ''A Better Tomorrow'',<ref name=leong>{{cite web | url = http://members.aol.com/aleong1631/johnwoo.html | title = The Films of John Woo and the Art of Heroic Bloodshed | first = Anthony | last = Leong | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071130095951/http://members.aol.com/aleong1631/johnwoo.html | archive-date = November 30, 2007 | year = 1998 | access-date = February 19, 2009}}</ref>{{quote|Before 1986, Hong Kong cinema was firmly rooted in two genres: the [[martial arts film]] and the [[comedy film|comedy]]. Gunplay was not terribly popular because audiences had considered it boring, compared to fancy ''[[kung fu]]'' moves or graceful swordplay of ''[[wuxia]]'' epics. What moviegoers needed was a new way to present gunplay—to show it as a skill that could be honed, integrating the acrobatics and grace of the traditional martial arts. And that's exactly what John Woo did. Using all of the visual techniques available to him ([[tracking shot]]s, [[Camera dolly|dolly-ins]], [[slow motion|slo-mo]]), Woo created beautifully surrealistic action sequences that were a 'guilty pleasure' to watch. There is also intimacy found in the gunplay—typically, his protagonists and antagonists will have a profound understanding of one another and will meet face-to-face, in a tense [[Mexican standoff]] where they each point their weapons at one another and trade words.}}
[[Stephen Hunter]], writing in ''[[The Washington Post]]'' wrote,<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041901817.html | title = Cinematic Clues To Understand The Slaughter | first = Stephen | last = Hunter | date = April 20, 2007 | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | access-date = February 19, 2009}}</ref>{{quote|Woo saw gunfights in [[Musical film|musical]] terms: His primary conceit was the shootout as dance number, with great attention paid to choreography, the movement of both actors within the frame. He loved to send his shooters flying through the air in surprising ways, far more poetically than in any real-life scenario. He frequently diverted to slow motion and he specialized in shooting not merely to kill, but to riddle—his shooters often blast their opponents five and six times.}}
Other Hong Kong directors also began using gun ''fu'' sequences in films that were not strictly heroic bloodshed films, such as [[Wong Jing]]'s ''[[God of Gamblers]]'' (1989) and its sequel ''[[God of Gamblers Returns]]'' (1994). There were several heroic bloodshed films that did not feature gun ''fu'', but opted for more realistic combat, such as [[Ringo Lam]]'s ''[[City on Fire (1987 film)|City on Fire]]'' (1987).

==Spread to the United States==
The popularity of [[John Woo#Filmography|John Woo films]], and the heroic bloodshed genre in general, in the U.S. helped give gun ''fu'' greater visibility. Some of the earliest [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] productions not directed by Woo that adopted the style were ''[[Desperado (film)|Desperado]]'' (1995) and ''[[The Replacement Killers]]'' (1998), the latter starring [[Chow Yun-fat]].

The success of ''[[The Matrix]]'' (1999) helped to popularize and develop the style in the U.S.<ref name=":0" /> One classic gun ''fu'' move consists of reloading two [[pistol]]s simultaneously by releasing the empty [[magazine (firearm)|magazine]]s, pointing the guns to the ground, dropping two fresh magazines out of one's jacket sleeves, or strapped to one's legs, into the guns, and then carrying on shooting. The style is also featured, albeit in a small way and with the assistance of gadgets, in ''[[Lara Croft: Tomb Raider]]'' (2001). In ''[[Equilibrium (film)|Equilibrium]]'' (2002), the law enforcement responsible for handling "Sense Crime" are trained in "gun ''[[kata]]''" to gain an advantage in their raids on armed opponents. In the film ''[[Bulletproof Monk]]'' (2003), The Monk With No Name (portrayed by Yun-fat) empties two pistols, ejects the magazines and spins to kick the empty magazines at his assailants. This was parodied in an episode of ''[[Brooklyn Nine-Nine]]'' (Season 1, Episode 19 "Tactical Village"). ''[[Underworld (2003 film)|Underworld]]'' (2003) brought The Matrix's aesthetic from the [[cyberpunk]] subgenre into the [[dark fantasy]] realm, including its gunplay. In ''[[Wanted (2008 film)|Wanted]]'' (2008), assassins belonging to The Fraternity possess the skill of "bending" bullets around obstacles; in a gunfight early in the film, one assassin knocks another bullet out of the air with his own round. In ''[[X-Men Origins: Wolverine]]'' (2009), [[Agent Zero]] ([[Daniel Henney]]) reloads his handguns by throwing them into the air and catching them with the magazines he is holding in his hands.

In the 2010 film ''[[Kick-Ass (film)|Kick-Ass]]'', the character [[Hit Girl]], played by [[Chloë Grace Moretz]], frequently uses gun ''fu''. In the 2012 film ''[[Django Unchained]]'', the climactic shootout in Candieland is inspired by John Woo, replicating scenes from his 1989 classic ''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]'' shot-by-shot. The 2013 ''[[G.I. Joe: Retaliation]]'' utilized gun ''fu'' in the climactic fight between [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] and [[Firefly (G.I. Joe)|Firefly]]. The style is also heavily featured in 2014's ''[[John Wick (film)|John Wick]]'', as well as 2015's ''[[Kingsman: The Secret Service]]''.

A gun ''fu'' sequence involving Chris Redfield and Glenn Arias is showcased in the 2017 CGI film ''[[Resident Evil: Vendetta]]''. Although produced in Japan, the ''Resident Evil'' franchise takes the majority of its inspiration from American horror and action cinema.

==Other media==
===Video games===
{{See also|Dual wield}}

Video games, particularly in the [[Shooter game|shooter]] and [[shoot 'em up]] genres, have implemented gun ''fu''-like gameplay. Below are some examples of video games and video game series which have been specifically compared to or described as gun ''fu'':
* The "[[bullet time]]" gameplay of the ''[[Max Payne]]'' series has been described as gun ''fu''.<ref>{{cite magazine|editor-last=McNamara|editor-first=Andy|date=May 2009|title={{'}}We took all the elements of the traditional Max and expanded it out so the game becomes gun ballet, or 'gun-fu', or whatever you want to call it'...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OIhYAAAAYAAJ|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|publisher=Sunrise Publications|page=41|access-date=3 January 2020}}</ref>
* The "CQC" fighting style in the ''[[Metal Gear]]'' video game series integrates the use of firearms into martial arts.
* The 2005 [[first-person shooter]] game [[F.E.A.R. (video game)|F.E.A.R.]] also has firefight combat inspired by gun ''fu''.
* The 2007 [[third-person shooter]] game ''[[Stranglehold (video game)|Stranglehold]]'', which serves as a sequel to John Woo's 1992 film ''[[Hard Boiled]]'', features gun ''fu'' gameplay elements.<ref>{{cite magazine|editor-last=Cowan|editor-first=Andy|date=2007|title=Drifting out of the sports world, Stranglehold (Midway) is already out now for the PC and Xbox 360, and sees a whole heap of John Woo-styled action and ''gun-fu'' going down...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L5qfAAAAMAAJ|magazine=[[Hip Hop Connection]]|publisher=Popular Publications|issue=216–218|page=337|access-date=3 January 2020}}</ref>
* The 2008 [[Fighting game|fighting]] game series, ''[[BlazBlue]]'', features a fighter who specializes in this fighting style in Noel Vermillion.
* The 2012 video game ''[[Sleeping Dogs (video game)|Sleeping Dogs]]'' incorporates gun ''fu'' elements into its martial arts gameplay.
* The 2015 [[action role-playing game]] ''[[Fallout 4]]'' features an ability, or perk, called "Gun Fu", which awards bonus points to the player for targeting multiple enemies while in the gameplay feature known as the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S.).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142574-Fallout-4-Character-System-Skills-and-Perks|title=Fallout 4 Eliminates Skills From Character System|last=Zimmerman|first=Conrad|date=24 September 2015|work=[[Escapist Magazine]]|access-date=3 January 2020|archive-date=3 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103205452/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142574-Fallout-4-Character-System-Skills-and-Perks|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The 2019 shoot 'em up game ''[[My Friend Pedro]]'' features gameplay elements that have been referred to as gun ''fu''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/my-friend-pedro-is-a-2d-max-payne-that-looks-bananas/|title=My Friend Pedro is a 2D Max Payne that looks bananas|last=Sykes|first=Tom|date=20 November 2016|work=[[PC Gamer]]|access-date=3 January 2020}}</ref>
* The 2005 [[survival horror]] game ''[[Resident Evil 4]]'' emphasises injuring enemies with gunshots and then performing martial arts on them while they're stunned.<ref>{{Citation |title=Resident Evil 4 Mercenaries - Melee Moves | date=18 July 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3h7lfAvxu4 |language=en |access-date=2023-01-20}}</ref>
* The [[hack and slash]] game series ''[[Bayonetta]]'' has most of its combat revolve around using guns in her hands and on her heels to execute ''[[Chinese martial arts|kung fu]]'' like combos while weaving in shooting.
* The 2019 virtual reality action-rhythm game ''[[Pistol Whip (video game)|Pistol Whip]]'' allows players to dual-wield pistols in an homage to gun ''kata''. The game also features other elements from gun ''fu'' films like dodging bullets in slow motion and awarding extra points for shooting enemies in rhythm with the music track.
* Planned for release in 2025, [[Spine (video game)|SPINE]] is a cyberpunk action [[beat 'em up]] game that highlights gun fu style combat as one of its key features.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hon |first=Jason |date=2023-11-30 |title="A Cyberpunk Sifu With Gun Fu": Spine Preview |url=https://screenrant.com/spine-game-pc-preview/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref>

===Comic books===
''Gun Fu'' is also the name of a series of [[comic books]] by Howard M. Shum and Joey Mason, about a Hong Kong police officer in the 1930s who employs a combination of gun-play and martial arts.<ref>[http://www.howardshum.com/gunfu.html Comic book series]</ref>

===Pen-and-paper games===
It is not certain where or when the actual term "gun ''fu''" was invented. One of the earliest written records exists in the [[tabletop role-playing game]] ''[[Cyberpunk 2020]]'' which was first published in 1988.

Gun ''fu'' is a form of specialized martial arts usable in the game and is described as,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cyberpunk.asia/artmart.php?lng=us#ma62|title=Martial Arts|website=cyberpunk.asia|access-date=2020-03-24|archive-date=2020-09-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926010343/http://cyberpunk.asia/artmart.php?lng=us#ma62|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{quote|Gun Fu : completely geared around mastery of the [[handgun]], this form makes a firearm truly an extension of the user. Students are only taught the basics of surviving a [[gunfight]]: stay constantly moving, fire till your opponent is dead (preferably from as close a distance as possible), count your shots, when you are out don't hesitate to find another weapon instead of taking the time to reload yours (the dead guy on the floor won't be needing his anymore right). If you are hit don't think about it till you're dead or your enemies are, never panic and above all keep your opponent on the defensive. Once a student has learned the basics the only way for him to advance in his art is through combat, so beginners don't stay beginners long, they are either killed or they become better. A master is a truly magnificent sight in a gun battle.}}

''[[Conspiracy X]]'', another tabletop [[Role-playing game|RPG]] first published in 1996, also included the combat style as a usable skill. In this game, gun ''fu'' allowed players' characters to use firearms in close combat and skilled martial artists to string together combinations of moves.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/classic/rev_1370.phtml|title=Review of Conspiracy X – RPGnet RPG Game Index|website=www.rpg.net}}</ref>

In the [[Buffyverse role-playing games]], gun ''fu'' is the name for the firearms skill, but this is more likely meant to be humorous rather than to imply characters practice an actual firearm-based martial art.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9230.phtml|title=Review of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Roleplaying Game – RPGnet RPG Game Index|website=www.rpg.net}}</ref>
In the ''[[Ninjas and Superspies]]'' supplement ''Mystic China'', gun ''fu'' is the [[Triad (underground society)|Triad]] assassin training, and is a martial arts skill that can be available to player characters. It primarily emphasizes the use of paired 9mm pistols.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wujcik|first=Erick|url=http://downloads.dragonsprophecy.net/rifts/Palladium_–_Mystic_China.pdf|title=Mystic China|publisher=Palladium Books|year=1995|location=USA|pages=44}}</ref>

In ''Run & Gun'', a expansion of the fifth-edition of the [[Paper-and-pencil game|pen-and-paper]] [[role-playing game]] ''[[Shadowrun]]'', gun ''fu'' is a combat style available.

The ''[[GURPS]]'' roleplaying system has a ''Gun-Fu'' supplement, written by S.A. Fisher, Sean Punch, and Hans-Christian Vortisch.

===Television===
In the Japanese series ''[[Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger]]'', Banban "Ban" Akaza a.k.a. DekaRed is specifically mentioned as a master of gun ''fu'' technique, which in the series is called as "''Juu Kun Do''" ({{lang|ja-Latn|jū}} is the Japanese word for 'gun', and the name of the style is a play on [[Jeet Kune Do]]). As a result, the mecha for the series, Dekaranger Robo, is also sometimes shown using gun ''fu''. The American adaptation of the series, ''[[Power Rangers S.P.D.]]'', also shows the Red Ranger Jack Landors and the Delta Squad Megazord using the same technique, though that was more because of the source material – Jack is not specifically mentioned as being a master of gun ''fu''.

In the anime ''[[Mazinkaizer SKL]]'', Ryou Magami (one of the two pilots of the titular Mazinkaiser) uses gun ''fu'' as his primary style of combat as he wields the Breast Triggers, a pair of handguns which store on Mazinkaiser's chest. Magami's fight scenes contain several visual homages to the film ''[[Equilibrium (film)|Equilibrium]]'', including a scene in the first episode where Mazinkaiser performs the signature pose of the Grammaton Clerics.

==See also==
{{div col}}
* [[Apache revolver]]
* [[Bayonet]]
* [[Buttstroke]]
* [[Combat pistol shooting]]
* [[Dual wield]]
* [[Girls with guns]]
* [[Gunspinning]]
* [[Heroic bloodshed]]
* ''[[Hōjutsu]]''
* ''[[Kayakujutsu]]''
* ''[[Krav Maga]]''
* [[Pistol sword]]
* [[Pistol-whipping]]
* [[Wire fu|Wire ''fu'']]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Film genres}}
{{martial arts}}

[[Category:Theatrical combat]]
[[Category:Action films by genre]]
[[Category:Cinema of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Fictional martial arts]]
[[Category:Gun fu films| ]]
[[Category:Firearms]]
[[Category:Firearm techniques]]
[[Category:Film genres]]