blimix | What defines a kung fu movie?

"Do you like kung fu movies?"
"I don't know."
"Wanna find out?"
"Sure!"

So I gave her a selection of old classics and modern movies. She likes Jet Li, so she picked "Kiss of the Dragon". But afterward, I felt like we hadn't seen a kung fu movie. We had merely seen a good action movie with several kung fu sequences.

So what makes a kung fu movie a kung fu movie? My thoughts, sequentially:

As an integral part of the plot, the star learns kung fu (or karate, jeet kun do, capoeira, whatever; I'm not picky).: A mysterious old teacher pushes the young star through rigorous training in secret techniques with which he will avenge himself upon the antagonists who earlier kicked his ass / killed his father / dishonored his school. There are cool training sequences with inspiring music. But wait, there are some exceptions.
The movie is about martial arts.: Whose kung fu is the best? Okay, this covers Bruce Lee's "The Chinese Connection" (sort of), Jackie Chan's "Legend of the Drunken Master" and Jet Li's "Fearless". The lead characters are already badasses (or the learning is off-screen). If they ever lose a battle after childhood, it's due to external circumstances (e.g., rigged fight), alcohol or (occasionally) lack of the "determined look that wins battles". But that still leaves out some important stuff.
Most of the action scenes are martial arts. The final showdown is a protracted martial arts battle.: This now covers some movies without which a kung fu movie collection would be incomplete. The world's best martial artist (who somehow starts the movie with no reputation whatsoever) defeats, e.g., the crime syndicate (Bruce Lee's "Return of the Dragon" or Chuck Norris' "An Eye for an Eye"). (And this properly excludes "Kiss of the Dragon," which fits neither condition.)
Most of the action scenes are martial arts.: That previous one is pretty vague. And yet, what about Jet Li's "Hero," or Bruce Lee's "Game of Death," in which the final showdown wasn't a battle at all? ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" also lacks the protracted final showdown, though it fits the second definition.)

While the last definition is simple, it seems kind of... Graceless? And perhaps vague enough to include things that I might not call kung fu movies. Maybe a kung fu movie is like poison ivy: You can describe the typical characteristics, but they can vary widely in individual examples. And what constitutes "most"? What kind of definition is that? ("Kiss of the Dragon" had plenty of martial arts, but also lots of stunts, gunplay and hitting people with improvised weapons. Plus the gimmicky deus ex machina. And Jet Li is so fast and smooth at kung fu that it comes off as a bit casual and downplayed. (Going in now. Yeah, there happen to be armed guards in the way. So what?))

Any thoughts?

Gratuitous links: Eight historic symbols that mean the opposite of what you think. (Thanks, Seamus and

cluegirl!)
Conan the Barbarian: The Musical (Thanks, Tom!)
I'm Comic Sans, Asshole. (Thanks,

jnala!)

What defines a kung fu movie?

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