The theorization of cinematic action, sparked by the release of Enter the Dragon (1973) half a century ago, marks a significant intervention in the study of martial arts cinema—a genre uniquely blending efficacy and entertainment. While film scholars have delved into the authenticity and expressivity of cinematic martial arts, the theorization often rests on Euro-American film theories such as realism and expressionism, inadvertently sidelining the rich aesthetic and philosophical depths of martial arts. Recognizing this, cultural studies scholars advocate for “Asia as method,” proposing a decolonized approach to theorization. However, this paper argues that a mere reversal of theoretical frameworks, namely recolonizing film theories using Asian methodologies, is insufficient. Instead, it posits cinematic martial arts not just as a spectacle but as embodied knowledge, intertwining the martial principles with the philosophical teachings of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism through the aesthetic concept of tranquility. This paper traverses three critical segments: 1) examining Euro-American film theories on cinematic action; 2) debating the risks and opportunities in decolonizing cinema studies; and 3) proposing martial arts as a method to bridge Asian and Euro-American theories. This approach raises the epistemological question in the study of martial arts cinema, shifting focus from existing paradigms back to martial arts. By doing so, cinematic martial arts can transcend the geographical, cultural, and generic confines of kung fu and wuxia, inviting us to view martial arts through a lens that recognizes its aesthetic and philosophical essence, thereby enriching our understanding of martial arts in cinema and beyond.