Gun Kata (Gun Fu)

Gun fu is the style of sophisticated close-quarters gunplay seen in Hong Kong action cinema^[1] and in Western films influenced by it. It often resembles a martial arts battle played out with firearms instead of traditional weapons. It may also be described by other terms such as bullet ballet or gymnastic gunplay.^[2]

The focus of gun fu is style, and the usage of firearms in ways that they were not designed to be used. Shooting a gun from each hand, shots from behind the back, as well as the use of guns as melee weapons are all common. Other moves can involve shotguns, Uzis, rocket launchers, and just about anything else that can be worked into a cinematic shot. It is often mixed with hand-to-hand combat maneuvers.

"Gun fu" has become a staple factor in modern action films due to its visually appealing nature (regardless of its actual practicality in a real-life combat situation). This is a contrast to American action movies of the 1980s which focused more on heavy weaponry and outright brute-force in firearm-based combat.

On Games

"Gun fu" moves appear in the video game Max Payne, along with dual-wielding various weapons, including Berettas, and machine pistols such as Uzis, and the Ingram MAC-10.

Shadow Hearts: From the New World features a character, Natan, whose special skill is labeled "Gun Fu" and is designed to resemble the martial art.

Also Dante, from the Devil May Cry series features the "gun fu" with a variety of weapons, being dual pistol wielding his main firearms.

In 2007, Stranglehold, a game sequel to John Woo's cult film 'Hard Boiled' was released, which featured the protagonist 'Police Inspector Tequila' on another blood driven conquest. With 'slo-mo' action sequences precision sniping in areas such as the crotch and face and persistent use of two hand guns and MP5Ks; this game is the latest in the Gun Fu world.

Noel Vermillion from the fighting game BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger also uses "gun fu" with her two Nox Nyctores pistols, the Arcus Diabolus Bolverk.

In 2009, Cryptic Studios released Champions Online which features a "munitions" class that contains several abilities that utilize dual-wielding pistols. Many of the powers combine firing with martial arts, including a "Bullet Ballet" power and a high level ability called "Lead Tempest." Both powers include animations that appear to use the film Equilibrium as reference