A martial artist is recruited to spy on a powerful crime
lord using an invitation to a tournament as cover. ACTION
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Enter the Dragon (1973)Directed by Robert Crouse
Written by Michael Allin Starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Kien Shih, Betty Chung, Ahna Capri, Robert Wall, Bolo Yeung |
Enter the Dragon is the most badass kung fu movie of all time, bar none. There is no discussion or argument that can be made. This was Bruce Lee's masterpiece, and it would've been the film that propelled him to international stardom, had he not tragically passed away before its release. This film has stood the test of time, and inspired countless other films from Mortal Kombat to Balls of Fury and everything in between. It's got a simple plot, a host of great characters, and some of the most epic fight scenes ever put to celluloid.
Bruce Lee stars as himself, a highly trained, highly disciplined martial arts master who is recruited to spy on reclusive crime lord Han (Shih). Han was a student of the same temple as Lee, but he became greedy and power-hungry. He's also responsible for the death of Lee's sister, so Lee agrees to do it out of revenge and honor. Along for the ride are Roper (Saxon), a rich gambler with kung fu skills, and Williams (Kelly), a black badass with an ego the size of Texas. Once on the island, Lee, Roper, and Williams realize that Han is insane and intending to recruit each of them to join his enterprise. It's a total rip-off of Dr. No, but I can excuse that because once Bruce Lee gets going, the action never stops. In his short but culturally significant career, Bruce Lee only starred in five films he would've called his own. But with those five, and his incredible contribution to martial arts, Lee became a legend, and a fire began that will never die out. A fire started by a Dragon. This film is his best work, and it is a testament to the incomparable skills of cinema's greatest real-life warrior. |