Enter the Dragon
Composite Score: 82.63
Starring: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri, Kien Shih, Robert Wall, Angela Mao, Betty Chung, Geoffrey Weeks, and Bolo Yeung
Director: Robert Clouse
Writers: Michael Allin and Bruce Lee
Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller, Kung-Fu
MPAA Rating: R for martial arts violence and brief nudity
Box Office: $68,064 worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Enter the Dragon is a classic 1970s kung-fu film featuring Bruce Lee in his final role before his tragic death. It follows Bruce Lee’s character as he goes undercover at an exclusive martial arts tournament to bust its proprietor, a former shaolin monk who has left the fold to become a drug dealer/human trafficker. The film’s focus is its action sequences, which are beautifully choreographed and showcase Lee’s and the other performer’s capabilities very well. The martial arts film’s deeper messages about the dangers of excess and the importance of right intention flow well through the clear actions and consequences of the narrative. It’s a classic of the genre and lives up to its hype.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Enter the Dragon’s plot centers around a villain who traffics vulnerable women from his private island by getting them hooked on drugs, a still topical plot that ages decently well; however, the film’s treatment of its female characters does not go quite as far in encouraging their protection. Lee’s female family members get treated more as a plot device to motivate his own actions. The only other women in the film work at Han’s island fortress, serving basically as sex slaves to entertain the tournament invitees. Though Lee refuses the service, other side protagonists make use of the women offered, which is then showcased on-screen, defeating any purpose of critiquing such a casual use of women. Indeed, though Williams experiences some consequences for his own actions, Roper ends up basically as Lee’s sidekick while his female companion ends up dead. Obviously, this treatment of women matches up with many of the action films of the early 1970s, so it isn’t that surprising, just still disappointing.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Enter the Dragon shines when it showcases the martial arts skills of its many actors. With Bruce Lee at the center, fighting groups and individuals without discrimination, the film thoroughly lives up to its promise as a classic kung-fu movie. The action sequences with John Saxon’s Roper, Jim Kelly’s Williams, Kien Shih’s Han, Robert Wall’s Oharra, and Bolo Yeung’s Bolo simply add to the already great kung-fu action. From clandestine knockouts of nameless guards to brutal executions of personal vendettas to beautifully choreographed one-on-one martial arts matches, Enter the Dragon is a shining representative of the high points of its genre and a fun ride from start to finish.
A relevant message that is somewhat bungled in its delivery but bailed out by a plethora of energized kung-fu sequences in Enter the Dragon successfully makes the film a classic of the genre and worthy of a place among the Greatest Films of All Time. Its self-defeating treatment of its female characters, while typical for its era, remains problematic, but fans of Lee’s work will still be treated to a high-quality action flick. This film is currently available to stream via Sling or to rent on most streaming platforms if you are interested in checking it out.
