Enter the Dragon (1973)

"Don't think. FEEL. It's like a finger pointing at the moon.", 28 July 2009

You can debate the most iconic figures in a lot of movie genres, but I doubt anyone would argue Bruce Lee's place at the top of the heap of Martial Arts films. There are movie fans out there who wouldn't know Sonny Chiba, Bolo Yeung, Gordon Liu, or even Jet Li if they walked up and smacked 'em in the face, but more than 35 years after his death, they recognize Bruce Lee. The man was simply incredible! It's a real shame he died shortly after completing Enter the Dragon because the movie offers the promise of so much to come that was unfortunately never realized.

Bruce Lee (cleverly named Lee) is recruited by the government to attend a martial arts tournament on an island owned by a man named Han. The government suspects Han of any number of illegal activities (drugs, slavery, etc), but they need Lee to find the evidence. Lee's desire to get Han takes a personal turn when he discovers that Han's men were responsible for the death of his sister.

I'm really at a loss to come up with anything original to write about Enter the Dragon that hasn't already been said a thousand times. In short, it's one awesome butt-kicking movie from the word go. Watching Bruce Lee (even in choreographed movie fights) in his prime is simply amazing. The man was like poetry in motion. The use of his body as a weapon and the controlled violence he displays are like nothing else I've ever seen. He takes Enter the Dragon from an average martial arts movie with a fairly predictable plot and makes it something for the ages. I should also give some of the credit to the supporting cast. John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Kien Shih, and the rest are more than capable in their roles. The island fortress set, the special effects, the location shots, and everything else you can name in Enter the Dragon are as good as you'll find in a genre film. I've got no hesitation in rating Enter the Dragon a 9/10.

9/10