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The Way of the Dragon
猛龍過江
1972 100 min Hong Kong, China, Italy R 18+
★7.5
Action, Crime
Director: Bruce Lee
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
After a Chinese restaurant in Rome is threatened by the mafia, who will stop at nothing to acquire the property, the owner recruits a family friend in Hong Kong, kung fu expert Tang Lung, to help them defend their business.
Budget:
$130,000
Worldwide:
$27M
Starring
Bruce Lee
Actor
Chuck Norris
Actor
Nora Miao
Actor
Awards
1 win total
Key opinion
The Way of the Dragon is widely celebrated as a foundational martial arts masterpiece, defined by Bruce Lee’s charismatic performance and legendary fight choreography. While the narrative is often dismissed as simple or naive, the film's iconic climactic duel and authentic, non-CGI action continue to resonate with audiences as a peak example of the genre.
| Emotion | The climactic duel between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris in the Colosseum is universally regarded as a landmark moment in action cinema. | |
| Direction | The martial arts sequences feature exceptional, high-speed choreography that remains impressive due to its reliance on real stunts rather than modern digital effects. | |
| Acting | Bruce Lee’s commanding screen presence successfully anchors the film, even as his performance is noted to be less consistent in dramatic or non-combat scenes. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is characterized by a simple, accessible narrative formula that succeeds as an action backdrop but is frequently criticized as being thin or childlike. |