Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
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.
The Way of the Dragon is a landmark in martial arts cinema, notable as Bruce Lee's directorial debut and the only film he wrote, directed, and starred in. The plot is thin and largely functional — a simple fish-out-of-water premise serving as a vehicle for fight sequences — and the acting outside of Lee is broadly comedic and unremarkable. However, the film's novelty is exceptional: it transplants kung fu action to Rome in a genuinely unique cultural mashup, culminating in the iconic Colosseum showdown with Chuck Norris, one of the most legendary one-on-one fights in cinema history. That finale is a masterclass in choreographed martial arts tension, earning a well-above-average Ending score. The cinematography is competent but unpolished, reflecting its modest production, though Lee's kinetic energy elevates the action sequences. Its distinctiveness and the sheer bravura of its climax cement its legacy.