Way of the Dragon (1972) poster
7.8
Your Rating: 0/10
Ratings: 7.8/10 from 306 users
# of Watchers: 525
Reviews: 1 user
Ranked #3594
Popularity #11471
Watchers 306

Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help a family friend, Uncle Wang, and Wang's niece, Chen Ching Hua, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local mafia. The mafia boss has been trying to force them to sign a contract handing over ownership of the restaurant to him, through the use of violence and intimidation. Tang fends off the gangsters and wins Chen's admiration, who had initially looked down on him for his naïveté. Earlier on, Tang was reluctant to put all his savings into a bank and had even unknowingly gone home with a prostitute while touring Rome with Chen; he had further frustrated her by not being able to understand Italian or English. After the thugs are defeated the first time, Tang becomes friends with the other restaurant workers (who know some karate) and teaches them 'Chinese boxing'. Edit Translation

  • English
  • magyar / magyar nyelv
  • dansk
  • Norsk
  • Country: Hong Kong
  • Type: Movie
  • Release Date: Dec 30, 1972
  • Duration: 1 hr. 39 min.
  • Score: 7.8 (scored by 306 users)
  • Ranked: #3594
  • Popularity: #11471
  • Content Rating: Not Yet Rated

Cast & Credits

Photos

Way of the Dragon (1972) photo
Way of the Dragon (1972) photo

Reviews

Completed
The Butterfly
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 24, 2022
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers
Bruce Lee wrote, directed and starred in Way of the Dragon, taking the crew to Rome to film among the Coliseum ruins.

Way of the Dragon begins as more of a comedic story with Bruce as the fish out of water in Rome trying to help with a family business. Nora Miao's restaurant is under attack from a developer who wants her to sell. Bruce's character plays the unstoppable force who can take on an entire army of bad guys. Ultimately, the Big Bad calls in Chuck Norris to rid him of the troublesome new guy.

I found the first half of the movie less than enthralling. Much of it was supposed to be funny but I didn't get the humor, especially a long running gag with Bruce having gastrointestinal distress.

The second half of the movie is pure martial arts magic. Some versions cut out a scene with Bruce taking on a group of thugs with not one set of, but two sets of nunchucks. It also shows why amateurs should not try those tricks at home, which was really funny. The climax of the movie with Bruce fighting Chuck Norris is a classic. Chuck was a legitimate and respected karate champion. Bruce wanted someone who could keep up with him and the fight was highly entertaining. Bruce asked Chuck to gain some weight to make him look more formidable and it would seem to not shave his back hair (chest hair was considered sexy in the 1970's). A cat watching the events played out some of the emotions of the two fighters and the audience.

Bruce Lee was artistry to watch, when he slowed down enough for us to catch even a fraction of his moves. Despite my disappointment with some elements of this film, no actor had a better "I'm through playing around now" look than Bruce had. His intensity was smoldering. The fights in the second half of the movie ran the gamut from fun to tense, to enthralling. If you enjoy martial arts movies, and haven't seen this one, you need to put it on your list. The classic fights in it are not to be missed.

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Details

  • Movie: Way of the Dragon
  • Country: Hong Kong
  • Release Date: Dec 30, 1972
  • Duration: 1 hr. 39 min.
  • Content Rating: Not Yet Rated

Statistics

  • Score: 7.8 (scored by 306 users)
  • Ranked: #3594
  • Popularity: #11471
  • Watchers: 525

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