Bruce Leeis a cinematic giant – an icon whose legendary status as one of the coolest and most gifted martial artist-actor-choreographer-filmmakers of all time has and will continue to live on forever. Given his incredible popularity, even nearly 50 years after his death, it might come as some surprise to newcomers to Hong Kong cinema that the monolithic Lee made so few martial arts movies. His untimely death in 1973 no doubt robbed the world of countless would-be classics, because the few that he did make in his lifetime easily rank amongthe greatest martial arts movies of all time.
Besides martial arts flicks, Lee’s filmography features many dramatic performances from when he was a child, as well as many posthumously released documentaries discussing his life in which he is featured via archival footage. In the list below, we’ve collected the near-mythic Hong Kong-American artist’s 10 best films and ranked them in order of their respective scores on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer!
10Game of Death II (1981) – 42%
Due to the fact that Lee didn’t actually complete that many films in his lifetime – and even fewer of them have official critical scores on Rotten Tomatoes – the very odd and unevenGame of Death IIjustbarelymakes this list. A bizarre Frankenstein’s monster of a movie that was pieced together with scenes lifted from Lee’s earlier films, it’s no mystery as to why it lacks a critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes and sits at a meager 42% audience score on the Tomatometer.
Why it Makes the List
Game of Death IImay be a pitiful and even somewhat tasteless excuse for a Bruce Lee movie, but when taken on its own merits, it can be admired as a fascinating time capsule of wild and anarchic “anything goes”-style Hong Kong cinema. Unlike the firstGame of Death, which was a shoddy attempt at “finishing” a movie that Lee had started making before his death,Game of Death IIoperates more as a sort of tribute to the late great legend of martial arts.
In addition to being an interesting tribute to Lee, it is a solid action film in its own right. The fight scenes are genuinely impressive, and the archival footage of Lee is better implemented into the narrative of the film than in its predecessor. Overall,Game of Death IIwon’t be for everyone, but for the Bruce Lee fan who’s seen it all, this one should not be missed.
9Game of Death (1978) – 46%
Like the aforementionedGame of Death II,Game of Deathis a posthumously released Lee flick that doesn’t have a particularly great reputation among martial arts movie aficionados. A pet project for Lee, the film very well could have been the martial artist-turned-filmmaker’s greatest work had it not been for his shocking death at the age of 32.
As the low rating of 46% on the Tomateter suggests,Game of Deathis not a great film. It was hastily cobbled together using pre-existing footage and new material starring a not-so-convincing Lee “lookalike.” Overall, most fans consider the film to have been made in rather poor taste, though there is one thing that makes it worthwhile: the pagoda-set footage Lee captured for the film in which he takes on multiple villains in his iconic yellow get-up — the same one that inspired Uma Thurman’s look inKill Bill.
8The Green Hornet (1974) – 57%
The Green Hornet
Yet another Bruce Lee film that lacks an official critic score on Rotten Tomatoes,The Green Hornetnevertheless sports a tidy 57% audience score on the Tomatometer. An omnibus edit of three classic episodes of the originalGreen HornetTV show from the 1960s – which gave Lee one of his first iconic screen credits – 1974’sThe Green Hornetdisappointed fans hoping for new material, but overall served as a decent introduction to the show.
As previously mentioned,The Green Hornetis not exactly aclassicBruce Lee movie, as it’s just episodes fromThe Green Hornetshow re-edited into a theatrical feature. Despite being a rehash, however, the actual action is entirely worthwhile. Van Williams and Lee make an awe-inspiring duo, and it’s no wonder that Lee would quickly burst through to the silver screen after giving this campy TV classic his all. That said, newcomers would probably be better off watching the actual TV show rather than this film version.
7Marlowe (1969) – 63%
One of the many films based on Raymond Chandler’s iconic detective novels,Marlowestars James Garner as Philip Marlowe on a quest to help a mysterious woman locate her missing brother. What does any of this have to do with Bruce Lee, you ask? Well, the film featured one of Lee’s earliest Hollywood acting gigs on the big screen: a small but memorable role as a hired tough sent to intimidate the titular Marlowe by destroying furniture and light fixtures in his office.
For starters,Marloweis a solid neo-noir flick. It isn’t anywhere near as good asChinatownorThe Long Goodbye, but it does have an intriguing mystery, a charismatic lead, and, of course, a must-see cameo from Lee. What really makes the movie significant, however, is its place in Bruce Lee history. Lee wasn’t exactly a household name by 1969, but hewasa well-known Hollywood martial arts teacher at the time. He actually scored the part inMarlowebecause Garner and the film’s screenwriter were students at his martial arts school. His role in the film may have been small, but it served as a pivotal stepping stone towards bigger and better things for Lee.
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6The Kid (1950) – 67%
One of Lee’s earliest acting roles can be found in the 1950 Hong Kong dramaThe Kid, in which he starred with his father, Lee Hoi-chuen. The young Lee portrays a 10-year-old orphan in this adaptation of a popular Hong Kong comic book.
AlthoughThe Kidseems to be a little too obscure to garner an official critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, its not-too-shabby 67% audience score indicates that the early Bruce Lee movie is not one to be missed.
5The Big Boss (1971) – 69%
Fists of Fury
The Big Bossis an action-packed martial arts extravaganza, and the first of Lee’s films that could easily be considered a masterpiece. Confusingly, the film was released in many territories asFists of Fury, making it easily confused withFist of Fury(also known asThe Chinese Connection), released the following year.
Despite not yet being his own director,The Big Bossannounced Bruce Lee as the newest auteur of martial arts entertainment. Lee was a last-minute replacement for the lead actor in the movie, and quickly became one of the leading stars of Hong Kong cinema. In other words,The Big Bossis the first of Lee’s greatest hits.
4Fist of Fury (1972) – 83%
Fist of Furyis a kung fu classic starring Bruce Lee in his second major big-screen role. The crowd-pleasing film features many ofLee’s most iconic movie moments, and tons of amazing action choreographed by Lee himself.
Fist of Furyis a solid contender for Lee’s best film. It boasts some of the most impressive fight choreography in Hong Kong movie history, as well as many stunning dramatic set pieces that elevate it above other action-packed martial arts movies. The shocking and unforgettable ending is the icing on the cake, making this an undisputed Bruce Lee essential.
3The Way of the Dragon (1972) – 86%
The Way of the Dragon
The Way of the Dragonis Lee’s directorial debut, and follows a martial artist who vows to protect the owners of a Chinese restaurant in Rome from a vicious gang of thugs.
The Way of the Dragoncould be considered the martial artist-filmmaker’s magnum opus. Although it had a lower budget than its successor,Enter the Dragon, the film is the only one that Lee wrote, produced, choreographed, starred in, and directed, making it the truest expression of his artistic vision. In addition to being a Bruce Lee classic, the film is alsoone of Chuck Norris’ best movies.
2Enter the Dragon (1973) – 89%
It almost goes without saying thatEnter the Dragonisa highly influential action classic– one of the best action films of the 1970s, in fact. It stars Lee as a martial arts master on a mission to stop the evil drug lord responsible for the death of his sister.
Generally considered to be Lee’s best film,Enter the Dragonis the very definition of iconic. It’s pure martial arts mayhem distilled and perfected, and its storyinventedmost of the tropes that would define the genre in the years to follow. The film finds Lee at the top of his game, and made him the internationally recognized legend that he was and still is today.
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1Be Water (2020) – 93%
Be Wateris a fantastic documentary about the life and career of Bruce Lee, created as a part of ESPN’s celebrated30 for 30documentary series. It chronicles the making of four of Lee’s most beloved films, and makes extensive use of archival footage and interviews with the martial artist-filmmaker.
While it admittedly feels a little wrong to top off the list of Lee’s best films with a documentary made after his death, the film is extremely well-made and deserving of its high score of 93% on the Tomatometer. The film features never-before-seen archival footage of Lee, and thoughtfully comments on the racism that Lee faced when he began his career in the United States.
