No matter what kind of a cinema buff you are, whether you indulge in world cinema or not, there is one name that you must have definitely heard of – Bruce Lee (even my mum has heard of him, all thanks to me). And when it comes to discussing Bruce Lee and his movies, there is one movie which inarguably tops the list – Enter the Dragon. This is the grand-daddy of all martial films, the movie which inspired future generations of all martial arts movies. This was the big Hollywood production , co-distributed by Warner Bros with Golden Harvest, and in every way, bridged the divide between the east and the west. If Bruce Lee was the reason why people in the west started watching movies with subtitles (or atrociously funny dubbing), then Enter the Dragon features as one of the brightest medals which made him into such a big pop culture icon. This was the last film that he completed before his untimely demise, and Enter the Dragon remains as a masterful showcase for Lee’s larger-than-life kick-ass image. And even though it is 38 years old(yes, it is that old) and counting, it still remains the definitive martial arts movie of all time.
I can still remember the times I had managed to glimpse some of the many action scenes in the movie, dodging my parent’s protective firewall against violent movies. But I finally got hold of the VHS tape from the local Video rental store, and a new devotee of the Bruce Lee’s religion of martial arts was born. In a time where there was no internet, no online forums to discuss the sheer awesomeness of Bruce Lee’s kicks, chops and badass screen presence, the only way to vent out was at the junior boys in the neighbourhood (LOLjk). Whilst I had seen some other martial arts movies before this, mostly produced by Hong Kong based Golden Harvest studios and featuring ridiculous dubbing, Enter the Dragon was my big ticket to the roller coaster world of action movies.
Many argue that Enter the Dragon is just an Asian remake of a typical James Bond movie (the one that comes closest is Dr.No or The Man with the Golden Gun). That argument is fair only to the point when you describe that the villain, Han, has a secret fortress layered with traps, sidekicks, naked sultry ladies in satin gowns and makeup, metallic hand, and has a thing for dramatics, and oh, runs something of the highest criminal order – like controlling opium trade on a global scale. If it comes to comparing James Bond to Lee, you know who’ll kick whose ass and how much. So yeah, the plot is as simple as it gets. Lee is a Shaolin fighting genius, hired by a secret agency to take part in a fighting tournament organised by Han on an island, and in the process, get secret info on Han’s illegal activites. Lee is joined by his two mates, American fighters – Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly), who are taking part in the competition for their own reasons. Whilst on the island, where by day, the ‘warriors’ have a face-off in the arena, by night, Lee does his snooping around in a Shaolin ‘almost invisible’ suit, and show off skills with the nunchuk, trying to get as much info on Han’s operations. Will Lee be able to topple the organisation and also in the process save his two mates? Oooh, is there a twist in the tale?
Just how many badass kungfu kicks do we get to see? To find out, just watch Enter the Dragon already!
Even though the movie is filled with dangerously wide lapels and some corny era-related dialogue (mostly by Jim Kelly), Enter the Dragon still manages to deliver the same powerful punch, time and again. The plot might seem like contrived to a certain extent, but this was before it was done to death in the last three decades. Its in fact a rather plausible and somewhat clever excuse to show people what they came to see – Bruce Lee kicking butt in a loop, and oh boy there’s plenty of that. Right from the opening scene – when Lee takes on yet another martial arts legend – Sammo Hung, to the climactic battle when Lee takes on pretty much the entire island, it is a hoot to watch the master do what he does best.
The famous fabulous final showdown between Han and Lee in the mirror room gets my adrenaline pumping even today. The brilliant cinematography and choreography of that scene remains one of my most favourite action scenes ever. It is indeed the world’s greatest martial artist at his peak, in a showcase perfectly designed for him. He is riveting as a performer and shines even in his non-fighting scenes as the Shaolin monk philosopher. His illustrative lesson of the ‘art of fighting without fighting’ is exactly what makes him the icon that he is. Enter the Dragon is a perfect testament to his legacy, and even after almost four decades, people are still inspired by ideas from him. I believe I am not wrong if I said – No Bruce Lee, no Jackie Chan, no Jet Li, no Van Damne. No Enter the Dragon – no Matrix, no Kill Bill, no Crouching Tiger. Yes, it is THAT important. It gives one pause while watching Enter the Dragon to think of the accomplishments that Lee could’ve achieved had he lived.
I have seen people getting converted after watching Enter the Dragon, and if you are still a stranger to this religion, then you are either a child, a caveman or there is certainly something wrong with you. It is the movie that defines the genre of martial arts movies, but more than that, IMMA let you finish, but Enter the Dragon is the coolest action movie of all time.. ALL TIME!
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