Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Blu-ray Movie Review

The real "Master Bruce."

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 4, 2015

Bruce Lee's filmography isn't extensive, at least not when considering his prime. The acclaimed martial artist died far too young at age 32, just entering his peak years following the filming of the monumental hit Enter the Dragon and several years after his headlining television role as the sidekick "Kato" in The Green Hornet and starring roles in a handful of feature films which eventually helped earn him top billing in Warner Brothers' aforementioned 1973 picture. But he lived a lifetime in three decades, experiencing a life that few could match, a rise to stardom in a new world that offered him not necessarily a new beginning but rather new opportunities and an outlet to demonstrate his extraordinary talents, God-given talents honed not only through dedication but an unending drive to achieve personal perfection. Lee's extraordinary, and tragically brief, life is the subject of Director Rob Cohen's (Dragonheart) Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, an exceptional biopic that's engaging, charismatic, and polished, in many ways a reflection of its star and a fitting tribute to one of cinema's -- and the world's -- greatest treasures.

Reflections of an icon.

Following an altercation at a dance, young Bruce Lee (Jason Scott Lee) is sent packing from Hong Kong to the United States, the nation in which he was born, to live a better life. He finds work as a dishwasher but is given a chance for more when his employer offers him an opportunity to attend college. There, his prowess in the martial arts leads him into his life calling as a martial arts instructor and into the arms of his soul mate, Linda (Lauren Holly). As Lee's instruction business grows, he is forced to face a challenge that leaves him a broken man but, at the same time, a new father and, eventually, more driven than ever before. The film follows his physical recovery and emergence into the entertainment business, ultimately leading him to the starring role in Enter the Dragon, his one and only major Hollywood production.

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story finds a harmonious middle ground between flashy Hollywood movie and more secured, intimate drama. It's energetically produced with a mainstream, crowd-pleasing flavor but finds a more artistic center beyond the basics and explores Lee's psyche as deeply as it does his martial arts and rise to cinema fame. Rob Cohen's multifaceted approach to the material serves the subject well, in many ways reflecting the life depicted in the movie, a life that, on one hand, embodies the classic "good soul" and "family man" and, on the other, one of the toughest yet flashiest dudes ever to walk the Earth. The picture plays with an effortless flow that's mesmerizingly rich in character and free spirited in its presentation, juxtaposing personal triumph with debilitating hardship, a rise to fame against meager roots, and incredible physical skill against an equally, if not more so, impressive mental discipline and focus. Hanging over it all are the haunting nightmares that threaten to strangle Lee from the inside out, personal, deeply rooted demons portending his fate and lingering in his mind's recesses even against the backdrop of his greatest personal triumphs. The result is a complete, intoxicating movie with a delivery equal to the stature of its subject, a movie that comes together with commendable technical craftsmanship but that's made complete under the power of its star.

While the film features terrific stunt work, tight fight choreography, and martial arts expertise evident both in the film's most playful and most serious action bits alike, it's far and away Jason Scott Lee who nails the part and, therefore, nails down the movie. Portraying any popular figure must be more than a casual challenge for even the finest actors, but finding that inner strength to not simply channel someone like Bruce Lee, but essentially become Bruce Lee -- the man and the martial artist alike, never mind digging deep to find and replicate the physical qualities including the martial arts moves and the ripped and lean body -- is certainly a challenge reserved for the best of the best. Jason Scott Lee's transformation is spectacular. He, like the movie, finds a broad spectrum of style, bringing both a light, almost Jackie Chan quality to some of the more humorous establishing fights -- particularly that which takes place out behind the restaurant at which he works in the film's first act -- but maturing the character through the film's challenging middle stretch and blending personal success and deep inward struggles in the third act that sees Bruce Lee evolve into a father and movie star but continue to wrestle with his demons. Jason Scott Lee plays the part with a confidence and a twinkle in his eye, blending character and charisma to extraordinary effect. It's the part Lee was born to play and it shows in every critical facet in his recreation of an icon.

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer that's far from perfect but proves more than serviceable. Though a bit flat, soft, and poorly defined near its open, the image tightens up a good bit as it moves forward. Details, sometimes appearing hindered by light noise reduction but frequently accompanied by very light grain, prove largely satisfying but are absent that intricate, up-close intimacy and finely preserved nuances that define the best film-quality presentations. Still, basic skin and clothing details, in addition to various background odds and ends such as brick, concrete, and wood textures seen in the back alley restaurant brawl scene, appear nicely defined and sharp. Colors are even and pleasing, with a light warmth seen in spots but otherwise never much of an unnatural push towards either excess brightness or dullness. Black levels are decent, though sometimes struggle with minor paleness and hints of noise. A few speckles appear here and there, but they're largely of the blink-and-miss-them variety. On the whole, this is neither the best nor worst catalogue transfer on Blu-ray. It's a serviceable image, one from which videophiles will want more but that should pass the casual eyeball test for quality.

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story kicks out a solid, though imperfect, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. If anything, this one isn't wanting in terms of spacing and utilizing every channel available to it. Whether music or effects, the entire stage is frequently doused in sound, and generally to good, precise placement and balance. Music noticeably flows freely around the listening area, spreading energetically to both the sides and rear. Peak definition, however, is sometimes wanting, though certainly the track enjoys a good, robust body and adequate clarity throughout the range. Heavy sound effects prove likewise aggressive but lightly muddled, whether crushing blows, crashing tables, shattering blocks, or more rumbly nightmare effects in some of Bruce's more violent visions. Chapter 22 enjoys some big, spacious, and immersive -- though not perfectly defined -- applause. Chapter 28 sees some excellent lighter ambient effects inside a theater where the projected film's dialogue lightly echoes through the stage and the projector's whirring sound is heard lightly, and constantly, in the background. The track, then, is capable of delivering all variety of sound effects with some level of precision and nuance alike, though it's clearly lacking in terms of absolute pinpoint realism. Dialogue is largely satisfying and presented firmly in the center. On the whole, this is a quality listen from Universal that, at the very least, doesn't shortchange listeners when it comes to full-film sonic immersion.

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story contains a large assortment of extra vintage content, including featurettes, photographs, and a director's commentary. The disc contains no "top menu;" all settings and bonus features must be accessed in-movie from the pop-up menu.

• Archival Introduction (480i, 6:52): Linda Lee Cadwell introduces the movie to (LaserDisc) viewers and shares some thoughts on her late husband, often in the film's context.
• The Making of Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (480i, 6:27): A simple overview piece that features a story overview, cast and crew interviews, Jason Scott Lee's preparation for and work in the lead role, character basics, and Bruce Lee's personal inward struggles.
• Behind-the-Scenes Footage (480i, 5:16): A few minutes of raw on-set footage featuring Rob Cohen directing extras by establishing a scene. Alternate angles of a key fight sequence follow. The piece ends with an interview with Bruce Lee's widow and Actress Lauren Holly.
• Jason Scott Lee Screen Test (480i, 3:48): A few minutes of the actor in a pre-movie fight sampler. With Rob Cohen commentary.
• Bruce Lee Interview (480i, 7:10): The real-life legend discusses his career in a vintage black-and-white interview.
• Storyboards (1080p upconverted): Opening Sequence (6:47), Johnny Sun's Fight Sequence (3:07), Phantom/Seattle Kwoon Sequence (4:46), Phantom/Oakland Kwoon Sequence (4:13), and Hall of Mirrors Sequence (15:24).
• Production Photographs (1080p upconverted, 34:52).
• Bruce Lee Photographs (1080p upconverted, 19:05).
• Theatrical Trailers (480i, 3:24 total runtime): Two trailers included.
• Audio Commentary: Director Rob Cohen opens with a comment on the process of condensing Lee's life into two hours and follows with discussions of artistic decisions and the style necessary to tell the full story, cast and performances, deeper Bruce Lee history, shooting locations, scene inspirations, the film's score, editorial decisions, and much more. This is a full, informative track that's well spoken and a must-listen for all fans.

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story rises to the challenge of recreating a legendary figure thanks to the charisma and skill of its lead. Jason Scott Lee's performance makes the movie, and all of the quality supportive pieces -- strong technical craftsmanship, terrific fight choreography, and even Randy Edelman's score -- mean nothing without Lee's impassioned turn as the martial arts legend. This is a rich, complete film that, even with some questionable historical accuracy and omissions, makes for a movie that's as entertaining as it is enlightening and inspiring. Universal's Blu-ray release of Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story holds up well, but it isn't perfect. Fair video, good audio, and a recycled supplemental package make it a somewhat underwhelming technical presentation, but fans would be remiss to leave this one on the shelf and newcomers owe it to themselves to experience one of the more underrated movies from the 1990s. Recommended.