Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Enter the Dragon Blu-ray Movie Review

A permanent genre fixture, a fitting tribute to an icon, a martial arts masterpiece...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 26, 2009

Raise your hand if you fancy yourself a martial arts cinema fan. Good, good. Now keep your hand raised if you haven't watched Enter the Dragon. Look around... everyone with their hand raised is a walking contradiction; a deluded charlatan weened on watered down actioners and Rush Hour all-nighters; a misguided soul who hasn't sampled one of the most influential kung fu delicacies of all time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting everyone who partakes of its gritty goodness will suddenly declare it the timeless classic I obviously consider it to be. Not everyone will gravitate to the late Bruce Lee's charms or director Robert Clouse's unflappable direction. Not everyone will tolerate Lee's American co-stars, or enjoy the visceral simplicity of the film's story. However, I have yet to come across someone who isn't impressed by Lee's swift strikes and bone-shattering attacks, or, for that matter, someone determined to belittle the legend's oh-so-apparent mastery of his art. Make no mistake, whether you walk away from Enter the Dragon with a perpetual case of the warm-n-fuzzies or a pair of shrugging shoulders, you won't feel you've wasted your time.

I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that glare...

Enter the Dragon tells the tale of a Shaolin warrior named Lee (Bruce Lee... hold your 007 jokes until the end please) who's recruited by a cookie-cutter intelligence agency to infiltrate a martial arts tournament hosted by a reclusive billionaire named Han (Shih Kien). Lee learns that Han, a former-Shaolin-student-turned-megalomaniac, is suspected of trafficking drugs and prostitutes from his remote compound, a heavily-guarded island that lies just beyond the boundaries of international jurisdiction. After agreeing to participate in the mission, Lee finds himself sitting on a ship alongside a pair of American fighters: Roper (John Saxon), a gambling addict struggling to pay off his Mafia debts, and Williams (Jim Kelly, sporting an awe-inspiring afro), an activist fleeing the Los Angeles police. When they arrive on Han's island, the trio establish their dominance in the tournament, handily besting anyone who faces them. But as Lee gathers evidence of Han's illegal activities, he has to contend with an endless bevy of baddies, face the man responsible for his sister's death (Robert Wall), and unleash his patented brand of tendon-tearing showmanship on his fiercest competitors.

Filmed in 1973, when a jump kick involved actual jumping and kicking (sorry wire-fu fans, you'll find no physics-defying nonsense here), an era in which stuntwork required a martial artist to risk his well-being to accomplish the most basic maneuvers, Enter the Dragon is packed with brutal on-screen combat and stunning acrobatics. Lee's punches are armed with palpable weight and force, granting his every blow legitimacy and authenticity. You may crack a smile at the cheesy '70s sound effects that accompany each move, but don't let yourself be distracted from studying the spectacular skills on display during the film's fights. Thankfully, Lee's solemn performance grounds the entire production, inserting pathos and gravitas into scenes that would otherwise fall flat. The intensity in his eyes, the tension in his fists, even the slight grimace in his jaw join forces to craft both a believable human being and a fearsome warrior. The entire cast rises with him, hitting harder and pushing longer simply to keep up with Lee's commanding presence. I know, I know... Saxon sometimes looks like a wounded animal next to the other fighters (despite his character's supposed prowess), but even he nails the semi-complex nature of his shady antihero.

Sadly, Lee died six days before the film opened in theaters, robbed of the opportunity to enjoy the abundant praise fans and critics would enthusiastically shower on his work for the next four decades. In that regard, I can't imagine a finer swan song than Enter the Dragon. Its thrilling martial arts sequences will make you wince, cheer, and shake your head in disbelief. Above all else, you'll feel a sting of remorse deep in your heart for the loss of an unrivaled talent snuffed out in his prime. I love the film more every time I watch it, and look forward to the dozens of future viewings I'm sure to undertake. If you haven't seen Enter the Dragon, take advantage of its bargain-bin price and familiarize yourself with its every brazen jab and devastating roundhouse kick. You won't regret it.

Enter the Dragon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Update, 6/10/2013: Having evaluated Warner's newly remastered, AVC-encoded release of Enter the Dragon, I decided it was wise to revisit my now long-outdated review of the initial 2007 release, as a detailed comparison between the two was well worth undertaking. While the bulk of my impressions and comparisons will appear in my 2013 review of the remastered edition, I will say it's amazing how much a new release can render an older release outmoded and inadequate, bringing to light more of the previous version's flaws and revealing the true severity of any issues. Aliasing, pixelation, contrast inconsistencies, macroblocking, remastering troubles and other problems are even more prevalent when compared to the superior 2013 release, and color and skintones aren't as satisfying as they once seemed. Artificial sharpening was also out in full force in the original 2007 release, wreaking its own particular brand of havoc. Ultimately, Enter the Dragon will never look as crisp or clean as modern filmfans might wish, but for the definitive presentation of Lee's classic beat-em-up, look no further than the new 2013 release. The 2007 edition is a bit bloody and battered by comparison.

Original Video Review, 6/29/2009: I have to admit I didn't expect much from Enter the Dragon's 1080p/VC-1 transfer. However, it didn't take long for me to adjust my expectations and immerse myself in Warner's at-times gorgeous restoration of the famed classic. The first thing I scribbled in my notes was the word "skintones." Healthy, natural, and convincing, the actors' faces rarely suffer from overzealous saturation, and are never undernourished by underwhelming contrast. Lee's nighttime assault on Han's compound doesn't pop as brilliantly as some of the film's daylit scenes, but the graceful martial artist glides through the lair's cavernous shadows without a hitch. More importantly, the palette remains authentic, primaries are relatively stunning (Williams' yellow garb is a sight to behold), and blacks are quite striking. Watch carefully when Lee takes on an entire school of Han's underlings -- Warner's transfer handles the furious gale of white and black-clad fighters with ease. Look closely as he advances through a deadly hall of mirrors -- the presentation never wavers, brandishing vibrant reds as readily as it produces revealing fine details. Moreover, edges are sharp, textures are surprisingly crisp, and digital anomalies (like artifacting and source noise) are few and far between. It's even a cinch to look past the lingering scratches and intermittent softness that afflicts the original print. Granted, some digital processing has cursed a handful of shots with an over-processed sheen, but it seldom detracts from the virtues of the presentation. All things considered, Enter the Dragon looks great (especially for a thirty-six-year old film) and should find a fitting home amongst your favorite high definition catalog titles.

Enter the Dragon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Enter the Dragon's dated Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track (640kbps) makes it one of the early high definition discs in need of a re-release, this time with a blazing lossless audio mix worthy of Lee's hard-hitting punches and high-pitched war cries. That's not to say this standard offering is an outright disappointment. To the contrary, it pays fitting tribute to the film's source elements without resorting to the overindulgent antics of many ham-fisted remixes on the market. Dialogue is plagued by the same distinct limitations as every other grindhouse and martial arts picture of the era, but it struck me as being cleaner, clearer, and more meticulously prioritized than ever before. Likewise, everything from low-end whumps to ear-piercing wahaaahs sound a tad flat or pinched, but fans of '70s import cinema will shrug their shoulders and count their blessings. On a more positive note, pans and directionality are suitably restrained (thanks to Warner's faithful remastering efforts), the film's musical score has been given fresh life, and dynamics are satisfying (at least as satisfying as a low budget 1973 catalog classic might afford).

As it stands, Enter the Dragon sounds pretty good, particularly considering it doesn't boast anything more powerful than a standard Dolby Digital audio track. It's far from perfect -- I dare to dream of a future lossless remix -- but it doesn't provide any unexpected distractions either.

Enter the Dragon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Having released Enter the Dragon numerous times on DVD, the Blu-ray edition of the martial arts classic comes packed to the brim with hours of extensive supplements. Anyone still holding a candle for the late Bruce Lee will fawn over the high quality special features on tap -- a pair of absorbing full-length documentaries, three engaging featurettes, and an audio commentary among them -- and enjoy the supplemental package almost as much as the film itself. The only downside is that all of the video content is presented in standard definition.

• Filmmakers Audio Commentary: Producer Paul Heller and writer Michael Allin (dialing into the chat via phone) engage in a decent (albeit awkward) discussion about the film, its impact, Lee's talents and contributions, and the martial artist's enduring appeal. They never seem as connected to the production as I desperately wanted them to be (time and distance have left both men with spotty memories and rather emotionless anecdotes), but anyone hoping to find an informative technical track will be more than pleased with their dry discourse.
• A Warrior's Journey (SD, 100 minutes): Commentary aside, may I humbly suggest you make this mesmerizing exploration of Lee's life and career your first supplemental stop. Produced in 2000, it examines his rise to stardom, his tragic death, his undying legacy, and the influence he's had on cinema and martial artists the world over. It's a candid and fitting portrait of a man who helped refine and proliferate a wildly successful genre. Even if you're quick to brush past everything else on the disc, be sure to soak up every minute of this fantastic documentary.
• Curse of the Dragon (SD, 87 minutes): An equally comprehensive, yet more personal documentary that focuses on Lee's death, the fate that befell his son Brandon (on the set of The Crow), and his postmortem magnetism amongst fans of all generations. To my great surprise, this secondary documentary (narrated by George Takai) deftly avoids dipping into the same pool of information as "A Warrior's Journey," offering a variety of details and pursuing a number of paths the beefier bio didn't take time to explore. Sure, there's a bit of minor overlap, but I was thoroughly impressed with how little redundancy I encountered between the two.
• Blood and Steel (SD, 30 minutes): This more traditional behind-the-scenes featurette digs into the production, stuntwork, fight choreography, and performances. While not nearly as compelling as the disc's feature-length documentaries, it's a strong followup that should give cinephiles everything they're looking for and more.
• Linda Lee Cadwell Interviews (SD, 16 minutes): Over the course of ten segments, Lee's widow tells stories about her late husband, discussing his role as a fighter, actor, and family man. Her recollections are captivating and revealing... I just wish she had more than sixteen minutes to cover so much ground. An audio commentary would have been more ideal, but I'll take what I can get.
• In His Own Words (SD, 19 minutes): It may include slices of rare interviews with Bruce Lee, but an abundance of film clips, as well as a somewhat stocky closing photo montage, make this a less-invigorating addition to the package.
• 1973 Archive Featurette (SD, 8 minutes): A vintage production featurette with enough dated spark and sizzle to induce a good laugh or two.
• Backyard Workout with Bruce (SD, 2 minutes): An all-too-short black and white home video.
• Trailers and TV Spots (SD, 15 minutes)

Enter the Dragon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In case my review hasn't helped you make up your mind, allow me to break it all down into a more digestible morsel. Whether you're a casual or diehard martial arts fan, you owe it to yourself to experience Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon at least once. Warner has even made it easy on the eyes and ears with a faithful restoration, an excellent video transfer, a solid audio track, and a wealth of supplements worth the price of admission alone. It's not only one of the best Blu-ray deals on Amazon, it's one of the best kung fu classics available in high definition. What are you waiting for?