Day 42: Boards Don't Hit Back

ENTER THE DRAGON (1973)

Directed by Robert Clouse

Starring: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri, Kien Shih

This is the kung-fu movie by which all other kung-fu movies are judged.

A Shaolin monk named Lee (played by, well, Lee) is hired by British Intelligence to spy on a rogue monk turned Bond villain, Han (Shih).  Han is holding a martial arts tournament on his private island.  Among the other combatants are two Americans, Mr. Roper (Norman Fell.  No wait, John Saxon) and Mr. Williams (the non-football-playing Jim Kelly).  Roper is up to his eyeballs in debt and sees the tournament as a good way to make some quick cash.  Williams simply enjoys fighting for the sake of winning.  During the course of the tournament, Han’s shady deals come to light.  He’s involved in drug smuggling, human trafficking and the general corruption of mankind.  But he’s also indirectly responsible for the death of Lee’s sister, which is enough for Lee to take the job. 

Of course, there’s really only one reason to watch this movie, and that’s for the amazing fight scenes.  And they don’t disappoint.  The action is loud, fast and furious.  In fact, the action begins to take over the plot about one-third of the way through the film.  Not that the plot matters very much.  It’s the standard super-villain-plots-to-take-over-and/or-ruin-the-world story we’ve all seen thousand times before.  But instead of James Bond, we get Bruce Lee, who many would argue is much cooler.  He may not have bedded as many henchwomen as Bond, but let’s see Sean Connery or Roger Moore try some of the moves Lee showcases here.  Then again, Han could probably take Blofeld any day.

As much fun as the action was in this movie, it really is just a one-trick pony.  It does one thing, and does it well.  But for me, I’ve got to have an interesting story for me to care what happens next.  What little plot there is only serves as a lead-in to the next fight scene.  It’s exciting at first, but after a while, it starts to get old.  I know that will anger many Bruce Lee fans, but I’m not saying he’s boring.  Think of an action film as a three-ring-circus.  If you don’t like the clowns (and who does?), there’s the elephants.  If you don’t like the elephants, there’s the acrobats, and if you don’t like them, there’s something else.* In other words, there should be something for everyone.  You wouldn’t go to a circus just to see one thing, so why should a film only have one trick? 

But that aside, it was fun to watch.  I’ve always enjoyed martial arts films.  When I was a kid, my sister and I would have mock-karate battles after seeing Karate Kid or some similar film.  But as an adult, they just don’t have the same pull they once did.  Besides, now I can’t get anyone to fake-fight with me without them calling the cops.  C’est la vie.

* $1 to Mick Foley for that analogy.