Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)

Directed by Rob Cohen. Starring Jason Scott Lee, Lauren Holly, Michael Learned, Robert Wagner, Luoyong Wang, Lim Kay Tong, Nancy Kwan, Sterling Macer, Ric Young, John Cheung.

Hokey, larger-than-life biopic of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee (played by Jason Scott Lee, no relation) doesn’t even attempt verisimilitude, but still manages to be watchable. The film condenses his life to the major episodes (moving to the US, meeting his future wife (Holly), establishing a martial arts school, becoming a TV actor and movie star, etc.), then filters it through the mysticism and superstition of folklore to suggest a constant phantom threat in his all-too-short life. Agreeable lead performance and smooth presentation of its frequent fight scenes complement a willingness to confront the racist attitudes Lee encountered at every turn, even if they resemble glancing blows more than deep cuts. The unbreakable reverence for Lee, however, never allows it to emerge as anything more than a slick, shallow hagiography blessed with spurts of charisma and Randy Edelman’s appropriately stirring music. Bruce’s costar on “The Green Hornet,” Van Williams, has a small role as the show’s director. Dedicated to Bruce’s son, Brandon, who had died just a few weeks before the film’s release while shooting The Crow.

54/100