Birth of the Dragon (2016) User Reviews

Decent film with engaging action.

[connerlandon · 7/10 · 3 September 2017]

I was at first put off by the trailers of the film because the street alley scene and certain dialogue lines seemed cheesy without context, however in the progression of the full film they play their part just fine.

In the idea that the "birth of the dragon" was the transition from Bruce Lee's generic focus of Kung Fu and other martial arts into the consolidated uniform art of Jeet Kune Do, this movie highlighted the event that sparked that transition in an entertaining way. Combining some historical information with an enticing cinematic focus, intertwined with some fictional inclusions of characters and story for the sake of making it an entertainment film rather than direct informational documentary, I was satisfied overall with the viewing and find that it paid decent homage to the memory of Bruce Lee by showing a human element of imperfection during the beginning of his career.

Allowing us to see into the information of his time before becoming a cultural icon was refreshing, and influenced me to read into Lee's history during those years and before. Again, the film does include uses of fictional elements in order to help propel the story in a standard acceptable for entertaining viewership, and as such does not convey an entirely truthful set of events, only a summary with cinematic filler.

I recommend seeing this film to see what you think of it, and afterwards reading about the events around the conflict between Bruce Lee and Wong Jack Man yourself, as there are some interesting details to be found.

Good Fight Scenes

[stevendbeard · 7/10 · 25 August 2017]

I saw "Birth of the Dragon", starring-mostly Chinese actors, with one Caucasian thrown into the mix-Philip Ng-The Man From Macau, New Police Story; Yu Xia-Bull Brothers, Dragon Squad and Billy Magnussen-Bridge of Spies, Into the Woods.

I must admit, I am a big Bruce Lee fan. This is based loosely on an article written by Michael Dorgan called 'Bruce Lee's Toughest Fight'. When Bruce Lee first came to San Francisco in the early 1960's-and before he became famous-there was a fight between him and a Shaolin Kung Fu monk that supposedly changed people's lives, both his and the monk's. Bruce had opened a martial arts school and taught anyone that wanted to learn. Most of the Chinese martial artist did not like Bruce teaching non-Asians and let him know it-usually by getting into fights. Wong Jack Man was a Shaolin master that came to San Francisco for reasons of his own, but ended up getting into the legendary fight with the up and coming Bruce Lee in an abandoned warehouse that only about a dozen people witnessed. Philip plays Bruce and Yu plays Wong. Billy plays one of Bruce's students-the lone Caucasian in the film- that is based loosely on one of Bruce's real life students, Steve McQueen. Here, he is called Steve McKee and in my opinion, he could have been left out of the movie-he had a side story that was not that interesting. The actual fight is pretty good with both men getting some lumps as well as giving some-it wasn't lopsided in either man's favor. After this fight, Bruce developed his own fighting style, Jeet Kune Do, which in itself is the forefather of mixed martial arts. It's rated "PG-13" for martial arts violence and language and has a running time of 1 hour & 43 minutes. I enjoyed the fight scenes and I would buy this one on DVD.

I love surprises

[halcyon_king · 6/10 · 12 November 2017]

I it nice to watch a movie that you are curious about, without any expectations, and then be very pleasantly surprised. I have to thank all the haters out there for making this experience even better than it would have been. Without elaborating to much, this is a really nice, fun movie with a good solid cast and some great moments on the screen. By writing this review I wanted to restore a little balance into the mix, considering the bad reviews this movie has been getting. By just looking at this low rating I can tell a lot of people have missed the point of this movie, at least what I think the point was. By elaborating a little bit more, what happened here was a case of taking a past unrecorded event and making a movie around it by making assumptions and filling in the blanks and thus creating something new. All I can say is that the crew make this process work pretty good. This movie doesn't give you a very accurate history lesson but it has a purpose non the less. A part of that purpose was to give us a little bit of a different version of Bruce Lee and his story. This movie didn't idealize him which in my opinion was a great move because it made Bruce Lee seem like a more relatable person, flawed and a little immature at the time. This movies statement was that he was a genius, talented, charismatic, but also probably a little cocky, arrogant and immature in his beginnings as a teacher. I'm not making assumptions on the authenticity of his character but I like that this wasn't a typical hero that wins the day story. Just at the very end it turns it around to give us the moral of the story which is in my opinion the best part of the movie. When you think you know everything, life tells you otherwise. In summation I would definitely recommend this movie because it has a lot going for it. If nothing else, there is some nice philosophy, plus some good martial art fights. Most importantly, Bruce Lee remains a very cool guy thanks to a great cast. A nice surprise.

"Birth of the Dragon" is an entertaining piece of biopic fiction.

[dave-mcclain · 7/10 · 3 September 2017]

Like many famous people, the experiences of martial arts icon Bruce Lee before he became famous are not well-known, but are crucial to understanding the person he became. The man the world came to know as Bruce Lee was born Lee Jun-fat in San Francisco on November 27, 1940, in the Chinese "Year of the Dragon". His father was a Chinese opera star who was touring the U.S. at the time, but took his family back to their native Hong Kong shortly before Japan invaded. After World War II ended, Lee's father resumed his earlier film career and Bruce began appearing on screen as a child actor. As he continued making movies, Bruce also began learning Chinese martial arts, first from his father and then from the famous Wing Chun master teacher Yip Man. Bruce was getting into a lot of street fights, which he usually won, but when he was 18, amid rumored threats to his life, his parents sent him to live with his older sister in San Francisco. Just months later, Lee moved to Seattle where he finished high school, went to college and began teaching martial arts, eventually opening his own studio. When he was 23, he moved to Oakland, California to live with locally famous martial artist James Yimm Lee, with whom he opened his second studio. Bruce himself became well-known throughout the Bay Area and beyond. He sought ways to increase the momentum of his martial arts career and to translate that into a show business career. He also began to evolve as a martial artist. This is the period of Bruce Lee's life that is chronicled (and fictionalized) in the 2017 martial arts action movie "Birth of the Dragon" (PG-13, 1:43).

In 1964, Bruce Lee (Philip Ng) is a skilled and cocky master teacher running his own Bay Area martial arts studio. He also has some of his students appear in crude Kung Fu movies which Lee produces, directs, writes and stars in. Lee is a controversial figure, both in central California and even back in Asia for his teaching emphasis on "kicking ass" over spirituality, for turning Kung Fu into mass entertainment and (especially) for teaching Caucasians. One of those students is Steve McKee (Billy Magnussen, playing a fictionalized version of actor Steve McQueen, a real-life student of Lee's). Steve is a promising student, but increasingly has doubts about Lee's philosophy and whether Lee can help him reach his potential.

And then Lee learns that a famous Chinese martial artist Wong Jack Man (Yu Xia) is coming to San Francisco, but isn't sure why. He thinks it's because Wong wants to spy on him. Or maybe Wong wants to punish Lee for teaching Kung Fu to whites. Either way, Lee is unswayed and unafraid. Steve's attitude is different, however. He is intrigued by the new arrival and eventually gravitates to Wong and his more spiritual approach to life – and Kung Fu – and tries to persuade the master to take him on as a student. Meanwhile, Steve becomes an intermediary between Lee and Wong, delivering messages between the two rivals as they challenge each other and then negotiate the terms of one decisive, high-stakes fight.

This is where the veracity of the film's story gets even murkier. The set-up for this battle royale involves a fictional young Chinese woman named Xiulan (Jingjing Qu). She, as many others like her, was brought to the U.S. by a Chinese crime lord called Auntie Blossom (Jin Xing) who forces these girls into servitude – sometimes of the domestic variety – and sometimes in one of her "houses". Steve falls in love with Xiulan and wants to free her from her virtual slavery. Xiulan's fate becomes part of the motivation for the Lee-Wong match. Such a fight between the two men did actually take place, but it happened indoors, it was not filmed and there were relatively few witnesses. Consequently, reports of the fight – from how long it lasted to who won – have varied widely from the very beginning and remain a source of controversy to this day. The movie's portrayal of the fight is very entertaining and it does take sides in how it shows the fight playing out, but the actual fight sequence and its aftermath in the film's story can only be viewed from the perspective of significant creative license. However, one aspect of the fight's result does stand on its own merits. That being the significant impact the fight had on Lee's continuing rise to fame and on his style as a martial artist. No spoilers here, but you can read all about it online.

"Birth of the Dragon" is an entertaining piece of biopic fiction. But Movie Fans' reactions will depend on how they view the large amount of fictionalization in the story (including forcing that story into a recognizable Hollywood formula) – and what they think of how the climactic fight is portrayed. Based on Michael Dorgan's article, "Bruce Lee's Toughest Fight", screen writing partners (and Oscar nominees) Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson ("Nixon", "Ali", "Pawn Sacrifice") and director George Nolfi ("The Adjustment Bureau") give us an interesting version of actual events. Action movie and martial arts fans will likely be entertained, while dedicated Bruce Lee fans will probably be intrigued, if nothing else. (Although some will find the emphasis on Steve McKee's character unnecessarily distracting). Through the pleasing efforts of the filmmakers, the serviceable acting of the supporting cast and the fairly strong performances of Phillip Ng, Yu Xia and Billy Rasmussen, Movie Fans get an unspectacular, but enjoyable story which reveals at least some truths about the rise of one of the greatest and most influential martial artists of all time. "B+"

I walked out.

[aubrey79102 · 26 August 2017]

This seems like the worst movie I can remember in a long time. Probably because I had great expectations and always loved Bruce Lee. Seeing how egotistical he came across, showing him making movies before he ever did, ignoring his philosophy, and many facts distorted compelled me to walk out. So my review only goes to Jack Wong and Lee's first scene together.

If you still must see this movie after reading to this review, make sure another movie is playing near yours so you can switch theaters. Wonder Woman was better the 5th time than setting through this garbage.

Without dissecting actual events vs. Hollywood version, this film was still enjoyable

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 7/10 · 7 May 2018]

Sure there are added characters and the story is not accurate, but the premise is - the Bruce Lee & Wong Jack Man conflict. And even though the origin of this film has been adapted for a "Hollywood story", I still had difficulty getting past the poor acting. The fight choreography was decent though. A 7/10 from me

this film seriously offends me

[chrisleeisworking · 1/10 · 18 September 2016]

I wanted to throw my popcorn at the screen!! This is cash grab garbage, crock of s***. The director has turned Bruce Lee into a caricature. This is spitting on the memory of Bruce Lee. As a loyal fan of Bruce Lee and as an Asian, this film seriously offends me. ENOUGH! We in the Asian communities will make sure this film earns ZERO dollars. The script is shockingly dull and absurd, the fight scenes aren't exceptional, the stunt guy who plays Bruce Lee captures zero essence of Bruce Lee, his acting pure ham. The director should go back to writing to spare us further torture. ******** BIRTH OF A DRAGON is NOT sanctioned by the Lee family ******** http://www.yomyomf.com/your-1st-look-at-birth-of-a-dragon/

Old-school Kung Fu fun

[trinaboice · 7/10 · 29 October 2017]

Grade: B

Rating: PG-13, 91 minutes

In a nutshell: I love China, San Francisco, Kung Fu, and Bruce Lee. Put all of those things together and you get this entertaining movie directed by George Nolfi, who also directed the fun movie The Adjustment Bureau.

While Birth of the Dragon is a fictional origin film, it's based on an event that supposedly occurred.

It's an imagining of what may have inspired Bruce Lee to develop his unique style of martial arts.

Uplifting theme:

"Kung Fu is not a game, gentlemen. It is not a religion. It is about who lives and who dies." – Bruce Lee (Philip Ng) "Kung Fu is about self-discipline and self-discovery." – Wong Jack Man (Yu Xia) "Kung Fu does not reside in the fists, but it resides in the soul." – Wong Jack Man Balance and harmony

Things I liked: Serious old-school Kung Fu fighting. 1 inch punch. Ha ha A good amount of humor. Great stunts and action. I have a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, but I was always pretty clumsy and awkward, especially compared to all of the actors and stuntmen in this movie! I loved the flowing movement of Wong Jack Man's golden robes. Besides it looking cool, it represented his inner dance for balance in his life. I've been to China twice and love their philosophy of chi and harmony in all things. If you liked this, you might like watching the 1973 Enter the Dragon (1973)

Things I didn't like: The movie makes Bruce Lee look really cocky. I can't stand fake flying in martial arts movies. Steve McKee (Billy Magnussen) has a much larger role in the film than he probably should, considering this movie is supposed to be about Bruce Lee.

Interesting lines:

"Now you have begun to exceed your limits." – Wong Jack Man "What limits?" – Bruce Lee "I was going to be a star, but I'd rather be a legend." – Bruce Lee

Tips for parents: Some profanity. Lots of fighting! (Duh!) Discussion of prostitution. If you have a child who is taking some kind of martial arts lessons, you can point out the lessons learned in this movie about when to fight and how to do it with honor.

MOVIE REVIEW MOM

.

Misses the Mark

[omegle-66767 · 1/10 · 28 September 2016]

It's been 23 years since the last major Hollywood biopic on Bruce Lee. While we're a full generation forward, the 20-odd year interval wasn't sufficient to outlast the durable media biases that afflict how minorities, in this case, Asian-Americans, are depicted.

Birth of the Dragon will pull in fans off the street by claiming to tell the story of Bruce Lee, an iconic figure in American history. However, they may be surprised to find that the movie actually has very little to say about Lee. About his love life. About who he is as a human being. In fact, he is dealt with in such a stylized, mysterious manner -- and not as a full human being -- it's unclear the movie gives the viewer anything more than he already knew. Instead, Lee's primary purpose is to serve the white protagonist Steve McKnee in various ways.

First, the film gives short shrift to the actual epic fight between Lee and his rival. We do not even know how that fight impacted Lee's life afterwards, what he learned from it, or how it changed his fighting style. But we do know Lee went through all that trouble, and the animating force behind it was that Lee's rival was against Caucasians like McKnee being trained to fight. What's happening here is that - this really isn't about Lee. It's more about some character we've never heard of but somehow has the country's greatest martial arts fighter fighting on his behalf.

It doesn't end there. Lee, a role model for Americans, including Asian-Americans, is seen as flat. He is shown as without a romantic interest. In contrast, McKnee has an Asian Girlfriend...and lo and behold he needs Lee to fight for him again to get the girlfriend back after she's abducted by "bad Asians". And Lee does.

I think we came to watch Bruce Lee. Not Bruce Lee aid some random fictional nobody on his mission to belong, and then his mission to get back said nobody's girlfriend.

Great movie for Bruce Lee and martial arts fans!

[phany-30772 · 7/10 · 12 September 2017]

The movie did a great job of showcasing the talents of Bruce Lee while adding some mystery of who REALLY won the big showdown between Bruce Lee and Wong Jak Man. Philip Ng did a great job of portraying the mannerisms and attitude of the late great Bruce Lee. Many reviews have stated that the movie focused too much on Steve McKee, played by Billy Magnussen, but I didn't think so. His role was pivotal for the storyline. It's a movie that I would definitely recommend if you're a Bruce Lee fan, love martial arts movies, and are ready for a few laughs.

This 2016 Biopic is dull, aimless, and squanders its premise

[davidchenhere · 2/10 · 28 September 2016]

I bought the tickets to this movie thinking it would be a cool Bruce Lee biopic. Or failing that, at least a good action film.

It turns out Birth of the Dragon was NEITHER, giving the focus instead to an obscure side character, and failing to entertain on the action front.

First, let's talk about the pacing. After slogging through the first half of the film, we finally get to the fight that's been promised, which actually turns out OK. But after that, we're dragged through a shoehorned side-plot about the side character's love life, which feels quite empty after it's been resolved.

After leaving the theaters in disbelief that I actually spent money on this movie, I looked on the internet for alternatives to scratch my action flick itch.

Lo and behold, the 1993 biopic DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY was a MUCH better action film, and a fantastic character study on the legend of a man we know today.

Overall, if you're looking for a biopic, skip this movie and watch DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY instead. If you're looking for an action film, watch literally ANY OTHER movie than this one.

I am Asian American - Why I LOVE this movie!!! (Why it's not ONE dimensionally all Bruce)

[noll-249-396697 · 10/10 · 22 August 2017]

I have seen all of his movies. Yes, even "Dragon-The Bruce Lee Story." First, I am NOT racist toward anyone because I am friends of all races! This is NOT racist toward Asians as MANY of you suppose because it's from 3 people's angles!

Stop focusing on what is dividing this country today because this country is made up of EVERYBODY, and all colors.

Here are the 3 angles: This was a 3 dimensional movie about how people grow (not literally) because of 3 main characters: #1 Steve - He went from "I learn Kung Fu to gain respect," (self) to "I am willing to die for someone else." (love others unconditionally). Personally, he was a stumbling, bumbling quirky guy with a quirky Asian friend (there were amusing parts to their characters.) #2 WJM - He learned from nearly killing someone to being able to have self control. Thus, he liberated himself from his tormented past. (Wouldn't it be nice to learn from your past and be victorious when presented with a similar challenge?) #3 Bruce - He went from bragging all the time to learning some humility and maturity (even working together to form 2 heroes that saved many women's lives in the end.) He learned how to liberate his own style and re-create himself so he definitely grew into an even more awesome martial artist and STAR.

What a powerful, inspiring life message for us all! THANK YOU director for honoring these things: respect for one another (WJM and Bruce), teamwork, living unselfishly, wisdom of Kung Fu, self-actualization. Asians win, Whites win. the beautiful Asian art of Kung Fun wins. Win - WIn.

Point of view

[Vincentmisonne · 7/10 · 24 July 2018]

I'm writing here my first review just to say i'm not okay with those saying it's denigrating asians because the hero is the white guy.

The director is caucasian and i think he took his point of view. We can see 2 legends by the eyes of a white guy. I think it was a good idea.

And about those saying it's not how Bruce Lee realy was, i want to remind that the movie wants to show us a particular moment of his life, not his whole life.

That was my asian point of view

This movie is what is wrong with Hollywood.

[plumlemonjuice · 1/10 · 28 September 2016]

This movie is terrible. I was expecting a story about Bruce Lee but what got is a story focusing on unknown nobody. I don't believe Bruce Lee's fans would enjoy this movie because it is insulting to Bruce Lee and his family and an exploitation of his name for profit.

It is a shameful act by the writers and the directors of the movie to use Bruce Lee's fame to dupe his worldwide fans into watching this piece of junk.

If I can give it 0 out of 10, I would; but unfortunately it's only have a rating scale of 1 to 10. Avoid this movie at all cost if you're a Bruce Lee's fan.

disgrace of the dragon

[raymondguo-66988 · 1 August 2017]

This movie is a disgrace to the memory of Bruce Lee. Making him a secondary character in a movie supposedly about him. I think its an utter disgrace of a modern day legend. I can't wait for the new movie coming out about Bruce produced by Shannon Lee and some Asian media companies "Little Dragon" I believe its called. It's about the early years of Bruce's life in Hong Kong. I'M a true follower of Bruce's work and can't wait for Shannon to get this film under way. I'll be in the front row with a tub of popcorn and dressed in the yellow and black jump suit with my nun-chucks tucked in my belt. Shannon you're the princess of Jeet Kune Do. It's up to you where to go with "Little Dragon" but wherever it is i'll follow... by the way I saw some of the reviews and I got to say its not about whether the main focus is on a white guy or a black guy or Asian guy or even a Latino. its the fact that the focus isn't where it should be. Remember Bruce didn't care about ethnicity he taught everyone equally. his wife Linda is white his kids are part white. the way some of you criticize this movie sounds kind of like you're discriminating against the fact the Steve McKee character is white. When the its not about color it's about the fact this is a crap movie. It's not accurate and its a just a sh*t movie, that's it!

This is a great movie for the whole family

[angelicashelton · 7/10 · 30 June 2023]

I truly enjoyed this movie and how it gave another perspective of Bruce Lee life. It was fun to watch, each actor portrayed their character 100% . I felt like I was back there in that time, going thru these emotions with the characters. The vibe, the outfits everything was on point. This movie made me feel good after watching it, and it had a lot of hidden gems.

Not to mention its based on true events, come on that's pretty cool. I would recommend this movie to anyone that is a fan of martial arts movie. We can never know enough about Bruce Lee.

Do yourself a favor and watch something that will make u feel good.

Fun and entertaining, ignore the haters.

[leon-11-983797 · 6/10 · 12 November 2017]

Dear goddess this movie receives a lot of hate. Apparently it's racist because a large part of it is about a white guy (student of Lee) who falls in love with a Chinese girl. You should boycott it because Lee is portrayed as an arrogant, trash talking punk who enjoys street fights and has a bad attitude.

The sad thing is most of those reviews were probably written by people who are big fans of Lee. All they remember is the legend and they forget there was a man who started the legend.

In fact, the movie is based on an article written about "The toughest fight Bruce Lee ever had". It is not intended as a biopic, as such: It takes a snapshot of Lee, nearly at the peak of his powers, incredibly skilled, technique nearing perfection, confidence bordering on arrogance, but without the discipline and the introspection required to balance out his physical abilities.

Enter Wong Jack Man, a famous shaolin monk who travels to San Francisco after a fight spiraled out of control. Inevitably they are drawn into a confrontation, as their philosophies and world views are nearly exact opposites of each other.

I really enjoyed this movie. Is it great, in the class of Ip Man? No. But for sitting at home and watching a film that tries its best to show a side of Lee that everybody once knew about but has conveniently forgotten, while still being respectful and trying to fit in a bit of a plot, I think it deserves much better than all the vitriol and abuse heaped upon it.

This article explains a lot about Lee at the time of the fight and how he evolved from a street thug (albeit an exceptionally gifted and skilled one) to the martial arts icon he eventually became. Watch the movie, read the article, judge for yourself.

http://fightland.vice.com/blog/bruce-lee-vs-wong-jack-man-fact- fiction-and-the-birth-of-the-dragon

Boycott !! Shameless money-hungry producers and director

[moonbaby-47072 · 1/10 · 28 September 2016]

I seriously wanted to puke by 2/3 of the film. Lee is the antagonist here, portrayed as a trash-talking hooligan versus the wise and philosophical Wong Jack Man. The real Bruce Lee was a philosopher with depth, not an egomaniac constantly looking to "kick ass'. It's terribly sad that even after his death, greedy slimy Hollywood producers still want to give him and his family the shaft by bastardizing and disrespecting his legacy with this dumbed down cash grab trash. The producers are desperately trying to sell this piece of disgusting trash in the US and in Asia. Please make your voice heard here so the studios and distributors can see how fans of Bruce Lee feel about this film. We will boycott it! They must know we DON'T WANT TO SEE this film on a screen big or small. We will cancel our Netflix subscription if they buy this garbage. Listen, this film was made WITHOUT Bruce Lee Foundation's approval. The Lee family didn't want it but the shameless money-hungry producers (Michael London, Stephen J. Rivele, Christopher Wilkinson, Janice Williams, James Hong Pang, Leo Shi Young) and director (George Nolfi) went ahead anyway. Total disrespect.

"...in a fight, a chip on your shoulder is just extra weight."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 29 May 2019]

I was surprised to see how unflattering a character Bruce Lee (Philip Ng) was made out to be in this film. He comes across as supremely arrogant and cocky, exactly opposite the way one would consider a Kung Fu master to be. For that reason, a rival in the form of Wong Jack Ma (Yu Xia) is introduced, exhibiting all the characteristics that Lee appears to be lacking. Not that I'm a big Bruce Lee fan, but until this movie, I had never heard about the legendary martial arts contest that was secretly held between these two men. You would think it would be a cornerstone of Lee's legend, and maybe it is for more knowledgeable fans, but it was news to me. Going in I was more than primed to accept the story with appropriate grains of salt, and other reviewers on this board have clearly established as much. If one didn't know any better, and if you were watching the picture unaware of it's title, you would almost think the main character was Wong Jack Ma, as he inspires the viewer with the true spirit and spirituality of Kung Fu. The emphasis on Steve McKee (Billy Magnussen) as the intermediary between the two martial arts masters was probably unnecessary for the story, and as others have mentioned, is a major fictional element in the movie. Considering the passage of time since Lee's death, it would seem to me that a true biopic of the man is more than overdue, without the chopsocky trappings of many of these overwrought fighting spectacles.

Bruce Lee daughter has spoken out against this film !

[totouchbase-74126 · 1/10 · 6 October 2016]

I saw the film and thought the film was boring and not well made at all. Worse still, Bruce Lee is portrayed in such a disrespectful manner that it was embarrassing to watch. Please boycott this film when it comes out. We must not encourage Hollywood to turn out more films like this. I am Asian but I won't support a film just because it has provided work for many Asian actors. We want roles that aren't insulting !!

Shannon Lee Responds To BIRTH OF THE DRAGON on Bruce Lee FB page. She Calls It A 'Travesty', 'Inaccurate' And 'Insulting'. "A great number of you have written to me with your concerns about Birth of the Dragon. I share your concerns and want to make it clear that Birth of the Dragon was made without my family's consent or involvement. I have seen the film (out of necessity alone) and, in my opinion and the opinions of many (see link), this film is a travesty on many levels. I think this film is a step backward for Asians in film not to mention that the portrayal of Bruce Lee is inaccurate and insulting. I am disappointed that such a project would be funded and produced." Shannon

Unfairly Judged

[go_titans · 6/10 · 10 April 2018]

It really annoys me when people give a film 1/10 based on the fact that it doesn't meet their expectations or that it deviates from factual history.

I have Bruce Lee's complete collection of films and every episode of the Green Hornet (including the two that he did for Batman), not to mention a dozen or so documentaries on the man. My last count of Jackie Chan's films that I have bought on DVD or Blu ray was at about 67, so I have acquired most of his body of work also. Besides all this, I have dozens of other martial arts films from various actors including Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, to name a few. To sum up, I feel that I am fairly experienced when it comes to watching martial arts films.

So why did I title this review 'Unfairly Judged'? Because while 'Birth of the Dragon' may present Bruce Lee in an inaccurate way, and while it takes liberties with recorded history, there are several aspects that are well handled and deserving of more than a 1/10. Here's my top 3:

1) The story is easy to follow, and everything was filmed and edited well. Worth at least a 5/10.

2) The acting from everyone was very good, which is more than I can say for most of the films in my Bruce and Jackie collection. Again, this is worth at least a 5/10.

3) For me, this third one is the real sore point: that Philip Ng and Yu Xia went through probably months of hard work choreographing the two main fight scenes, and in my opinion the results are worthwhile and enjoyable, despite moments where wires were used and a few scenes that were weird and beyond belief. To give these two gentlemen a 1/10 for their efforts is a total insult and shows a fair degree of ignorance from any reviewer.

You may not be happy with the approach the director took (and I sure as hell know I wasn't), but by what right do you come here and trash the sweat and hard work the actors did in making it all come together? Considering the material they were given to work with, the actors did an excellent job all the way through - particularly with those lengthy fight scenes, and it is my opinion that anyone who would reward these efforts with a big fat 'F' does not deserve to be sitting in a cinema or in front of a TV.

6/10 overall.

A disrespectful appropriation of Bruce Lee

[consciouskendrik · 1/10 · 21 September 2016]

Hollywood is racist. This movie disrespects the legacy of Bruce Lee. I highly recommend everyone to boycott this movie. The movie serves to perpetuate negative stereotypes regarding Asian women, men, and the culture.

It's perspective forces the viewer to indulge in racism against people of color. The racism is very subversive and is spread by more than just one movie. Movies like these are bountiful in Hollywood(denigrating Asian culture).

I noticed a very disturbing pattern in Hollywood. They do not want Asian men in the lead role even in their own biopic.

Review from someone who doesn't (currently) hate the Director

[cpcaines · 10/10 · 8 November 2017]

Some notes Before the review: It appears that a few people have posted reviews expressing their disinterest in the movie for various non-film related reasons(Albeit justified or not). However in some of these reviews I can't understand some of the points made specifically pertaining to the white person in the film that they portray as the "lead" and the negative light the film apparently portrays Bruce Lee in. I did not find any negative light towards Bruce Lee, and I didn't get the feeling the white guy was the lead in the movie while watching it.

The movie shows a younger extremely talented Bruce Lee that maybe had one final thing to learn from a Master before making a notable adjustment into becoming his best self. I'm not sure if that was how he was in real life at the time or if this is an inaccurate portrayal. But it says in the Movie that Bruce did notably alter his fighting style after the event.

I didn't regret watching the movie. Would watch again in a month or so with people people who haven't seen it.(Also if anyone cares to know Bruce Lee is truly an inspiration in my life and I honestly don't think this movie shames him...)

my notes

[FeastMode · 7/10 · 24 July 2019]

I like it a lot. it's not high quality in a sense of a well-made film, but it's an excellent kung fu movie with a good story and great characters. the fight scenes were awesome, although they were a bit scarce. even the non fight scenes where they would practice or show off their moves were fascinating. their motions and movements are art. it was beautiful at time.

i thought the story was going to go in the typical direction for these kinds of movies but it didn't. i also liked that it was in english, not dubbed, english was spoken for most of the movie. i was emotionally invested in the characters and was strongly rooting for them. and a lot of their conversations were intriguing and made me think about kung fu in a way i hadn't before. a lot of movies had similar ideas but didn't make me ponder them the way this movie did. (1 viewing)

SPOILERS

early in the movie it was looking like it would go the traditional route, this is the good guy, this is the bad guy, they fight at the end. but halfway thru the movie i was liking the "bad guy" more than the "good guy." i could see both sides of their arguments. and i wanted both to succeed. their fight was great. it was almost like a twist that Wong Jack Man was only fighting bruce to help him evolve. i also loved the team up and final fight. it was extremely bad-ass. the very different characters played off of each other ridiculously well

Why is a white guy the lead in a Bruce Lee biopic?

[mnmike-85844 · 1/10 · 4 October 2016]

What a load of #$@! #$@!. Typical Hollywood white washing. UNBELIEVABLE. Get your head out of your asses, you #$@!ng idiots. Birth of the Dragon, a Bruce Lee biopic, but starring a white guy. Because, of course, Bruce Lee can't star in a movie that's supposed to be about him? Kung Fu has to be from a white person's perspective. The lead has to be white. WHITE PEOPLE ruin everything.

It's about time Hollywood add some diversity to their casting, production and screen writing. Better yet, learn to write form someone else's perspective? Put yourself in other's shoe without #$@!ing inserting yourself in everything. This is shameful. I hope this movie tanks and it gets terrible reviews. The sad thing is that even though this might be a good movie, learn to #$@!ng humble yourself and stop acting as though every movie needs a white lead. This is the 21st century America. Cast some Latinos, Blacks, and Asians as leads. Why do white guys have to be the center of EVERYTHING? You already have 99% of all other movies. THe 1% of movies that do call for Asian leads, you can't even do that?

What the #$@! is wrong with Hollywood?