I Am Bruce Lee (2012)

With the existing archive footage of Lee being so well known, the only way to get a different perspective of the man behind the myth is to find people that knew him well and hope that they can offer new insight. With a few obvious exceptions (family members), this documentary picks anyone it can find with a big enough ego to talk absolute shite for as long as the camera's on them. It’s disappointing and disrespectful to the genre as a whole. Trying to disguise a lack of relevant content with quick edits and a shifting perspective is not just trickery, it’s also irritating.

1½ rooftop fights out of 5

Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey (2000)

John Little's documentary charts Bruce Lee's progression from martial arts student to martial arts master. It introduces the core values of his philosophy and the circumstances that surrounded their discovery.
There’s archive material, behind the scenes footage, screen tests and home movies, but the real treasure is 33 minutes of footage that had been lost for over a quarter of a Century. It was originally planned to be part of Game of Death (1978), a film that was completed and released posthumously. It’s an almost unbroken section of film that includes a spectacular fight between 5’ 7” Bruce and 7’ 2” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!

4½ intercepting fists out of 5

Enter the Dragon (1973)

It’s ironic that Bruce’s masterpiece is an English language film. It was also his last ever film because he tragically died less than a week before it was released. Honour his memory by watching the restored version that reinserts the more spiritual moments the studio cut.
The film is iconic in every way. The combat is superb. Lee’s composure is majestic. The finale is mind-blowing. Lalo Schifrin’s funky score oozes 70’s charm from every brass parp and perfectly timed woodblock tap.

4½ hands of Han out of 5

Way of the Dragon (1972)

Sometimes titled with the definite article and sometimes without, WotD is the film in which Bruce Lee fights Chuck Norris in a Roman coliseum, like modern day gladiators, while a kitty cat spectator sits on high. Beyond that it's basically the same old story: Bruce's character arrives from overseas and helps some family members that are being exploited, this time in the restaurant business; there's an attractive woman (Nora Miao) for him to engage with; a traitorous countryman weasels about; and it culminates in a death match that enables Lee to show how lightning fast he really was.
It was the only film that Bruce got to direct before he died; he did well, especially on the finale. He also wrote and co-produced the work.

3½ trips to the shitter out of 5

The Big Boss (1971)

Also confusingly called Fists of Fury in some territories, TBB was Bruce's first major film. He plays Zheng Chao-an, a Chinese man fresh off the boat and working in a Thailand ice factory. (In some previous editions it was spelled Cheng). All goes well enough for the new worker until he discovers that the ice factory is more than it initially seems.
It established the template for much of what followed, while highlighting his quiet, respectful persona that only resorts to violence when all other options have been exhausted. As such, it's not until well into the running time that we see the martial arts star in blazing action. But before too long there's some quality WOOOO-oooOOO-WAHH! and he ends up angry, shirtless and bloody.

3 ice tricks out of 5

Fist of Fury (1972)

Unable to silence his feelings, and in direct opposition to the wishes of his recently dead shifu, martial arts student Chen Zhen seeks vengeance for the death of his teacher, bringing trouble to his own front door in the process, in a socially repressed Shanghai that's being overrun by Japanese officials.
When he's not kicking (or punching) seven shades of shit out of members of a rival martial arts school, for the majority of the film Chen exists in two basic emotional states: very pissed off, or on the verge of being very pissed off. That's okay because seeing Bruce in action is the reason most of us are watching in the first place. If you want the infamous Nunchaku scene, then make sure and get the full uncut version.

3½ bendy props out of 5