69
Metascore
27 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90Washington PostRichard HarringtonWashington PostRichard HarringtonDragon: The Bruce Lee Story is rousing entertainment with many faces -- martial arts thrills, romance, mystery, comedy -- and a double dose of poignancy.
- 80VarietyLeonard KladyVarietyLeonard KladyThe brief, meteoric, tragic life of martial arts star Bruce Lee forms the basis of Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. The film is an unlikely pastiche of traditional biography, Hollywood saga, chopsocky set pieces and inter-racial romance. Seemingly contrary elements and styles nonetheless mesh into an entertaining whole and the result proves extremely touching and haunting.
- 75TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazineDirector/co-screenwriter Rob Cohen shrewdly opts for a three-tiered approach to the biographical material, making DRAGON a poignant interracial love story, a thrilling kung-fu flick, and a surreal fantasy in the which the hero literally confronts his inner demons. Jason Scott Lee captures his subject perfectly, and his handling of the action scenes is particularly impressive. The result is one of the most purely enjoyable American films in recent years.
- 70The New York TimesVincent CanbyThe New York TimesVincent CanbyAn enjoyably hokey, big-budget theatrical film with a lot of kicks and the soul of a television movie. It's exactly what it announces itself to be and won't offend (or surprise) anyone...Although "Dragon" has few surprises, it is an entertainingly predictable enterprise.
- 67Entertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanEntertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanIf anything holds Dragon together, it’s Jason Scott Lee’s intensely likable performance.
- 63Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertYou cannot do in real life most of the things the characters in these movies do, because of the unfortunate restrictions imposed by Newton's Laws, but what the heck: It's fun to watch.
- 63ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliThose expecting Dragon to offer a probing examination of Bruce Lee's life will be disappointed. This is not a "tell all" expose or a hard-hitting biography. Instead, it's a celebration of the first international Chinese-American movie star. As such, the film accomplishes what it set out to do while keeping its audience involved for its full running time.
- 60Time OutTime OutUnlike most film star biopics, this is especially strong on the films themselves, with skilful re-creations from Fists of Fury and Enter the Dragon. Less successful is the subplot in which Lee faces up to his inner demons, depicted as a fantastical giant samurai figure.
- 50Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenAustin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenDragon should never be regarded as the utmost in historical veracity, though it certainly captures a great deal of the spirit and flavor of what we so fondly remember as the essence of Bruce Lee.