Must admit that I have been a sucker for martial arts films since a very early age; especially films that would feature Bolo Yeung or a Bruce Lee-clone. If you're familiar with the matter, then you'll know of course that there was a virtual army of Bruce Lee-look-alikes, among them Bruce Le, Bruce Lei, Bruce Lieh, Dragon Lee (there was even a Charles Bronson / Bruce Lee cross, namely, you've guessed it, Bronson Lee) – in other words: enough Bruce Lees to fill a telephone book; making them the Hong Kong version of Elvis-impersonators.
Most were somewhere between "laughable" and "embarrassing", but Bruce Le was among the most "authentic" of all. He mimics Lee's movements, choreography and characteristic grimacing (the fans may forgive me for my choice of words) to a tit, compensating for an obvious lack of acting talent.
The story itself is based on Lees final, partially finished "Game of Death" and – considering that the original ended up a pure cut&paste job and hence rather dodgy – I dare say, quality-wise it even beats "Game of Death". The martial art is hardcore, rough and brutal as they come.
Bolo, as villainous a henchman as ever, seems to be ever more muscular than ever and to my knowledge it's the only time he ever got to play Japanese (in other words: he's wearing a kimono). Robert Kerver as a Bob Wall carbon copy is a little wasted and Michael B. Christy makes a suitable slimy diplomat-cum-secret-agent, making the audience root for Le(e) to beat the becheesus out and then dispose off unceremoniously.
And as a bonus: the movie contains one of the three questions that will probably never be answered: was the black fighter in the last half the late, great Steve James or not? I've seen the movie many times and I give it a 50/50 chance – IMDb lists him as "Black Martial Artist" but there is also the distinct chance that somebody mistook him with Samuel Walls.
(The other two questions, by the way, concern Mona Lisa's smile and that thing with the chicken and the egg).
Compared to 90 percent of the other Lee-Clone-films that I have seen (trust me: there are hundreds), I'd give it a 7/10.
Most were somewhere between "laughable" and "embarrassing", but Bruce Le was among the most "authentic" of all. He mimics Lee's movements, choreography and characteristic grimacing (the fans may forgive me for my choice of words) to a tit, compensating for an obvious lack of acting talent.
The story itself is based on Lees final, partially finished "Game of Death" and – considering that the original ended up a pure cut&paste job and hence rather dodgy – I dare say, quality-wise it even beats "Game of Death". The martial art is hardcore, rough and brutal as they come.
Bolo, as villainous a henchman as ever, seems to be ever more muscular than ever and to my knowledge it's the only time he ever got to play Japanese (in other words: he's wearing a kimono). Robert Kerver as a Bob Wall carbon copy is a little wasted and Michael B. Christy makes a suitable slimy diplomat-cum-secret-agent, making the audience root for Le(e) to beat the becheesus out and then dispose off unceremoniously.
And as a bonus: the movie contains one of the three questions that will probably never be answered: was the black fighter in the last half the late, great Steve James or not? I've seen the movie many times and I give it a 50/50 chance – IMDb lists him as "Black Martial Artist" but there is also the distinct chance that somebody mistook him with Samuel Walls.
(The other two questions, by the way, concern Mona Lisa's smile and that thing with the chicken and the egg).
Compared to 90 percent of the other Lee-Clone-films that I have seen (trust me: there are hundreds), I'd give it a 7/10.