Nobody ever imagined the staple ingredient of Hong Kong Action cinema (martial arts) could make its mark in western cinema until Bruce Lee. Best described as a fighting trendsetter, Bruce Lee is often credited with popularizing different forms of Asian fighting techniques throughout the globe. It proved to be a highly successful one-man promotion for martial arts, and he pulled it off with nothing but the magnificence of the special action sequences featured in his movies.
We’ve sifted through dozens of scenes from all of Bruce Lee movies to put together our list of his most epic action scenes. As usual, in case you notice a good one omitted here, let us know in the comments below!
Fight among the Mirrors of Illusions
(Enter the Dragon – 1973)
Bruce Lee is on a killing spree in this era-defining film. As a result, the film features numerous splendid fight scenes. However, none are as special as Lee’s climactic fight against the mafia boss, Han. Lee is sparring with an incredibly dangerous man who’s rocking a wolverine-kind metal claw. Since much of the battle takes place in a hall of mirrors, the fight turns more psychological than physical. Han slashes Lee a couple of times sneakily – something that only makes Lee angrier.
After a little struggle, Lee finds the real Han out of dozens of illusions and kills him after a bit more thrashing.
The Ice Factory Rumble
(The Big Boss – 1971)
Due to a pledge, Bruce Lee remains quiet throughout much of the movie. But the man can’t stand injustice for long, and his pent-up aggression explodes inside the ice factory. In this epic battle against an army of hundreds, Bruce uses a lot more than just his fierce kicks and punches – knives, daggers, sticks, and whatnot. Though filmed in the early 70s, the sequence still feels refreshingly innovative.
This iconic fight scene served as an inspiration for other martial arts movies including Ong Bak.
Fury Unleashed on the American Expert
(Enter the Dragon – 1973)
Lee makes an example of the American martial arts expert. The fight scene consists of all that one could wish for. There is an extra thrust in Lee’s movements because the man he is confronting has killed his character’s sister. In addition to some awesome moves, he puts his acting skills on showcase with great expressions and body language.
With his exceptional techniques, Lee makes the fight look unbelievably one-sided even though his opponent appears to be equally strong.
Lee vs the Russian Steel-bender
(Fist of Fury – 1972)
Though it’s not usual, sometimes on their way to the main villain, the heroes find sidekicks who are stronger than their boss. This is what happened in Fist of Fury. Lee is confronted by a Russian powerhouse who is capable of bending steel rods and can even thrust nails into hard objects with his bare hands. Initially, the monster appears to be putting up a good fight, but it isn’t long before it’s Lee’s turn.
Lee begins raining kicks and punches and manhandles the monster in a humiliating way. Then, with a super kick followed by a killer chop to the Adam’s apple, Lee finishes the strongman. Probably, the monster would have been better off if he chose to entertain people with his bending skills in a circus or something.
The Instance of Chinese Boxing
(The Way of the Dragon – 1972)
Though brief, Lee’s application of what he calls Chinese boxing is a hilarious fight scene in The Way of the Dragon. The sequence starts with Lee doing some lightning-fast shadow movements – that look nothing like the boxing we know.
An overconfident group of hooligans mistake Lee for an easy opponent. But, their myth is busted within seconds as Lee takes down the boss with just a few flicks of his muscles. He treats the rest of them like a bunch of kids and gives them exactly what they deserve. Since The Way of the Dragon is the only film completely directed by Bruce Lee, fight scenes appear to have more vibrancy and coolness in them.
Lee vs. Chuck Norris
(The Way of the Dragon – 1972)
Lee’s battle with Chuck Norris’ character, Colt, is one of the most brilliantly executed fighting sequences in any martial arts movie. Colt puts up a strong fight that seems better in style, speed, and motion than that of other opponents Lee has ever faced. However, the counterattacks from the phoenix prove too much for Colt to handle.
In this lengthy battle featuring a series of very fine moves, Lee uses all the weapons in his weaponry from chops to chokes to defeat his almighty opponent. After slaying Colt, Lee displays a nice gesture – symbolic of the true meaning of Kung Fu.
Lee’s Nunchuks Kill Katana’s Sharpness
(Fist of Fury – 1972)
Lee’s fist of fury can’t wait to avenge the death of his mater. After making the Russian powerhouse bite the dust, he goes after the real culprit, Hiroshi Suzuki – the master of the Japanese dojo.
Suzuki knows what Lee is capable of, so he is brandishing a Katana to protect himself. Suzuki has got flair and pulls out all the stops. However, just as Lee’s nunchucks get to swing in the fresh air, Suzuki’s katana gets blunt. In a contest resembling the best fighting video games, Lee’s savage attacks ensure Suzuki’s misconception about Chinese Kung Ku are cleared.
In the end, with an absolutely bizarre flying kick, Lee closes yet another chapter.
Bringing the Boss to his Knees
(The Big Boss – 1971)
Bruce Lee sees nothing but red as he finds out the person responsible for the killings of his cousins is his boss, Hsiao Mi – who also happens to be a martial arts pundit. With the advantage of a large knife, Hsiao wants to finish Lee off early. In response, Lee unleashes a barrage of ferocious attacks. After a long fight, Lee thrusts his fingers into Hsiao’s rib cage – killing him immediately and also proving his hands are nothing short of an arrow.
Even after killing the crime lord, Lee doesn’t stop his punches to make sure all the boss-like features disappear from his face.
Mayhem in the Karate Class
(Fist of Fury – 1972)
A martial arts student is no match for the martial arts godfather – not even if he is joined by other students or even his master for that matter. Well, this is exactly what happens in this fighting sequence where Lee proves too strong for dozens of karate students with swords. The incredible fight choreography carefully highlights Lee’s fighting techniques and his unparalleled persona.
This fighting scene served as the inspiration for the very popular action sequence in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill – featuring Uma Therman.
Taking Down the 7-Foot NBA Star
(Game of Death – 1978)
This is an instance where the best of two fields collide – Bruce Lee vs. NBA’s Kareem Abdul Jabbar. If you weren’t aware of Lee’s credentials, you would be tempted to bet on Jabbar’s character, Mantis. Not only is Mantis incredibly large, but he is also very quick and powerful.
The fight starts with Mantis appearing to be playing with Lee. Not long after Lee is taken for granted, Lee turns the table pulling off strange Kung Fu moves. Bent on punishing the sinners, Lee puts the monster in a neck hold and strangles him to death.
A bonus point: Lee dons his iconic yellow jumpsuit in the fight.
So there we have it, our 10 picks for best Bruce Lee fighting scenes of all time.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
The chemistry between Lee and Dan was always amazing because they were also very nice friends. Your point makes me wonder who would win if Dan fought Kareem!
I’d rate the underground cavern fight in Enter the Dragon the best fight against multiple opponents.
The dueling nunchuck fight against Dan Inosanto in Game of Death Id rate higher than the battle against Kareem. 🙂