Game of Death (1979)

Fresh and Exciting

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

"Game of Death" was a film that Bruce Lee failed to complete on account of halting production so he could make "Enter the Dragon." After the tragic passing of the martial artist in 1973, his unfinished movie was eventually released in 1979. For the fans, it was to be a final glimpse of their idol after Bruce Lee had revolutionised both the Hong Kong film industry and Martial Arts in general. The travesty for the film that was made in the late 1970s, is in such poor taste. The reason for this, is on account of it being exploitive, it's an insult to Bruce Lee and everything he stood for. In addition - and I was stunned by this - actual footage of Lee's funeral was used for the film! Why Robert Clouse wanted to become involved is anyone's guess! He had gone from making the classic "Enter the Dragon," followed by "Black Belt Jones" and now this. The so-called plot is exploitation personified and bears no resemblance whatever to Lee's concept for his own version. The lookalikes for Bruce Lee aren't very good at all but at least they look as though they can fight quite well. A seasoned character actor like Dean Jagger should have turned this film down. Begrudgingly, there are a couple of fight scenes that are digestible but not much else to enjoy. Sammo Hung has a pretty good fight with Bob Wall. The confrontation in the locker room between one of the lookalikes and Wall is also OK. Then and almost out of nowhere, the man himself makes a late appearance in the film's plot and we suddenly whiz back in time to the latter half of 1972 when Bruce Lee was working on "Game of Death." His three fight scenes are excellent as always and this is the first time that a one on one nunchuku scene had been put on film. Lee is on screen for 11 minutes but it is by far the best footage by many miles. The footage looks a lot more cinematic and professional than Bruce Lee's previous three movies. It is a considerable loss that he couldn't complete the film. Briefly, the original idea was for Bruce Lee and a team of his fellow martial artists to discover what was inside this Pagoda, which had a martial artist guarding each floor of the building. Lee and his party were to have progressed by defeating each guard and reach the top floor. Bruce Lee began shooting his version in August of 1972 and halted production in October of the same year. His film would have dwarfed the one that was released in every way possible!

This is perhaps the most unique film by Bruce Lee, which is made after his death. Some stand-ins are used in the film. A lot of scenes, including the major fight scenes, are actually played by the stand-ins, not by Bruce Lee himself. But still, there is a very entertaining acrobatic fight sequence in a locker room.

This movie is a disgrace to the memory of the Little Dragon. It should/would have been the movie that showed Bruce's philosophy on Martial Arts. Instead it is simply a cash in on his death and fame. There are so many laugh out loud moments, but in truth, the movie isn't meant to be a comedy. The stand in(s) for Bruce are almost passable, but lack any real screen presence. Whoever dubbed the cat calls for Bruce's character was obviously told by somebody what to do and had never actually seen or heard Bruce do it. The original fight scenes are so chopped there is barely anything left of them. The inclusion of actual footage from Bruce's funeral is tacky at best. The ending is so abrupt, it's like they didn't know how to end the movie (the Asian version is only slightly better). Raymond chow must have been laughing all the way to the bank when he purchased the unfinished movie rights from Bruce's wife Linda for a paltry sum.Avoid at all costs. If you really want to see something resembling Bruce's vision, watch 'A Warriors Journey'.

If you have ever seen Bruce Lee in a film, don't bother watching this one. This film is a travesty and an insult to the genre. If you are a film buff, skip this film, too. They pasted together archival footage, used embarrassing doppelgangers, and so obviously inserted heads on top of bodies, so it looks like a jigsaw puzzle.Did the legitimate actors who appeared in this film really know what they were getting themselves into? I hope not, but some might have been hanging on to their careers by their fingertips.Wiseman say "It is better to watch Enter the Dragon thirty times than to see this film once."