"Birth of the Dragon" is a strange film: It huffs and puffs about what a mythic fight this was, yet it bumbles and stumbles when it comes to showing us what happened, and why it mattered.
Birth of the Dragon
The Fight That Created The Legend
2017 · 1h 43m · PG-13
Action, Drama
Directed by
George Nolfi
Free account saves your watchlist and ratings.
Birth of the Dragon
Overview
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s Chinatown, this cross-cultural biopic chronicles Bruce Lee’s emergence as a martial-arts superstar after his legendary secret showdown with fellow martial artist Wong Jack Man.
Director and cast
- George Nolfi Director
- Philip Ng Wan-lung as Bruce Lee
- Billy Magnussen as Steve McKee
- Xia Yu as Wong Jack Man
- Ron Yuan as Tony Yu
- Darren E. Scott as Vince Miller
- King Lau as King Lau
- Yee Jee Tso as Winston Peng
- Teresa Navarro as Chinatown Pedestrian (uncredited)
- Vanessa Ross as Tourist (uncredited)
- Christina July Kim as Ship Passenger (uncredited)
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
More films
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)
Action · Drama · History · PG-13
This film is a glimpse into the life, love and the unconquerable spirit of the legendary Bruce Lee. From a childhood of rigorous martial arts training, Lee realizes his dream of opening his own kung-fu school in America. Before long, he is discovered by a Hollywood producer and begins a meteoric rise to fame and an all too short reign ...
- Runtime
- 2h
- Director
- Rob Cohen
- Cast
- Jason Scott Lee, Lauren Holly, Robert Wagner
Catch a Fire (2006)
Action · Drama · Thriller · PG-13
The true story of anti-apartheid activists in South Africa, and particularly the life of Patrick Chamusso, a timid foreman at Secunda CTL, the largest synthetic fuel plant in the world. Patrick is wrongly accused, imprisoned and tortured for an attempt to bomb the plant, with the injustice transforming the apolitical worker into a radi...
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Director
- Phillip Noyce
- Cast
- Tim Robbins, Derek Luke, Bonnie Mbuli
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016)
Action · Adventure · Drama · PG-13
A story of lost love, young love, a legendary sword and one last opportunity at redemption.
- Runtime
- 1h 40m
- Director
- Yuen Woo-ping
- Cast
- Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh, Jason Scott Lee
Gladiator Underground (2025)
Action · N/A
Two brothers compete in the world's deadliest underground fighting tournament, where they must decide whether to play by the rules or to cast their honor aside and team up to bring down the dark syndicate running the tournament.
- Runtime
- 1h 31m
- Director
- Chaya Supannarat
- Cast
- D.Y. Sao, Andy Le, Brian Le
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Crime · Drama · Thriller · R
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as...
- Runtime
- 1h 59m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn
Philadelphia (1993)
Drama · PG-13
Two lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries.
- Runtime
- 2h 6m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Mystery · Thriller · R
Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco finds himself having terrible nightmares. He begins to doubt that his fellow squad-mate Sergeant Raymond Shaw, now a vice-presidential candidate, is the hero he remembers him being. As Marco's doubts deepen, Shaw's political power grows, and, when Marco finds a mys...
- Runtime
- 2h 10m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Documentary · Music · PG
A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.
- Runtime
- 1h 28m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison
Something Wild (1986)
Comedy · Crime · Romance · R
A free-spirited woman "kidnaps" a yuppie for a weekend of adventure. But the fun quickly takes a dangerous turn when her ex-con husband shows up.
- Runtime
- 1h 54m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, Ray Liotta










Comments
Talk about the film with other members