Skip to main content

The Way of the Dragon

Directed by Bruce Lee · 1972 ·

Answer Summary: Is The Way of the Dragon worth watching?

The Way of the Dragon (1972) earns a 73% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict: What is the Celluloid Score for The Way of the Dragon?

Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.

73%
Celluloid Score Recommended

4-input transparent breakdown

80% Editorial Rating
84% Audience snapshot · excluded
68 Metascore
★★★½☆ Letterboxd 3.5
7.2 IMDb /10
Watch Trailer
Runtime
1h 40m
Cast
Bruce Lee , Nora Miao , Chuck Norris , Wei Ping-Ao , Huang Tsung-Hsun , Robert Wall , Hwang In-shik , Chin Ti
Country
Hong Kong
Language
Mandarin

Where to watch

Streaming availability varies by region — currently on Wavve, TVING in South Korea. Check local listings for your region.

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Where to watch The Way of the Dragon by country

Country Streaming on
Japan Hulu, U-NEXT
South Korea Wavve, TVING

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is positive (80/100).
  • General viewers mostly liked it (84%).
  • Metascore is generally favorable (68/100).
  • Celluloid Score 73% combines 4 verified rating inputs; audience sentiment is shown separately.

Best for

  • Short runtime — easy weeknight watch

Not ideal for

  • Viewers who only watch top-tier, 90%+ rated films

Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Is The Way of the Dragon worth watching?

Yes — The Way of the Dragon earns a 73% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

Celluloid Verdict

Lee wrote and directed himself into the Colosseum opposite Chuck Norris, and built the best one-on-one fight in the genre around it.

Celluloid editorial verdict

Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

What is The Way of the Dragon about?

After a Chinese restaurant in Rome is threatened by the mafia, who will stop at nothing to acquire the property, the owner recruits a family friend in Hong Kong, kung fu expert Tang Lung, to help them defend their business.

Watch the Trailer

Critic Reviews

critic The Way of the Dragon

The Way of the Dragon (1972) Review

Bruce Lee's The Way of the Dragon (1972) remains a defining Action landmark from Hong Kong, with scores that still shape how audiences discover the title.

Strongly recommended — holds up for new and returning viewers.

The Way of the Dragon stills

Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

The Way of the Dragon production still 1
The Way of the Dragon production still 2
The Way of the Dragon production still 3
The Way of the Dragon production still 4
The Way of the Dragon production still 5
The Way of the Dragon production still 6

Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

Reader takes

No reader takes published yet — be the first helpful voice.

More Like This

Ranked by genre overlap and Celluloid Score — full movies like The Way of the Dragon page.