Game of Death

< Previous Trailer  |   Add to My Scrapbook  |   Next Trailer >
Game of Death

72% Liked It
liked it

Game of Death

Bruce Lee, Gig Young

Bruce Lee died after shooting only a few scenes of his ambitious Game of Death, but that didn't stop greedy producers from finishing and releasing "Lee's last film," even if he's doubled for mo...( read more  read more... )st of it. Lee planned an ambitious expression of his fighting philosophy, and his story culminates in the rigorous challenge of the "Game of Death," in which combatants take on successively greater and greater masters as they fight their way to the top of a tower. Only a few fight scenes were completed, and the released film is about a martial arts movie star who takes on a syndicate of drug dealers. Lee faces down the towering Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in an impressive battle, one of the only surviving scenes from Lee's original shoot, while outtakes from his battle with Chuck Norris in Return of the Dragon are used along with real-life footage from Lee's funeral. The rest of the film is a mishmash of car chases and clumsily edited fights, complete with awkward inserts of Lee's face. His double remains hidden behind a pair of dark glasses or a motorcycle helmet throughout, and he abruptly changes into a yellow jumpsuit for no reason other than to match Lee's costume in the final scene. --Sean Axmaker

Id: 10894675

Do you want to see this movie?

My Friends Said...

Game of Death Recent Reviews

Register or sign-in to see your friends' reviews !

Recent Reviews

Game of Death Recent Reviews
  • stopitgoaway
    October 15, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    'Game of Death' is the equivalent of having your dog swallow a gold ring - you've got to sift through the cr*p to find the polished stuff.

    Completely different to Bruce's original vision, the 1978 version is hugely controversial. To some, it's a shameless cash-in and insult, to ...( read more)others it's a curiosity. To me personally, it's a guilty pleasure. Obviously, with such limited footage of Bruce Lee to use, the film was always going to suffer. Not only that, but how do you incorporate the footage into a film and give it context? The stand-in's that are used to fill the time leading up to the Lee footage are never going to fool anyone. Even as a kid, I could tell it someone else. The techniques used to have Bruce Lee on screen range from awful (superimposed heads) to tasteless (his real funeral) to fairly good (quick cuts from old footage). The disguises that Billy Lo and Bruce's doubles wear throughout the film are hokey but nothing that we haven't seen in Lee's films before (Fist of Fury), so that didn't bother me too much.

    Despite some awful dubbing and a poor script, 'Game of Death' is still watchable for it's action. Fight choreographer Sammo Hung makes the non-Lee fight scenes entertaining even if the doubles don't match Bruce Lee's speed or technique. However, they do capture some traits of Lee's fights including the slow motion finishing move. Also, the film's budget allows for a number of locations ensuring that Billy's quest for revenge keeps moving. In this regard, the Hollywood frills that are added give the film a degree of watchability, especially the classy score which appears throughout and heightens the final scenes.

    But of course, the main point of watching 'Game of Death' is to see Bruce in action. Although criticised for cutting down the "pagoda sequence", I think it still contains enough to satisfy. You have to remember that this original footage included two companions of Lee's who don't feature in the 1978 film, meaning a lot had to be left out. The nunchuk duel is unique while the fight with Kareem Abdul Jabbar is bizarre but thrilling.

    There are some moments of bad taste, but on the whole the film is a cheesy and quite fun attempt to build up to the final 20 minutes. Whether you think this was a cash-in or a tribute, you still need to see it in order to understand the 'Game of Death' phenomenon.
  • Chiefilms
    March 9, 2008
    Chiefilms
    Filmed primarily after Lee's death using a stunt double in his place throughout the movie. Most fans, myself included, disregard this film because it is not really Lee, more of a studio trying to cash in on his image. The only scene worth watching is the final fight sequence, w...( read more)hich is edited and is in its full state in a documentary, A Warrior's Journey. Its probably best not to watch this movie at all.
  • franktowers
    June 19, 2007
    franktowers
    Bruce Lee vs Karem? Classic
  • cartersimo
    January 24, 2007
    cartersimo
    all bruce lee films are classics could watch them a dozen times
  • RiderOfTheStorms
    October 12, 2006
    RiderOfTheStorms
    this movie depresses me but i still like it
  • eryri
    December 18, 2009
    eryri
    Bruce Lee's final movie but well worth watching just to see his rumble with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as he makes his way up the pagoda.
  • jackgbowman
    November 13, 2009
    jackgbowman
    some really sad effects and great scenees from way of the dragon
  • NEXUSTAO
    November 12, 2009
    NEXUSTAO
    no one too tall for him to kick
  • SirGenius
    October 20, 2009
    SirGenius
    Can watch this over and over.
  • jonnycrumley
    October 1, 2009
    jonnycrumley
    The story may be crap, but the action is legendary.
View All Reviews

Opening This Week

Top Box Office

Upcoming Movies

New on DVD