In “Snatch”, things are not good for the boxing promoter at Naked Turkish point (Jason Statham) when he loses his fighter because of an injury and wants to change it for “One Punch” Mickey O’Neil (Brad Pitt). The news does not go well with violent brick top of the crime obsessed with pigs (Alan Ford), which should lose a lot of money from the bets that have already been placed. “I don’t care if Muhammad ‘I’m hard’ Bruce Lee. You can’t change fighters!” He protests.
A British gangster film may not seem the most obvious place for a reference to the legend of the martial arts film that is Bruce Lee, but that shows how the sustainable heritage of the screen icon has infiltrated almost every corner of popular culture. He also influenced a wide range of directors and actors like Statham, who has become a huge full -fledged action star since his breakthrough in Cockney Capers by Guy Ritchie.
Lee is still launching a shadow on action films today, and the most famous film of Kung Fu master, “Enter The Dragon”, remains very popular with modern viewers, holding an 88% score Rotten tomatoes. Unfortunately, Lee died a month before the start of his star film in Los Angeles in 1973. Showing the incredible dexterity and Lee screen presence, the film was a huge success at the box office, fully launching the craze of the 70s kung fu and future stars of action like Chuck Norris, Jean-Claud Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, But why “entering the dragon” had such a major effect on Statham’s life and career?
Enter the dragon is one of Jason Statham’s favorite movies
Statham has become one of Hollywood’s most successful stars of action, appearing in films ranging from “CRANK” to “The Meg” and “The Beekeeper” (Statham version of “John Wick”, essentially). However, it was his Gab gift rather than his talent for the heads that led to his breakthrough in the films. Indeed, its history selling products from the black market at the corner of the street after leaving school made him the right adjustment for a low level crook in “Lock, Stock, Stock and two smokers” in Ritchie.
Statham in fact referenced his slight doubtful past while listing “enter the dragon” among his favorite films for Rotten tomatoes in 2008:
“As soon as I was able to steal the VHS and glue it, it was like, gee, this guy is just … so avant-garde, he is above, so far before his time. It therefore had a huge impact in my life.”
Statham began to train in martial arts in his youth and is now competent in several disciplines, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Kickboxing and Karate. Although his leading roles in Ritchie films are more based on her impassive delivery, subsequent films like “Transport” and “Crank” gave him the chance to show his action references. Since then, he has never looked back, headlining his own blockbusters and appearing in two major franchises: “The Expendables” and “Fast & Furious” films. His appreciation of Lee was an inspiration for this success. As Statham said:
“I looked [‘Enter the Dragon’] countless times. He is an autonomous pioneer in action films, and whoever was inspired by Bruce Lee … I am sure that all those who have already made an action film have just drooled how talent Bruce Lee was full of talent, and how unique he was. “”
Why is it in the dragon still so popular?
“Entering the Dragon” celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023 and it is always venerated as one of the largest and most influential action films ever made. Part of his iconography (in particular, Lee’s photo in the mirror room) is undoubtedly familiar to people who have not even seen the film. But what makes him so durable?
Regarding the plot, the film is not big shakes. (It is essentially “Dr. No” by the way to the films of Hong Kong and Blaxploitation.) Lee embodies the Shaolin monk inscribed by British intelligence to participate in a martial arts tournament and use it to infiltrate the fairy on the island of Han (Shih Kien), a criminal pingpin with metal hands. He also has an additional incitement because Han’s henchmen were responsible for the death of his sister.
The film still seems to be a treat despite its tight budget, and Lee obtains great support from John Saxon and Jim Kelly as two friendly competitors with their own patterns. Compared to modern action films, “entering the dragon” is rather calmly rhythmic and the fighting scenes are short and lively until the grand finale. Even in calm moments, however, Lee dominates all its scenes with a pure screen presence. When he enters into action, we see why he is idolized; Its fluid movements are graceful and measured rather than flashy, apart from a moment of birth with a few Nunchucks.
We cannot of course ignore Lee’s death and his role in his heritage as a action movie star. His premature disappearance left him forever frozen at his peak, his image refracts a lot by a mirrors room. It is a fairly neat metaphor because you can see its image reflected in countless films, because, not to mention all these references that you get in films outside the genre.
