---
title: "Enter the Dragon: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/enter-the-dragon/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/enter-the-dragon"
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Enter the Dragon (1973): what the critics said

Critics' score 67 from 8 reviews: 6 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics find Enter the Dragon effective, entertaining martial-arts cinema, with praise concentrated on Bruce Lee rather than the story around him. His precision, balletic movement and screen presence recur across the positive reviews, as does the energy he brings to the fights. Several critics also credit the direction and pacing for keeping the action fluid and brisk. The broad agreement is that Lee makes the film compelling even when its other elements are ordinary.

Reservations centre on an unremarkable spy plot, uneven supporting material and a loss of energy when Lee is offscreen. Slant Magazine finds both the espionage story and Roper unnecessary, despite praising the film’s efficiency. The spread is wide, though the strongest dissent stands apart from the generally favourable response: Time Out dismisses the film as inferior Lee and objects to what it sees as an American attempt to colonise the kung-fu market.

## Radio Times — David Parkinson

Rating 4/5. 

The critic calls it a kung fu classic and says Bruce Lee is at his balletic, brilliant best. Lee’s martial-arts performance is singled out for praise, while the film’s status as his last completed work adds a tragic note.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-adqzpo/enter-the-dragon/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Alan R. Howard

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 August 1973. 

Howard finds the film lavish, corny, and consistently entertaining, while lamenting that Lee did not live to become the star he deserved to be. He especially praises Lee’s charismatic presence and self-staged fight sequences, and also commends Clouse’s fluid direction.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/enter-dragon-review-1973-movie-1129360/)

## Slant Magazine — Chris Cabin

Rating 3/4. 24 August 2013. 

Cabin finds the film hugely satisfying as entertainment, though not quite a classic. He praises its efficient direction, buoyant action visuals, and exact pacing, while noting the spy plot and Roper character feel unnecessary.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/enter-the-dragon/)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 August 2023. 

Bradshaw finds the martial-arts classic still compelling, though it loses energy when Lee is offscreen. He especially praises Lee’s balletic movements and mesmeric screen presence.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/aug/09/enter-the-dragon-review-bruce-lee-classic-still-delivers-a-lethal-blow)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 July 1973. 

The review finds the actioner an exciting, effective example of martial-arts entertainment despite its unremarkable plot. It especially praises Bruce Lee’s action performance and the film’s fast-moving fights.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1973/film/reviews/enter-the-dragon-1200423093/)

## Empire — Ian Nathan

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Nathan finds the film uneven by conventional standards but still worthwhile. He praises Bruce Lee’s martial-arts ability and singles out the mirror duel as sensational.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/enter-dragon-review/)

## Time Out

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review is strongly negative, calling the film inferior to even Bruce Lee’s weakest work. It criticizes the film as an American attempt to colonize the kung-fu market.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/enter-the-dragon)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 June 2023. 

Kermode finds the film rough and occasionally flimsy but ultimately entertaining and worth watching. She especially praises Bruce Lee’s charisma and the energy he brings to the fight scenes.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/enter-the-dragon-1973-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/enter-the-dragon.md