Birth of the Dragon (2017) on Netflix
In 1964 San Francisco, Bruce Lee runs a Wing Chun kung fu academy. Shaolin master Wong Jack-man is working in the city, and Lee challenges him to a fight.
- Netflix2.0/5
- IMDb5.7/109,392 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes23%
Trailer
Plot summary
In San Francisco in 1964, Bruce Lee teaches Wing Chun at the kung fu academy he owns. He advises his students, helps them find work as film extras, and stands up for them when Chinatown gangs come around. One student, Steve McKee, spars with him in anger and is embarrassed by a counter. McKee and Vinnie Wei make deliveries for Wei's mother's laundry, and at the China Gate restaurant McKee meets Xiulan, who is not allowed to speak with outsiders. He brings her an English grammar book and teaches her roommates some English. He also gets to know Wong Jack-man, a Shaolin master washing dishes in the city. Lee is uneasy about Wong's presence, fearing punishment for teaching kung fu to white students, and asks McKee to arrange a meeting. Lee challenges Wong to a fight.
Cast
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Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Birth of the Dragon (2017)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Birth of the Dragon drew accusations of "whitewashing" from fans and critics, who said the Bruce Lee film unfairly focused on the fictional white character Steve McKee, presented as Lee's friend. The film also drew criticism for advertising itself as based on "a true story" when McKee is not real.
- Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee's daughter, distanced herself from Birth of the Dragon, saying the film, like others about her father, lacked a complete understanding of his philosophies and artistry and had not captured the essence of his beliefs in martial arts or storytelling.
