As is common knowledge, the plot of this film bears very little resemblance to the original envisioning held by its legendary star, Bruce Lee who tragically passed away before filming could be completed on the project. A few years later with only limited footage of the cherished icon having been caught on tape the makers decided (presumably driven by the lure of dollars!) to revisit what little footage they did have and via a completely reworked plot plus a combination clips from Bruce's previous filmography and a number of 'lookalikes' (none of whom bare any resemblance whatsoever to the great man I might hastily add) to complete what was to be Bruce's 'final' film. Needless to say the results are somewhat uneven to put it as mildly as possible! Indeed, some of the 'tricks' utilised in this in a desperate bid to show Bruce on screen are downright terrible such as in one infamous scene where a cardboard cut out of the late martial arts stars face is placed over a mirror in front of an actor(!!!!!) Yes, very convincing.....not!
Strangely, despite all of the above flaws, the film nonetheless proves to be a thoroughly enjoyable watch - kudos to veteran director Robert Clouse. I've actually seen two versions of the film; The differences are relatively minor as regards the actual content however - one contains some extra scenes such as our hero fighting an opponent in a room full of potted plants plus a slightly different ending, although the soundtracks are very different. Personally I much preferred the excellent John Barry scored version which additionally carries a beautiful ending composition serving as a highly poignant tribute to the life of this extraordinary martial arts star.
Strangely, despite all of the above flaws, the film nonetheless proves to be a thoroughly enjoyable watch - kudos to veteran director Robert Clouse. I've actually seen two versions of the film; The differences are relatively minor as regards the actual content however - one contains some extra scenes such as our hero fighting an opponent in a room full of potted plants plus a slightly different ending, although the soundtracks are very different. Personally I much preferred the excellent John Barry scored version which additionally carries a beautiful ending composition serving as a highly poignant tribute to the life of this extraordinary martial arts star.