He balanced on a single finger. Delivered a one-inch punch that sent men flying. And left behind 23 minutes of fight footage so powerful it vanished for nearly three decades before being restored. This is the best documentary on Bruce Lee’s life, philosophy, and unfinished masterpiece.
Trailer for “Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Bruce performs the legendary one-inch punch and literal one-finger push-ups (he balances on just a thumb). No wires. No camera tricks.
- His philosophy of teaching martial arts to all races made him a pariah in traditional circles. He faced death threats for breaking those taboos.
- Bruce Lee’s 23 minutes of original footage for “Game of Death” were lost for 28 years. They were discovered in 1999 (two decades after his death) and restored for this film.
Watch “Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey”
You can watch it for free on Flexhouse or Plex.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 91/100 (Users), not yet rated (Critics)
Director’s Note
Directed by John Little, one of the most respected Bruce Lee historians. He gained access to Lee’s handwritten notes, personal archive, and the raw “Game of Death” reels that had never been shown publicly. This isn’t just a recap of Lee’s life—it’s a restoration of his unfinished masterpiece and martial philosophy.
Release Date: 2000
My Review of “Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey”
The Setup
The documentary is split into five parts. The first three tell Bruce Lee’s story through interviews with Linda Lee Cadwell, Taky Kimura, Ji Han-jae, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (his co-star in “Game of Death”). The final two parts feature 23 minutes of Bruce’s original “Game of Death” fight footage—restored, uncut, and with his vision finally intact.
More Highlights from the Doc
- The restored “Game of Death” footage is mind-blowing. It’s not just action—it’s philosophy in motion. Bruce fights his way up a pagoda, with each level representing a new martial art and philosophy.
- His showdown with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is legendary—7’2″ vs. 5’7″. Kareem’s foot leaves a dusty imprint on Bruce’s chest mid-fight.
- We hear directly from Bruce, through writings and voice clips, about his concept of Jeet Kune Do—a “style with no style” rooted in adaptability and personal expression.
- The film shows Lee in training, including that infamous thumb push-up, insane speed drills, and nunchaku routines that make your jaw drop.
Cameos – Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Bruce originally shot “Game of Death” before being asked to pause it and work on “Enter the Dragon”—he died before resuming the project.
- Early versions of “Game of Death” were completed posthumously with body doubles and masks—this doc shows the real footage as Bruce intended.
- Bruce’s handwritten fight choreography notes, discovered in 1999, were used to reconstruct the scenes exactly as he’d mapped them.
- Hapkido Grandmaster Ji Han-jae appears in an interview and also fought Bruce in one of the lost “Game of Death” sequences.
Wrap Up:
If you’re a Bruce Lee fan—or just someone who loves seeing mastery in motion—this is a must-watch.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc