The best of Bruce Lee: Ranking the legend's five leading roles

I think like most people I knew Bruce Lee first by reputation before I'd actually ever seen one of his movies. I eventually discovered Enter the Dragon, perhaps on television, and instantly took to it. It's an incredibly entertaining, crowd-pleasing movie -- but more on that later.

I hadn't really done a full, huge deep dive on him though.

He became a source of great debate thanks to last year's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. My contention then and now was that Lee has become such an icon like Elvis or Marliyn Monroe, that his persona can withstand a little gentle ribbing.

And as far as that film's portrayal of Lee as a bit of a cocky jerk, well if you could whoop the ass of virtually anyone in the world, wouldn't you be? But I digress. The incredible Criterion Collection has done all Lee fans and those who are Lee curious a favor by putting his five feature films in a single, souped up box set full of edifying extras.

I've recently watched them all, and while all have their merits and are enjoyable I thought I'd rank them anyway.

5. Game of Death - This is probably the most infamous Bruce Lee film for better or worse. It's remembered for the iconic yellow and black tracksuit (resurrected by Tarantino for the Kill Bill films) and its bravura final act which features Lee having back to back showdowns at various levels of a dojo, culminating with a classic fight against the towering Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But in reality, the film is a pretty tasteless attempt to cash in on Lee after his death. It features a not particularly convincing double for Lee throughout, it's plot is pretty incomprehensible and it even features footage from Lee's own funeral! Still, it's never boring.

4. The Big Boss - Lee's first major role is the most exploitation-y of his efforts. It's plot is pretty bare bones and at least in the beginning he shares the hero duties with the considerably less charismatic James Tien (producers apparently decided on-set which one of them would emerge as the main protagonist). Still, once Lee takes center stage his charisma and sex appeal are unmistakable. He just needed a more compelling story to work with.

3. The Way of the Dragon - Probably the strangest entry in Lee's canon and the only one he directed himself. Tonally it's a bit jarring -- it starts as a bit of a meandering comedy (in which Lee gets to show some of his lighter range) but then morphs into a far more serious and even spiritual movie. It really comes alive when Chuck Norris shows up in the last act to fight Lee, and their final fight elevates everything that came before it.

2. Fist of Fury - This was the one that surprised me. I was not familiar with it-- it's a legit great revenge movie, with Lee going undercover in various disguises as part of an elaborate plan to defeat the crew that disrespected his family and dogo. Top notch fight scenes throughout and an emotional performance from Lee. The ending is surprisingly bleak -- this is my favorite of Lee's Chinese productions.

1. Enter the Dragon - A pop masterpiece. Lee gets his own James Bond movie here with the unforgettable John Saxon and Jim Kelly and his white and black sidekicks respectively. Lee got to show the most range in this film -- his martial arts philosophy, his sense of humor, his emotional fighting and more. It's one of those classic adventure films that is always engaging and has the pacing and set pieces of a modern action movie. It's all bittersweet because he died right before this film's release and ironically its the film that made him a legend and an international superstar.