27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brandon Lee shows what he is capable of..., November 18, 2000
This review is from: Long zai jiang hu (DVD)
I watched Legacy of Rage after I saw Brandon's final film, The Crow, and I was literally blown away. Unlike most dubbed films, Brandon's sheer presence and force of character made the film very watchable--I never had a sense that I was missing a part of his performance (although of course I was) because of the intense physical acting of his character.
For The Crow fans who are already familiar with the intensity of Brandon's performance, this is a rare treat--we have proof now that he didn't just miraculously portray The Crow's Eric Draven, but was capable of portraying the angst, confusion and rage of extreme situations in a believable and caring way very early in his too short career.
It is hard to believe that Brandon was so young when he filmed Legacy of Rage--he carries himself with a poise and confidence that belies his tender years...he is believable as a man who has suffered the unbelievable.
In Legacy of Rage, Lee portrays Brandon Ma, a hardworking Chinese youth, holding down two jobs, and saving his money to wed his beloved. Ma's best friend is Michael, whose father is part of the organized crime syndicate, who is being groomed to take his over the family business. When a Michael sets Brandon up to take the fall for a mob hit, sending him to prison for eight years. Brandon loses his love while in prison, and only later learns of Michael's betrayal. After he is released from prison, Brandon is provoked to revenge to save his beloved and the son he didn't know he had from the power maddened Michael.
The fight and shooting scenes are well balance with thoughtful character development. The final confrontation between Brandon and Michael is often compared to John Woo style Hollywood action epics, and rightly so...you will rewind it again and again to catch all the action! The initial fight scene between Brandon and the bully is a treat for Bruce Lee fans. Brandon does several "Brucisms," like cracking his knuckles by clenching his fists, and such. This is the only time you will see Brandon emulate his father on film.
If you are a Brandon fan, this is a must see...forget about Laser Mission and Showdown in Little Tokyo...this is Brandon as good as Rapid Fire, with distinct foreshadowings of The Crow. Get it.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Totally cool. The Lee Legends continue to be the best., May 5, 1999
By A Customer
Brandon Lee won the newcomer award in Hong Kong for his portrayal of a guy plagued with adversity, but a passionate will to overcome. Bruce Lee had advised his followers to "try again," but by being his son, Brandon had no alternative but to "try harder." His Hong Kong martial arts style demonstated in Legacy of Rage is without equal.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brandon Lee,RIP, May 24, 2005
I just happened to stumble across this flick the other day at the local Media Play and speaking as a hardcore Bruce Lee fan and of Brandon's performance in The Crow...I was blown away by Brandon's only Hong Kong movie. The action was there(Brandon stayed true to the Jeet Kune Do method that his dad polished) and while I didn't feel that he was attempting to imitate or emulate his dad...his intensity, mannerisms and even his expressions tend to resemble and honor his dad at times. I strongly recommend LOR for fans of Bruce and Brandon Lee, not just because it's a rare treat(or for the Cantonese soundtrack w/t English subtitles...cool), but because it represents the continuity of the Bruce Lee legacy and gives us more of a glimpse at what may've been(carrying Bruce Lee's torch and coming from under his shadow) had he lived to carry on his father's martial arts/film legacy. A truw, underground martial arts classic by the son of the greatest of all time. Brandon Lee...Rest In Peace,man.
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