Bruce Lee is one of the most celebrated and respected Asian actors in Hollywood history. Despite his short-lived acting career, his appearances in martial arts centric films have made him a household name, along with his iconic yellow jumpsuit. To say that Bruce Lee was every '80s and '90s kid's idol at one point would not be an exaggeration.

Featuring roles from his Hollywood debut, all the way to the films released after his untimely death, here are some of the best Bruce Lee movies, ranked:

8 Game of Death (1978)

Bruce Lee and the rest of the cast in Game of Death
Golden Harvest
Media Asia Group
Fortune Star Media

Directed by Bruce Lee and Robert Clouse after his death, this posthumously released film combines footage from 1973 (prior to Lee's death) with new footage to tell a cohesive story. Despite receiving some criticism for the use of stand-ins and body doubles in some of Lee's scenes, this film was praised for its potential to be an incredibly depicted martial arts film. The efforts to preserve it would certainly have been appreciated by Bruce Lee if he were still alive today.

Hai Tien (Bruce Lee) is a retired martial artist who is approached by the Korean mafia gang to work together and retrieve a precious item. When Hai Tien refuses the proposal, the gang kidnaps his younger sister and brother, forcing him to become a reluctant participant in the mess.

7 The Kid (1950)

The Kid
Xingguang Film Company

Based on a comic book character called "Kid Cheung" by Yuen Bou-wan and directed by Fung Fung, this action-adventure film features a 9-year-old Bruce Lee as its title character. Despite being the youngest among his cast members, little Bruce Lee shines the brightest, proving that he was born to be a star. With comedy, friendship, and some drama thrown into the mix, The Kid is the perfect Bruce Lee film to watch with the family.

The story follows the misadventures of little Ho Cheung (Bruce Lee), a kid who knows martial arts but does not know how to control it. Bullied by kids at his school, Cheung prefers to roam around, encountering the thief, Flash Knife Lee (Fung Fung), and becoming his disciple. Despite his uncle's disdain for his new profession, Cheung does his best to take care of his family and provide for them.

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6 Marlowe (1969)

Marlowe
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Directed by Paul Bogart, this neo-noir film shall go down in history as Bruce Lee's official Hollywood debut. Playing the supporting role of young karate expert Winslow Wong, Bruce Lee charms the audience with his youthful charisma, becoming a source of much-needed relief when he goes around chopping up things in Marlowe's office.

Private investigator Philip Marlowe (James Gardner) is hired by the enigmatic Orfamay Quest (Sharon Farrell) to find her missing brother. While the request seems straightforward at first, Marlowe finds himself getting embroiled in the affairs of the shady Los Angeles underworld, where secrets are revealed and lives get taken.

5 The Big Boss (1971)

The cast of The Big Boss
Golden Harvest

Directed by Lo Wei and Wu Chia Hsiang, this Hong Kong martial arts film marks Bruce Lee's first appearance as the leading man in a major box office film. Becoming an immediate hit upon its release in Asia, Lee's acting skills as a rookie were praised beyond the A-list actors of the time, launching him to instant fame. The film was also the highest grossing Hong Kong film of all time, until Bruce Lee's next film was released.

Cheng Chao-an (Bruce Lee) leaves his homeland China, and moves to Thailand to live with his adopted family. He gets a job in an ice factory, and reunites with some of his cousins. One day, when a group of thugs threatens his cousins, Chao-an hesitates to help because of a promise he had made to his mother to never get involved in a fight. However, when his relatives start disappearing one by one, Chao-an is forced to rethink his promise.

4 The Orphan (1960)

The Orphan
Hualien Films

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Au-yeung Tin, and directed by Lee Sun-Fung, this drama is hailed as eighteen-year-old Bruce Lee's finest work. Set during the Sino-Japanese war, the film received incredible praise for its depiction of ordinary life in such turbulent times. Bruce Lee also received praise for his acting-heavy role as a young delinquent, as opposed to a character that was primarily known for martial arts.

Ah Sam (Bruce Lee) is a young orphan and a delinquent who goes around creating trouble in the city and frequently gets involved with the triads. When his plan to rob a rich man is foiled by the headmaster of a school (Ng Cho-fan), he gives up his life on the streets to enroll in the school, finding a sense of family in the process.

3 Fist of Fury (1972)

Fist of Fury
Orange Sky Golden Harvest

Directed by Lo Wei, this Hong Kong action film is the one that took over The Big Boss' throne as the highest-grossing Hong Kong film of all time upon its release. With themes of nationalism and strong sentiments of the Chinese Republic, Bruce Lee's performance was a mix of action and emotion, resonating with audiences at the time, who would be clamoring for more. Lee also served as the film's action choreographer.

In 1910, Chen Zhen (Bruce Lee) is returning home to Shanghai to get married; however, he learns that his master has passed away. During the funeral, the location gets attacked by a group of Japanese nationals who taunt and insult the Chinese with racist remarks, beating them up in the process. This, and other instances of frequent racism prompt Chen Zhen to take revenge from the Japanese, igniting his streak of nationalism.

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2 The Way of the Dragon (1972)

Bruce Lee in The Way of the Dragon
Golden Harvest

Produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee, The Way of the Dragon is an action comedy film that became the highest grossing Hong Kong film upon its release, earning up to a thousand times its original budget. The film also serves as the last one released during Bruce Lee's lifetime.

Tang Lung (Bruce Lee) is a martial artist whose family runs a restaurant. When a crime syndicate uses force to threaten the family into shutting their business down, Tang Lung takes matters into his own hands, confronting the syndicate. Realizing that they're no match for Tang Lung's skills, the syndicate hires multiple skilled martial artists to face Tang Lung.

1 Enter the Dragon (1973)

Enter the Dragon
Orange Sky Golden Harvest
Warner Bros. Pictures

Directed by Robert Clouse, and released one month after Bruce Lee's death, Enter the Dragon is hailed as one of the best martial arts films ever made. The cultural impact of the film has been so profound that future films, manga, and anime have often taken inspiration from its choreographed fight sequences.

Lee (Bruce Lee) is a highly skilled martial artist from Hong Kong, who gets involved in a high profile investigation case from the British Intelligence. Approached by Agent Brathwaite (Geoffrey Weeks), Lee is tasked to go to a private island owned by Han (Shih Kien), a socialite. Going as a spy undercover, Lee is tasked to find evidence of drug trafficking and prostitution, as well as take revenge upon the man who murdered his sister.