# Birth of the Dragon (2017)

> A fictionalized 1960s San Francisco martial arts drama reframes Bruce Lee’s legendary rivalry through a young student caught between kung fu ambition and forbidden romance.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/272566

## Facts

- Runtime: 103 min
- Genres: Action, Drama
- Director: George Nolfi
- Cast: Philip Ng Wan-Lung, Billy Magnussen, Xia Yu, Ron Yuan, Darren E. Scott, King Lau, Yee Jee Tso, Teresa Navarro
- TMDB rating: 5.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2720826/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Mood: propulsive, earnest, heightened, martial arts movie night, action double feature

## Movies like Birth of the Dragon

- [Rapid Fire (1992)](https://ember.film/movie/7566)
- [Fearless (2006)](https://ember.film/movie/3859)
- [Fist of Legend (1994)](https://ember.film/movie/10707)
- [Ip Man: The Final Fight (2013)](https://ember.film/movie/107665)
- [The Legend Is Born: Ip Man (2010)](https://ember.film/movie/29028)
- [Ip Man (2008)](https://ember.film/movie/8769)
- [Karate Kid: Legends (2025)](https://ember.film/movie/949725)
- [Once Upon a Time in China (1991)](https://ember.film/movie/5686)
- [Fist of Fury (1972)](https://ember.film/movie/6672)
- [Return of Dragon (1998)](https://ember.film/movie/558511)

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