Brandon Lee Movies Ranked: From Legacy of Rage to The Crow
In the history of action movies, there have been two careers that were mercilessly cut short in their prime—and in perhaps the grimmest coincidence imaginable, they happened to be father and son. Of course, I’m talking about Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee. Bruce Lee’s death in 1973 is one of the biggest mysteries of modern cinema, with his passing likely due to an adverse reaction to what amounted to little more than aspirin. However, considering that he was only thirty-two and in peak physical condition, the reason behind his death has remained controversial and prone to wild speculation.
Yet, for his son Brandon Lee, who died at only twenty-eight, the circumstances were tragically clear. He was killed on the set of The Crow by a prop gun that hadn’t been properly checked. Like his father, he left behind a small body of work that, despite its limited size, makes it clear that had he lived, he would have been one of the great action heroes of his era. Last week we ranked all of his father’s movies, and now it’s Brandon’s turn—so here’s our list of Brandon Lee movies ranked from worst to best.
5. Laser Mission:
While many point to this as Brandon Lee’s screen debut, it actually isn’t, as he had already appeared in a well-made Hong Kong movie (more on that soon). This was his first English-language starring film (although he had co-starred in the made-for-TV movie Kung Fu: The Movie). Laser Mission is a low-budget West German production shot in Namibia which, despite being an unceremonious start to his American career, is an OK little action movie with some solid sequences, even if it was shot on a shoestring budget. Lee kills an incredible fifty-four bad guys here, with veteran stuntman BJ Davis stretching the budget as best he can. While it can sometimes fall into the “so bad it’s good” category (the theme song by former Dire Straits member David Knopfler is played to death), it moves well and did strong business on home video back in its day. It’s easy to find now, as the rights have lapsed, so it’s in the public domain.
4. Legacy of Rage
Of all the movies on this list, Legacy of Rage is the most obscure—and that’s a shame. It’s unlike Lee’s other films in that, despite being an action movie, it doesn’t rely heavily on his martial arts prowess. Instead, it’s a heroic bloodshed-style film in the vein of early John Woo, with Lee playing a man framed by his best friend who seeks revenge after getting out of prison. It’s an early film from Ronny Yu, who would later direct The Bride with White Hair and go on to have a solid U.S. career with Bride of Chucky and Freddy vs. Jason. It’s silly at times, but the action is well done—especially the ambitious climax. It’s definitely worth checking out.
3. Showdown in Little Tokyo
While intensely cheesy, I’ve never made any secret of my love for this movie. I’m actually prominently cited on the film’s Wikipedia page, and as far as B-movies go, it’s a classic. Lee plays second banana to star Dolph Lundgren, arriving at a time when Dolph was transitioning to the direct-to-video market. Although intended as a theatrical release, it barely got one—and only in a compromised 79-minute version. While I’d love to see the director’s cut someday, as it stands, the movie is a crazy amount of fun. Lee is very charismatic as the wisecracking partner to Dolph’s stoic cop, and it also has to be one of the most knowingly homoerotic movies ever made. Lee even delivers the unforgettable line to Dolph: “You have the biggest dick I’ve ever seen…on a man.” As far as buddy cop movies go, this is a gem and should have gotten sequels.
2. Rapid Fire
Now we’re talking. In my opinion, Rapid Fire is one of the best American action movies of its era. Lee plays a college student who witnesses a gangland slaying and finds himself on the run from both the mob and corrupt cops. The action design here is wild, with Lee and director Dwight Little crafting something that feels like an American take on a Jackie Chan movie, complete with improvised weapons (and a few moments clearly inspired by Police Story). This has everything—hand-to-hand combat, stick fighting, gunfights, and more. Lee also gets strong support from villain Nick Mancuso and the great Powers Boothe. To me, this easily stands alongside the best work from Steven Seagal and JCVD.
1. The Crow
The sad irony of The Crow is that Lee’s final, unfinished film turned out to be something of a masterpiece. A gothic action tale based on James O’Barr’s comic, Alex Proyas’ film has been widely imitated but never equaled. Sadly, it’s impossible to ignore that part of the film’s legacy comes from Lee’s death, which gave both the movie and his character—rocker Eric Draven—a kind of immortal mystique. Still, it stands on its own as a thrilling piece of cinema, allowing Lee to show real emotional depth while still delivering plenty of kick-ass action. And, oh yeah—it also boasts one of the best soundtracks of the 1990s.
How would your Brandon Lee ranking look? Let us know in the comments.
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