Enter The Dragon - Plot

Plot

Lee (Bruce Lee) is a Shaolin martial artist from Hong Kong who possesses great philosophical insight into martial arts as well as physical prowess. He receives an invitation to a martial arts competition on an island organised by the mysterious Han (Shih Kien). Lee learns from his Sifu (teacher) that Han was also once a Shaolin student, but had been expelled from their order for abusing their code of conduct.

A man named Braithwaite (Geoffrey Weeks) from British Intelligence approaches Lee and asks for his help in an undercover mission. Han is suspected to be involved in drug trafficking and prostitution. However, since Han's island is only partly in their jurisdiction, they are unable to conduct any formal investigations - Han will not allow firearms on the island, both to impede assassination attempts and to prevent the international authorities from gaining a justification to launch a raid. Han runs a martial arts school to protect his drug operations, as well as holding his tournament every three years to recruit international talent to expand his criminal business. Before leaving, Lee learns from his teacher that Han's bodyguard O'Hara (Robert Wall) had been involved in the death of his sister, Su Lin (Angela Mao), years ago, when she committed suicide to save herself from dishonour after being cornered by O'Hara and a collection of Han's thugs. During the incident, O'Hara received a facial scar when Lee's uncle slashed him with a knife.

Lee arrives on Han's island and receives a warm reception. Joining him are other competitors including Roper (John Saxon), a down-on-his-luck white American playboy-gambler on the run from the mob, and Williams (Jim Kelly), an African-American activist on the run after defending himself against two racist white policemen in Los Angeles. Roper and Williams are revealed to be old friends who also have a betting scam going: one will underperform until the other can get a bet on the outcome at good odds. Both win their first fight easily.

That night, the competitors are all offered girls of their choice by Han's assistant, Tania (Ahna Capri). Williams chooses several women, while Roper cunningly chooses Tania (as a mutual attraction is apparent between them). Lee asks for a girl he saw earlier in Han's entourage. Lee knows she is Mei Ling (Betty Chung), an agent whom Braithwaite has placed on the island to gather intelligence. When she arrives, she is unable to give Lee much information as she has been unable to escape Han's strict observation. That night, leaving Mei Ling in the bedroom alone, Lee begins searching the island for evidence and finds a secret entrance to an underground base, where drugs are being manufactured and tested on unwitting prisoners. He runs into Han's guards but manages to take them down before they can identify him. He is seen by Williams, who is outside for some fresh air and practice.

The next day, Han warns the competitors about wandering out of their rooms at night. He punishes his guards for failure in their duties and the guards meet their horrible ends at the hands of the sadistic Bolo (Bolo Yeung), Han's chief bodyguard. Moments later, Lee is called to his first match and his opponent turns out to be O'Hara, who is clearly outclassed and eventually attacks Lee with broken bottles. Lee defeats O'Hara and kills his prone adversary as an act of revenge for his involvement in his sister's suicide. Announcing that O'Hara's dishonourable attack has caused him to lose face very badly, Han ends the day's matches. Later, Han summons Williams and accuses him of attacking the guards the previous night. Williams denies this and claims he wasn't the only one out at night. Han demands Williams tell him who else was outside but Williams changes the subject about wanting to leave the island. Han refuses to give him permission to leave and calls his henchmen; Williams takes them out and then starts to fight with Han. Han seems easily to dominate in the struggle, and Williams crashes into a nearby opium den. Intoxicated by the fumes, Williams gets weaker and Han beats him to death with his hand, which is revealed to be prosthetic and made of cast iron.

Han takes Roper on a tour of his underground base and invites him to be his representative for his heroin smuggling operations in the United States. When Roper seems reluctant, Han shows him the mutilated corpse of Williams, hinting that Roper will face the same fate if he refuses to cooperate. The same night, Lee breaks into the underground base, avoiding a booby-trap set for him, and gathers sufficient evidence to warrant Han's arrest, but sets off an alarm while using the radio transmitter to contact Braithwaite. After a spectacular fight with dozens of Han's guards (using a variety of weapons and empty hands) he is eventually lured into a trap and captured.

The next morning, Han asks Roper to fight Lee as a test of his loyalty. Roper refuses and Han sends him to fight Bolo instead. When Roper emerges victorious, the infuriated Han orders his men to kill both Lee and Roper. Despite being hopelessly outnumbered, Lee and Roper manage to hold off the enemy until Mei Ling releases the captives in Han's underground prison. After breaking free, they join them in the fight to even the odds. Amidst the chaos, Han attempts to sneak away, only to have Lee follow him. Lee tells Han, "You have offended my family and you have offended the Shaolin Temple." After a spectacular fight in a room full of mirrors, Han is defeated by Lee and impaled on his own spear. When Lee returns to Roper, he finds that most of Han's men have been defeated and rounded up but in a bittersweet moment, Roper also finds Tania's lifeless body lying amongst the wreckage. Lee and Roper exchange a weary thumbs-up just as military helicopters arrive in response to the distress call.