Chuck Norris' Highest-Rated Movie On Rotten Tomatoes Is A Must-Watch

Sergio PereiraSat, May 9, 2026 at 8:18 PM UTC

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Colt wearing his karate gi in The Way of the Dragon - Golden Harvest

Despite turning to acting later than most, action film icon Chuck Norris accumulated dozens of films and TV credits during his lifetime. As is the norm for martial artists who become film stars, he headlined a couple of stinkers, but Norris was also involved in some genuinely great movies, and his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes is an undisputed classic: 1972's "The Way of the Dragon," originally released as "Return of the Dragon" in the United States.

Starring Bruce Lee as unassuming martial artist Tang Lung, "The Way of the Dragon" kicks off with a Chinese family restaurant being terrorized by a group of thugs in Rome. Tang travels from Hong Kong to Italy to sort out the matter and protect the family. They take one look at him and question how he's going to help, but he soon shows them what he's capable of. Norris plays Colt, a hired gun and an accomplished martial artist who stands toe-to-toe with Tang in a memorable fight scene.

Not only is "The Way of the Dragon" Norris' first credited film appearance, but it's also one of Chuck Norris' best movies, period. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an 88% critical approval rating and an 86% audience score. Lee wore several hats for "The Way of the Dragon," also serving as the writer, producer, and director of the film. The hard work paid off, as it became the joint highest-rated film of Lee's illustrious career on Rotten Tomatoes alongside the 1973 martial arts masterpiece "Enter the Dragon."

Read more: We Didn't Learn These Tragic Secrets About Actors Until After They Died

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Lee wanted to defeat Norris on the big screen

Tang Lung and Colt fighting in The Way of the Dragon - Golden Harvest

Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee struck up a close friendship and trained together before either of them started making movies. When Lee moved to Hong Kong to launch his movie career, Norris didn't hear from him for a few years, but then he received a phone call that would change his life: Lee was making a movie in Italy, and he wanted Norris to play the main heavy.

Speaking to Bloody Elbow, Norris revealed that Lee's plan was to shoot a fight scene that would go down in history, and he saw Norris as his ideal opponent. "At that time I held the world title, and kiddingly I said to Bruce, 'Well, who wins, Bruce?'" Norris said. "And he says, 'I win. I'm the star of this movie!' And I said, 'Oh, I see. You want to beat the world champion.' He said, 'No, I don't. I want to kill the world champion.'"

Fortunately, pride didn't stand in the way. Norris accepted the role, and the fight scene — which takes place in Rome's famous Colosseum — is still talked about today. It's mesmerizing, tense, and a little bit funny (Lee tears out a chunk of Norris' chest hair and blows it away after one coming together), firmly establishing "The Way of the Dragon" as one of the best martial arts movies of all time.

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Read the original article on Looper.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”