Although they have made a mint at the American box office, those bone-crunchers from China — adventures pegged on karate, hapkido, kung fu and judo—were essentially shoddy productions, Now Hollywood has muscled into the act, dispatching a unit to Hong Kong and vicinity. The result is "Enter the Dragon," opening yesterday at four theaters. Now brace yourself.

The picture is expertly made and well-meshed; it moves like lightning and brims with color. It is also the most savagely murderous and numbing hand-hacker (not a gun in it) you will ever see anywhere. Indeed, toward the end the musical score simply stops—or gives up—as three secret agents pulverize their way out of a sinister island fortress.

Arms, legs and necks snap like kindling, and the predominantly young audience cramming Loew's State 2 yesterday applauded, laughed and ate it up. Anyone over 30 will have plenty to think about.

But the real surprise is that this caboose cash-in was made so well, unlike its imported predecessors. The story is a bit reminiscent of James Bond's "Dr. No," with a renegade fiend (same white cat and minus one hand) running an island fortress and a spectacular school in "martial arts." Just as obviously, the three tough agents invading the place are white (John Saxon), black (Jim Kelly) and yellow (Bruce Lee).

Yet from the opening (a stunning evocation of Hong Kong, centering on the harbor), the crisp dialogue of Michael Allin's script and the pounding pulse of Robert Clouse's direction spur the action forward without an ounce of fat.

On an adventure level, the performances are quite good. The one by Mr. Lee, not only the picture's supermaster killer but a fine actor as well, is downright fascinating. Mr. Lee, who also staged the combats, died very recently. Here he could not be more alive.

The Cast
ENTER THE DRAGON, directed by Robert Clouse/ screenplay by Michael Allin; produced by Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller in association with Raymond Chow; photographed by Gilbert Hubbs; music by Lalo Schifrin; presented by Warner Brothers. At the Loew's State I and Loew's State 2, Broadway and 45th Street, Loew's Cine, Third Avenue at 86th Street and Loew's Orpheum, 86th Street at Third Avenue. Running time: 98 minutes. (This film is rated R.)
Lee . . . . . Bruce Lee
Roper . . . . . John Saxon
Williams . . . . . Jim Kelly
Han . . . . . Shin Kien
Su-Lin . . . . . Angela Mao Ying
Mel Ling . . . . . Betty Chung