OPERATION CONDOR
RATING: ** (out of ****)
Dimension / 1:28 / 1991/1997 / PG-13 (comic violence, glimpses of nudity) Players: Jackie Chan; Carol Cheng; Eva Cobo de Garcia; Shoko Ikeda; Alfred Brel Sanchez; Jonathan Isgar Director: Jackie Chan Screenplay: Jackie Chan; Edward Tang
Two givens for any Jackie Chan import: The star is amiable and the action is big. But all the charisma and dynamo in the world couldn't save "Operation Condor" from mediocrity. Chan's fourth stateside theatrical release (following "Rumble in the Bronx," "Supercop" and "Jackie Chan's First Strike") sports a storyline that sinks and stinks where those of his previous trio were at least enjoyably silly. When the star isn't kicking enemy butt, the film flounders so much that it's not out of the question to hope "Condor" meets a quick extinction.
"Operation Condor," originally released in Hong Kong in 1991 under the title "Armor of God II," casts Chan as Jackie (no stretch there), a secret agent employed by the United Nations to uncover 240 tons of Nazi gold buried somewhere in the Sahara before a group of nasty terrorists get there first. Every hero needs a sidekick, and Jackie has three -- a trio of shapely lasses, each solely identified by hairstyle and all annoying. None of them come even close to rivalling Michelle Yeoh, Chan's "Supercop" sidekick.
Chan's best U.S. release thus far is arguably "First Strike," an affectionate, if not terribly solid, tweaking of James Bond standards. Condor starts out on a similar, much more obvious foot, complete with a detached, pre-credits action sequence (where Jackie rolls down hills and off a cliff in what appears to be a giant hamster ball!) and flashy opening titles. But once the head-scratcher of a plot kicks into gear, "Operation Condor" turns into something akin to an Indiana Jones adventure only without the bullwhip, fedora and fear of snakes -- or the charm, for that matter. Thanks to a story that acts as sluggish, uninspired padding between the action scenes, "Condor"'s running time doesn't exactly fly by.
Because Chan pulls acting, directing and co-writing duties, "Condor" holds a promise of wall-to-wall fun -- if he's so much fun in front of the camera, imagine what he's like behind it. Sure, his physical feats are impressive, but the number of biggies is strictly limited. Every good, funny sequence, like a hotel room brawl where a towel-clad woman is as effective a weapon as either of Chan's appendages, only makes the rest of the movie seem dreadfully dull by comparison. Even the climax -- a doozy of a high point in "Strike" and "Supercop" -- falters; as powerful fans send Chan and his enemies through the air with the greatest of ease, gone is the no-strings-attached riskiness of his usual shtick.
Even if "Operation Condor" flops, there still might be a future for Chan's oldies in American -- because studios put up little more than dubbing fees, they likely turn a quick profit. But if the trend continues, more care ought to be taken in the selection process. Take away the martial arts maestro's trademark stuntwork and you've got the makings of a straight-to-video vehicle for any given wrestler-cum-actor. "Operation Condor" with Rowdy Roddy Piper, anyone?
© 1997 Jamie Peck E-mail: jpeck1@gl.umbc.edu Visit the Reel Deal Online: http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~jpeck1/
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