Eastern Condors Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.5

Eastern Condors Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 17, 2024

Sammo Hung's "Eastern Condors" (1987) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by critic Tony Rayns; archival program with Sammo Hung; archival program with actor and stuntman Yuen Wah; vintage promotional materials; and more. In Cantonese, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

If Quentin Tarantino had directed The Deer Hunter the end product would have looked a lot like Sammo Hung’s Eastern Condors -- an exotic over-the-top action extravaganza with a whacky sense of humor that would have thrilled just as many people as it would have annoyed. There would not have been any undecided viewers, stuck in the middle, liking the ‘good’ but also recognizing the ‘bad’. All viewers would have picked sides, and then argued until they turned blue that their take on Tarantino’s film was the right one.

Directed by Hung, Eastern Condors opens up in America, where a high-ranking military official announces that something has to be done about a large arsenal of weapons that has been abandoned in Vietnam after the war has ended. If the weapons end up with the commies, the man clarifies, then there is trouble ahead, and not only for America. Shortly after, the Pentagon offers a colorful crew of Asian mercenaries a deal. If they go to Vietnam, destroy the weapons and get out alive, they would earn U.S. citizenship with a bonus of $200,000 each.

Led by Lieutenant Lam (Ching-Ying Lam) and commander Tung (Hung), the mercenaries enter the jungles of Vietnam and immediately establish contact with three Cambodian lady renegades who have agreed to assist them in their mission. A charismatic con artist named Weasel (a really good Yuen Biao) also joins the group. However, the mission quickly proves to be a lot more dangerous than initially advertised, and many of the mercenaries slowly begin realizing that they may not be able to get out of the jungle alive.

The action oozes pure energy that is easy to admire, but this is basically the film’s only strength. Indeed, everything that happens between the shootouts and explosions is either boring descriptions of meaningless situations or undercooked humor that makes the main protagonists look like inexperienced actors doing an elaborate audition. And yet the film frequently doubles-down on the graphic visuals as if to demand that despite its awkward contrasts it deserves to be taken very, very seriously. (There is one particular sequence where a small group of brainwashed kids play Russian Roulette with some poor souls that have been captured by the commies that so obviously borrows from The Deer Hunter and then makes the material look like a parody that it almost hurts).

The character arcs appear random at best. Except for Lam and Tung, who quickly and convincingly emerge as the only individuals that comprehend the true nature of the deadly mission, the rest of the men around them remain supporting characters that routinely engage in meaningless conversations until they die in some ‘heroic’ fashion. Quite predictably, the nature and evolution of their relationships are seriously underwhelming. The three women are there only to add an extra dose of exotic flavor to the mission as well.

Except for the slow-motion kicks, the fights are very nicely choreographed, and it does not take long to realize that Hung and Biao are doing some quite special things in front of the camera. But anyone looking for some substance to go along with them will almost certainly walk away from the film seriously disappointed.

Eastern Condors Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Eastern Condors arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this release:

"The 2K master was created from the 35mm original camera negative. The original monaural Cantonese soundtrack was assembled from the original Cantonese dialog, music, and effects stems by collectors dedicated to the proper presentation of Hong Kong cinema. Those collectors also provided the missing English and Vietnamese dialog elements from their holdings, and, with director Sammo Hung's approval, reedited one line of English dialog to make it comprehensible.

Mastering supervisor: Ho Yin-tak.
Colorist: Chan Wah-fung / iST Company Limited, Hong Kong.
Restoration: DPX."

The release introduces 2K restorations of the two versions of the film: the original Theatrical Version and the Export Version. The latter is included in the special features section of the release.

If you have seen our review of British label Eureka Entertainment's release, you will know exactly what to expect from this release. Both releases introduce the same 2K restorations of the two versions of the film.

I prefer the Theatrical Version, but both versions look really good now. In fact, excluding a few panoramic shots that are just a tad softer than they need to be, I do not see any room for meaningful improvements. In all other areas, delineation, clarity, and depth are already very strong. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Color reproduction and balance are convincing, too. All primaries and all supporting nuances are nicely saturated, healthy and, most importantly, properly set, which is why there are no anomalies to report. Image stability is outstanding. Also, the surface of the visuals is immaculate. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Eastern Condors Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Cantonese LPCM 1.0 (for the Theatrical Version) and English Dolby Digital 1.0 (for the Export Version). Optional English subtitles are provided for the Cantonese track.

There is a lot of action material in Eastern Condors and the lossless track handles it very well. The big machine guns in the second half sound especially impressive, but there are other areas with excellent dynamic potency too. All exchanges are clear, sharp, and easy to follow. The upper register is healthy. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.

Eastern Condors Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Export Version - presented here is the export version of Eastern Condors. English: Dolby Digital 1.0. 1080p (95 min).

• Meet the Filmmakers - in this new program, Sammo Hung discusses the early stages of his acting career, his success as an action performer, and production of Eastern Condors. There are some particularly interesting comments about the influence King Hu had on the action choreography in his films, including Eastern Condors. In Cantonese, with English subtitles. (9 min).

• Evolution of a Legend - in this archival program, Sammo Hung discusses his childhood years and his early days in the Hong Kong film industry. The program was produced in 2001. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Sammo Hung on "Eastern Condors" - in this archival program, Sammo Hung explains what inspired him to shoot Eastern Condors and discusses its production. The program was produced in 2001. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• Yuen Wah on "Eastern Condors" - in this archival interview, actor and stuntman Yuen Wah (the Giggling General) remembers his involvement with Eastern Condors. The program was produced in 2001. In Cantonese, with optional English subtitles. (9 min).

• Eastern Condors Live! - a live performance from the 1987 Miss Hong Kong Pageant. In Cantonese, with English subtitles. (14 min).

• Trailers - with optional English subtitles where necessary.
  
  1. Teaser trailer (3 min).
  2. Original Hong Kong trailer (4 min).
  3. Japanese trailer (4 min).
  4. English trailer (3 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Tony Rayns.

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Sam Hadley, as well as techncial credits.

Eastern Condors Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I am well aware that Eastern Condors has a lot of admirers, and many of them consider it one of Sammo Hung's very best films. But I have to say that there are plenty of good reasons why the film flopped in Hong Kong and other Asian markets, and they have nothing to do with its subject. (The old theory that a lot of folks just did not get its take on the war in Vietnam is an awful facade to hide a wide range of serious flaws). Yes, some of the action is still quite impressive, but as far as I am concerned not enough to save the film. If you do not think that the film needed to be saved and have been waiting for a quality makeover of it to emerge in America, this upcoming Blu-ray release from Criterion should be on your radar. RECOMMENDED (but only to the fans).