Watch Eastern Condors

Eastern Condors is a 1987 Hong Kong action-comedy-war movie directed by and starring Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, alongside Biao Yuen and Academy Award winner Haing S. Ngor. The movie follows a group of Chinese prisoners of war who are given the opportunity to redeem themselves by infiltrating a Vietnam War-era enemy camp and destroying a weapons cache. Led by Leung Yat-Yat (Sammo Hung), the group consists of a diverse cast of characters, including an explosives expert (Yuen Biao), a pickpocket (Haing S. Ngor), and a martial arts specialist (Joyce Godenzi).

The movie begins with a flashback of the Vietnam War, where a group of American pilots are shot down and held captive in a Viet Cong prison camp. Years later, the U.S army has pulled out of Vietnam, and the abandoned prison camp becomes a stronghold for a group of terrorists. The Chinese government, seeking to gain a political advantage, approaches the prisoners with the offer to demolish the camp and decides to equip them with necessary gear and materials to undertake the mission.

Upon arriving at the camp, the team is ambushed and they suffer some casualties. Halfway through the movie, the spies decide to go rogue and complete the mission independently, using their skills and knowledge to execute their own plan. The team overcomes several challenges along the way, including a minefield, machine-gun fire, and hand-to-hand combat.

The film is action-packed and filled with martial arts scenes. Director Sammo Hung choreographed the fight scenes, which are intense and engaging, showcasing his distinctive style. Although there is a comedic element throughout the film, there are also some serious moments, particularly those that depict the consequences of war.

Haing S. Ngor, who played the pickpocket, provides a standout performance, and one which is quite different to his other roles. Ngor's character adds a more introspective element to the film, as his backstory includes being a former Khmer Rouge captive in the Cambodian Genocide. There is a particularly poignant moment where he is confronted by the atrocities of the Viet Cong's concentration camps and becomes overwhelmed with emotions.

Eastern Condors explores heavy subjects like the consequences of warfare and the impact on individuals, which is quite unusual for the genre. Despite this, the film's core message is that of redemption, with characters redeeming themselves through their selfless acts of bravery.

Overall, Eastern Condors is a fantastic martial arts film, with an engaging storyline, captivating action, and superb performances. Despite being nearly 35 years old, it has aged well and is still entertaining to watch.