This movie is described as a cross between the Dirty Dozen, the Deer Hunter, with a James Bond ending. I have not seen the Deer Hunter at the time of writing so I am not too sure what that is about except that it deals with mates going off to the Vietnam War together. This movie is like the Dirty Dozen as it involves a group of criminals being dropped into Vietnam to find a cache of American weapons and to destroy it. True to the Dirty Dozen fashion, the crims drop like flies (pardon the cliché) and only a handful make it out alive. While they are travelling across Vietnam, they must also rescue the general's brother who is a captive and they are also being pursued by a very large number of Viet-Cong.
This movie would fall into the category of a "did we win this time" film. Being made in the late 80's it appeared at a time when numerous Vietnam movies were being made in the United States, and this is Hong Kong showing the United States how a real action film should be made. This is a movie where they try to rewrite the ending of the Vietnam war so that the United States does come out victorious, rather that slinking out like they did.
Eastern Condors is not a political movie: Hong Kong movies tend not to follow that line. Nor is it a movie questioning morality or exploring characters: rather it is an action movie. It is a heaps good action movie, but an action movie nonetheless. When you come to watch this movie, you generally don't look for deep themes as there are none. Rather it is showing American Cinema what action movies really are like and how they really should be made.
This movie would fall into the category of a "did we win this time" film. Being made in the late 80's it appeared at a time when numerous Vietnam movies were being made in the United States, and this is Hong Kong showing the United States how a real action film should be made. This is a movie where they try to rewrite the ending of the Vietnam war so that the United States does come out victorious, rather that slinking out like they did.
Eastern Condors is not a political movie: Hong Kong movies tend not to follow that line. Nor is it a movie questioning morality or exploring characters: rather it is an action movie. It is a heaps good action movie, but an action movie nonetheless. When you come to watch this movie, you generally don't look for deep themes as there are none. Rather it is showing American Cinema what action movies really are like and how they really should be made.