Armour of God

Originally titled “Armour of God,” Jackie Chan’s 1986 expensive, enjoying version of the “Indian Jones” series was so popular in Asia that it led to a slightly related sequel, “Operation Condor.” After the latter was released in America, the earlier film had gone through a title change to make it look like the sequel, and went straight to US video in 1998 as “Operation Condor: The Armour of God” (with a completely different title on the video box art, “Operation Condor 2: The Armour of the Gods!”).

Stealing an ancient sword from an African tribe, adventurer Jackie, played by Jackie Chan, known as the Asian Hawk, uses martial arts and amazing stuntwork to effect his escape. After auctioning the sword, he is reunited with his old friend, pop-singer Alan (Alan Tam), to help rescue Alan’s girlfriend Laura (Rosamund Kwan), the girl that came between them when they all played in a band together. TV Guide said in their review, “Demanded as ransom is the legendary Armour of God, of which the sword is part.” Borrowing the Armour from an affluent Count – on condition that they take his daughter May, played by Lola Forner, along on the journey – they fight with the kidnappers, a group of monks who live in a mountain monastery. Sneaking inside the iron grip, they easily rescue Laura, not knowing that she has been drugged and tasked to retrieve the Armour.

That’s what she does, bring a drugged Alan with her. TV Guide noted, “Jackie breaks back into the monastery and rescues them both, along the way fighting battalions of monks and a group of wickedly acrobatic leather-clad women.” In the end, he rather accidentally dynamites the monastery, escaping by diving off the mountain onto a hot-air balloon controlled by Alan, Laura and May.

TV Guide mentioned, “In 1982, Eric Tsang had directed pop singer Sam Hui in the first of the immensely popular ACES GO PLACES films--a globe-hopping, stunt-filled, action comedy series featuring a suave, international rogue/jewel thief and his inept comic rival. For ARMOUR OF GOD, Tsang was enlisted as director and traveled to Yugoslavia along with numerous of Hong Kong's filmmaking elite.” Filming stopped when on the second take of a small stunt, Chan fell from a tree and cracked his skull open, needing an emergency surgery where he needed a permanent plug. (The accident and its result are shown during the end credits). When filmmaking continued, Chan was director.

Playing a pop singer was barely difficult for Alan Tam, who is one in real life. Several of his songs (one a duet with Chan) and footage from an actual concert are thrown into the film. TV Guide mentioned, “With filming taking place in France and Austria, they naturally turned to Lola Forner, who had previously appeared with Chan in WHEELS ON MEALS (1983) and was, according to Chan, "the only European actress we knew."” Her character completely is absent about two-thirds of the way in, when the serious fighting is about to start. Not long afterwards, with Jackie entering the fortress for the second time, the film starts escape velocity, moving straight from one amazing set piece to another, with no moment between to take a break. TV Guide ended their review by saying, “The opening scene, recognizable as Eric Tsang's original footage by Chan's uncommonly short haircut, is another gem of wild, sustained action.”

Another classic of Jackie Chan’s that everyone needs to see. If you haven’t seen it, don’t read this review. Go out and see this right now because it’s a must for every Jackie Chan fan.

Look out next week when I look at the sequel, “Operation Condor,” in “Jackie Chan Month.”