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Armour
of God |
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review | notes | awards | availability | also
see | |
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Year:
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1987 |
Jackie Chan and Alan
Tam
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Director:
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Jackie
Chan, Eric
Tsang Chi-Wai |
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Producer:
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Leonard
Ho Koon-Cheung |
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Writer: |
Szeto
Cheuk-Hon, Edward Tang Ging-Sang, Lo Gin, John Shepard |
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Action: |
Lau Kar-Wing,
Jackie Chan's Stuntmen Association, Danny Yuen Ching-Yeung |
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Cast:
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Jackie
Chan, Alan Tam
Wing-Lun, Rosamund
Kwan Chi-Lam, Lola Forner, Ken Boyle, John Ladalski |
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The
Skinny: |
Spectacular
action set pieces compensate for the annoying and sometimes
insulting filler that populates this eighties Jackie
Chan action-adventure. |
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Review
by Kozo: |
This action/comedy from the late eighties teams Jackie
Chan with pop star Alan Tam. Chan is the Asian Hawk,
a modern Indiana Jones-type adventurer (read: grave
robber). He’s called into service to find the Armour
of God, a set of armor that was supposedly used by some
deity. His incentive is the kidnapping and ransoming
of his ex-girlfriend Rosamund Kwan.
However, Alan Tam is Rosamund’s
current flame and Jackie’s ex-partner in their pop group,
The Losers (an in-joke on The Wynners, Alan Tam’s former
pop group with Kenny Bee). With Alan in tow, Jackie
heads to Europe in search of the armor. Then they fight
many people.
First of all, the stunts and
action are terrific, with some incredible set pieces
that are vintage Chan. Sadly, the story/plot is not
so hot, and former Miss Spain Lola Forner is incredibly
wooden even when dubbed into Cantonese. Rosamund Kwan
pretty much does nothing in an extended flower vase
performance. Alan Tam is Alan Tam, which is great for
some people but no so great for others. Overall, this
film works best when Jackie Chan shows his stuff, and
when he does, the film is as entertaining and exhilarating
as they come.
However, when Chan isn't onscreen,
fast forward. What happens between the action sequences
renders the film nearly unwatchable. The filler is crass,
culturally ignorant, and frankly mind-numbingly boring.
But the action is tops. (Kozo 1996) |
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Notes: |
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Jackie Chan was hospitalized during the shooting of
this film when a stunt went awry. When the ending outtakes
roll, not only do they show Chan being taken away on
a stretcher, but they also show the actual accident
which rendered him unconscious and seriously injured.
• Acquired by Miramax/Disney and released on video
in the United States as Operation Condor 2: The Armour
of the Gods.
• For a full report on any cuts and changes made
to the US version of this film, as well as other Asian
films purchased by Disney/Miramax, visit the Web
Alliance for the Respectful Treatment of Asian Cinema. |
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Awards: |
7th
Annual Hong Kong Film Awards
• Nomination
- Best Action Design (Lau Kar-Wing,
Jackie Chan's Stuntmen Association, Danny Yuen Ching-Yeung) |
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Also
see: |
Armour
of God II: Operation Condor (1991) |
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image
courtesy of Mega Star Video Distribution, Ltd.
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| LoveHKFilm.com
Copyright ©2002-2008 Ross Chen |
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