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Armour of God II: Operation Condor: Limited Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1991
Director: Jackie Chan
Writers: Jackie Chan, Eric Tang
Cast: Jackie Chan, Carol Cheng, Eva Cobo de Garcia, Shôko Ikeda, Daniel Mintz, Aldo Sambrell, Božidar Smiljanić

Release Date: June 15th, 2020
Approximate running times: 107 Minutes 12 Seconds (Hong Kong Version), 117 Minutes 17 Seconds (Extended Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese (Both Versions), LPCM Stereo Cantonese (Extended Version), LPCM Mono English (Hong Kong Version)
Subtitles: English (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: OOP

"The Asian Hawk is back! Undeterred by nearly dying while making the first Armour of God, Jackie Chan returned to battle for a sequel that's bigger, better and even more daring. This time, Jackie's intrepid treasure hunter is on the hunt for some Nazi gold but recovering it will not be easy, let alone safe." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Hong Kong Version, Extended Version)

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "2K Remaster from the original 35mm negative of a never-before-seen Extended Version. 2K restoration of the original Hong Kong version."

Armour of God II: Operation Condor comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.9 GB

Feature: 21.6 GB (Extended Version), 20.8 GB (Hong Kong Version)

The sources for both versions are similar; they are both in excellent shape. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, and image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono English), 4/5 (LPCM Stereo Cantonese)

The Hong Kong version comes with three audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (the original theatrical mix), a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese (the Hong Kong home video mix from the 1990s), and a LPCM mono mix in English (the classic dub). Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language tracks and a second English subtitle track for Cantonese text when watching the English language track.

The extended version comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese, and removable English subtitles.

Range-wise, the three mono tracks are comparable. Dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; ambient sounds are well represented; and action sequences sound robust. Though the stereo track sounds very good, the mono tracks are better sound experiences.

Extras:

Extras for this release include the original theatrical trailer (3 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), a re-edited 2K trailer (3 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Bruce Fontaine (20 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with filmmaker Arne Venema and Hong Kong Film Expert Mike Leeder, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to first pressing), and a 52-page booklet (limited to first pressing) with an essay titled Go Go Asian Hawk! The Gadgets and Adventures of an International Super Explorer written by William Blaik.

Summary:

With Armour of God II: Operation Condor returns as the world-renowned treasure hunter Asian Hawk. And this time around, he is looking for 2.5 tons of gold, which are in an abandoned Nazi base in the Sahara desert.

Just like its predecessor, Armour of God II: Operation Condor opens with a spectacular sequence in which Jackie Chan once again does daring stunts that most of his contemporaries would never attempt. This opening sequence is just the first of several chase sequences in Armour of God II: Operation Condor.

Asian Hawk is on a motorcycle being chased by several cars; along the way, he helps save a baby in a carriage who narrowly escapes a collision with a semi truck, and this sequence culminates with all of the car-chasing Asian Hawk ending up in the water while he jumps off of his bike and grabs a hold of a net carrying cargo. This is another standout chase sequence.

It should not come as a surprise that Jackie Chan steals the show. He once again delivers a superb performance that is perfectly suited to his strengths as an actor and martial artist. His character, Asian Hawk, is always finding himself in precarious situations; this is a type of character that Jackie Chan would return to throughout his career.

Besides Jackie Chan, the rest of the cast is great, especially the trio of women who are aiding Asian Hawk in his quest for gold. Carol Cheng (Her Fatal Ways) plays Ada, an expert in African geography; Eva Cobo de Garcia (Matador) plays Elsa, the granddaughter of the Nazi who buried the gold; and Shôko Ikeda plays Momoko, a free-spirited woman searching for the meaning of life.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Armour of God II: Operation Condor does not deliver and then some. The well-executed narrative is a good balance of action and humor, with some melodrama thrown in for good measure. And in the case of humor, Jackie Chan once again delivers in spades. In a scene where Asian Hawk and his three female companions are dying of thirst in the desert, in order to drink the water Asian Hawk has hidden from their captors, he acts like he is hugging them, which looks more like they are lusting for him in a sexual way.

Not to be overlooked are the action sequences, which are exceptional. Just when you say to yourself, I can’t believe they were able to do that," the next action sequence somehow tops the previous one. With the most impressive action sequences being once everyone is inside the Nazi base with the gold. One moment involving jet propulsion is easily the most memorable action sequence. Ultimately, Armour of God II: Operation Condor is a rare example of a sequel that is better than its predecessor.

Armour of God II: Operation Condor gets a definitive release from 88 Films, highly recommended.

Note: 88 Films has rereleased Armour of God II: Operation Condor in a standard edition.