The Fist of the Condor
Well Go USA Entertainment

It’s been nine years since filmmaker Ernesto Diaz Espinoza and actor Marko Zaror collaborated on a project. When the two friends get together, their output tends to be exemplary. They don’t just make traditional action films, all flash and no depth. They go the extra mile to turn the genre on its heels and deliver something audiences might not be prepared for. This is definitely the case with their latest project, Fist of the Condor, now available on DVD, Blu-ray, and on Hi-Yah!, the subscription-based streaming service from Well Go USA.

It may have been nearly a decade since their last collaboration, but they certainly haven’t missed a step. In fact, they’re both at the top of their game.

Twin brothers Guerrero and Gemelo (both played by Marko Zaror) have devoted their lives to training in martial arts, attempting to become the greatest warriors they can be. The Condor Woman can see they’re highly skilled and disciplined and wants them to succeed. One person will be chosen to be the successor of a book that contains secret combat techniques, and Guerrero may have it.

Gemelo and various other fights want the book for themselves. Guerrero is prepared for anything, and around every corner, he must put his defenses up and protect the book at any cost.

The Fist of the Condor Poster
Well Go USA Entertainment

 

Fist of the Condor travels down a path most action films would never dare. Much of the film relies on philosophy and the quest for knowledge. It’s about becoming one with your body, mind, and soul, allowing it to be fine-tuned. It’s a different type of martial arts film, and I wouldn’t have expected anything less from Zaror and Espinoza. They took their time to create their own rich mythology that feels very real and believable.

The film is told in chapters, each with a separate story used to fill out Gurrero’s world. When discussing Fist of the Condor with a friend, he compared it to the works of Alejandro Jodorowsky, which I could certainly see.

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The fight scenes are stunningly choreographed and shot realistically but feel mythical. Zaror is still riding high on the massive success of John Wick: Chapter 4, and it’s great to see him shine in both projects. It’s done on a budget, but Espinoza is highly skilled at making the most of what’s available to him, delivering a beautiful-looking picture. It feels a little short at roughly eighty-three minutes, but maybe that’s because I just wanted more. It ends abruptly, not really an ending, but there’s certainly more story to tell, and hopefully, they’ll get the opportunity to do it.

Well Go USA keeps the special features light with a behind-the-scenes look and trailer, while the disc flawlessly presents the movie beautifully. The colors pop when they need to, and the dreamlike quality the story elicits comes through to capture audiences.

Fist of the Condor pays homage to the Shaw Brothers era while creating a whole new subgenre that only Espinoza and Zaror can deliver.

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REVIEW OVERVIEW
Fist of the Condor
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Corey Danna
As well as writing for Horror Geek Life, Corey also contributes to Slackjawpunks.com, TheActionElite.com, HorrorNews.net, and KungFuMagazine.com. His work has appeared in print magazines Kung Fu Tai Chi, LunchMeat VHS, and in the upcoming issue of Exploitation Nation. He contributed heavily to the book "The Good, The Tough, and The Deadly: Action Movies and Stars 1960-Present" released by Schiffer Publishing in 2016. He also has done some work as a publicist and continues to do so for heavy metal icon Jon-Mikl Thor.
fist-of-the-condor-reviewFist of the Condor pays homage to the Shaw Brothers era while managing to create a whole new subgenre that only Espinoza and Zaror can deliver.

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