Dung fong tuk ying (1987)

An action film about a daring commando raid into Vietnam to destroy a munitions dump left behind by American marines.

Director:

Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Writer:

Barry Wong

Stars:

Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Biao Yuen, Haing S. Ngor

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung	...	Ming-Sun Tung
Biao Yuen	...	Man Yen Chieh
Haing S. Ngor	...	Yeung Lung
Joyce Godenzi	...	Guerrilla Girl #1
Chi Jan Ha	...	Guerrila Girl #3 (as Chi Chun Ha)
Ching-Ying Lam	...	Lieutenant Lam
Melvin Wong	...	Colonel Yang
Charlie Chin	...	Szeto Chin
Kwok Keung Cheung	...	Ching
Billy Lau	...	Ching (as Lan Guang Lau)
Woo-Ping Yuen	...	Yun, Yen-Hoy
Corey Yuen	...	Judy Vu (as Kwai Yuen)
Lung Chan	...	Potato Head
Wah Yuen	...	Giggling General
Yasuaki Kurata	...	General's elite soldier

Storyline

A motley group of Asian prisoners held in the US are given one chance for freedom. They are to go deep into Vietnam and destroy a secret depot of missles that the US left behind during the pull-out. The group, led by Lt. Lam and convict Tung, hook up with a trio of female freedom fighters and a happy go lucky martial artist named 'Rat'. The entire group is captured by the VC because one of them is a double agent, but they escape, cross an un-crossable bridge, and get to the secret base just ahead of the VC. By this point nearly all of the original group is dead, and it's up to Tung and Rat to fight the VC's leader, a bizarre giggling man who's lightning fast with martial arts.

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Plot Keywords:

exploding body | vietnam | commando raid | martial arts | commando | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and some language

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese English

Release Date:

9 July 1987 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Eastern Condors

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golden Harvest Company, Paragon Films Ltd.

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sammo Hung hired a personal trainer to help slim him down so he could more easily perform some of the acrobatic kicking combinations which he had devised for the project with his stunt team.

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Alternate Versions

All UK versions had to be cut by 22 secs to remove real animal cruelty to conform with the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937. The casualty was the scene in which Yuen Biao rips a snake's head off.

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Connections

Referenced in Remo, Rambo, Reagan and Reds: The Eighties Action Movie Explosion (2014)

User Reviews

War Birds

This is one of my favorite martial arts films, it's also my third favorite film from one of my favorite martial artists Sammo Hung whom also of course directed this film and I must say he really outdid him self once again.

Not a lot to say, the plot line is pretty simple as it's rag tag solders sent on a secret mission during wartime. It's pretty much "The Dirty Dozen" mixed in with a little "James Bond", I know it's kinda a crazy combo but this is a movie that is a little in the pulp action route so it doesn't take itself too seriously.

The production value is great, I really love the use of the jungle location with all the dirt, grit, darkness, tall grass, trees, darkness, you name it. Even the music I thought was very good there is a good song or two. The pacing is solid, the film isn't too long so there's no lagging.

The Condor platoon characters are solid, they all have unique persona's, a hint of depth and they do have good chemistry and even moments of humor which makes us kinda care about them. Though the characters that stand out for me are the two characters played by none other than Sammo Hung and Yuen Bieo, and the character Benny whom has those Phil Silvers like glasses he was really funny, as he says my favorite quote in the film in the end which made me crack up. But there are even moments of tragedy when we see certain characters die, which can be really sad but this just goes to show how war is hell.

However were in this film for the action and it delivers it real well. From the shootouts but most importantly the Martial arts sequences both well chorigraphed, Sammo as usual delivers with his strong kung fu and Yuen his kung fun and gymnast skills which are just excellent. I like some of the jungle skirmishes one of them of course is one of my favorite battles is the stealth combat sequence where both Sammo and Yuen have to take out the enemy soilders one by one, this obviously takes it's cue from the stelth action sequences in both "Rambo 2 and 3" but all the same it was a lot of fun and suspenseful. There are plenty of creative ways they dispatch the soilders, my favorite one was where Sammo uses some tall reeds and then shoots out the branch ends of them like harpoons toward each of the enemy soilders. That wouldn't work in real life but it was fun and really cool to think it could.

but my favorite action sequence in the film which of course is one of my favorite battles and another of one fights of all time is in the hidden base of the enemies. Love how they utilize the hide out as their battle ground and the set pieces they used, but I really love the one on one battle with the main enemy whom looks like a James Bond villain, he practically has the Dr.No outfit. This guy just has some of really good moves, here he seems to have some gripping power which I'll admit is unusual but kinda interesting, when ever he attacks he's always trying to get his opponents into his grip of death when in one instance it look as though he was going to crush or rip Yuen's face off; this really give both Sammo and Yuen a run for their money in the fight.

Well that's really it, if your a fan of Sammo then this film is worth the flight. Eastern Condors flies high.

Rating: 3 and a half stars