For many moviegoers, their first introduction to Chilean martial artist and action star Marko Zaror just might’ve been last month via his top henchman role in John Wick: Chapter 4. Zaror is no stranger to villains; in fact, his breakout for direct-to-video attuned action fans likely would’ve been opposite Scott Adkins as his fight tournament nemesis in Undisputed 3: Redemption. However, his decade-plus collaboration with director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza have always allowed the Zaror to stretch his acting – and his legs – to greater heights, and with The Fist of the Condor, the duo create a pitch-perfect throwback to old school kung fu films that lets its lead truly fly.
Espinoza and Zaror tackled similar territory in their first film together, Kiltro, but while that was more in the spirit of ‘80s and ‘90s fight flicks, Fist of the Condor fuses the classic ‘70s Shaw Brothers formula of choreographed ass-kicking with a backstory of estranged brothers Guerrero and Gemelo (both played by Zaror), and a secret 16th century Incan martial-arts manual developed to resist conquistadors. Two old masters; a coveted book of fighting styles; the sage philosophical advice of Mother Condor (Gina Aguad) at an isolated school; battles over ancient techniques and exploiting esoteric weaknesses; brothers destined to face each other in combat; the tropes are all present, to the point that Fist’s story hinges almost exclusively on familiarity rather than personality. Enter this expecting more than combat-defined warriors and lovingly-represented cliches, and Fist of the Condor will feel thin even with a runtime that’s barely 80 minutes sans credits. A far-too-late inclusion of a family to backload emotional stakes only further exposes the slight storytelling. Zaror’s poise and simmering intensity acts as the glue keeping the plot from falling apart, exuding conviction when the script lacks the same.
Given that the film‘s full title is Fist of the Condor: Chapter One, and that its brothers never meet, the narrative can’t help but feel abruptly anticlimactic despite the action being anything but. Through Espinoza‘s artful direction and Wernher Schurmann‘s acrobatic choreography, an overly simple and well-trodden plot becomes electric when bodies are in motion. Against a backdrop of crashing surf, Guerrero and Puerto Rican martial artist Jose Manuel trade furious flurries of blows in the film’s stunner of an opening. Arenas of forest clearing and rowdy bar may reflect Fist’s lower budget, but the explosive punches unleashed captivate in highlighting Zaror’s chiseled ferocious physicality. While John Wick: Chapter 4 and the actor’s prior gritty revenge film Redeemer sculpted his onscreen fighting into shows of brute force, here his gravity-defying kicks sweep across the screen, amplified to wuxia-esque preternatural skill. The final confrontation may be against an acolyte of Gemelo rather than the man himself, but fellow Chilean fighter Eyal Meyer still gives the film a worthy climax. The balletic, breathlessly agile clash between Zaror and Meyer is Fist of the Condor honed to its best form, more engaging during its tautly-paced storytelling via dueling fists and feet than as a first chapter of a larger saga.
The Fist of the Condor’s homage to classic kung fu is as thrilling in its fights as it is slight and underdeveloped in its story. Yet there’s something compelling here, whether that’s the uniquely Chilean riff on genre formula or just its action star’s energy radiating as he broods and demolishes foes. If his recent blockbuster role intrigued viewers, then this is a worthwhile showcase of Zaror the complete performer and his mesmerizing kicks.
Photo courtesy of Well Go USA
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