The Disney live-action films were in a pretty bad way by the time Condorman came to the screen (see No Deposit No Return and Popeye for further evidence). It is no surprise, therefore, that this effort is yet another on the long list of forgettable family films to come out of the studio during its late 70s/early 80s slump. Not even a strong trio of leading actors (Michael Crawford, Oliver Reed and Barbara Carrera) can put any sparkle into this one.
Crawford, sporting a poor American accent, plays a cartoonist named Woody. Woody is the creator of comic-book superhero Condorman, but one thing that Woody insists on is personally testing the stunts that Condorman attempts in real-life. Woody persuades his friend, a CIA boffin, to let him take part in an assignment. And, having completed the assignment by the blindest of blind luck, he is contacted by a beautiful lady spy who wants to defect to the West.
The best scene features Woody ordering a particularly potent alcoholic drink in a restaurant (when the drink arrives it is so hot that it is on fire, yet he still manages to drink it!) Beyond that, the humour is childish and often strained. The special effects are quite poor on the whole, especially during Condorman's flight sequences where the strings are plainly visible and the back projection photography looks pitifully obvious. In terms of story, it seems almost unfair to criticise the film as it never aspires to be anything more than a kids' adventure flick. However, if you're the type of viewer who likes to get your teeth into a strong storyline then be warned that this one is flimsy at best and utterly infantile at worst. Condorman has mysteriously become something of a rare movie nowadays, but it isn't really worth weeks or months of your life trying to track it down.
Crawford, sporting a poor American accent, plays a cartoonist named Woody. Woody is the creator of comic-book superhero Condorman, but one thing that Woody insists on is personally testing the stunts that Condorman attempts in real-life. Woody persuades his friend, a CIA boffin, to let him take part in an assignment. And, having completed the assignment by the blindest of blind luck, he is contacted by a beautiful lady spy who wants to defect to the West.
The best scene features Woody ordering a particularly potent alcoholic drink in a restaurant (when the drink arrives it is so hot that it is on fire, yet he still manages to drink it!) Beyond that, the humour is childish and often strained. The special effects are quite poor on the whole, especially during Condorman's flight sequences where the strings are plainly visible and the back projection photography looks pitifully obvious. In terms of story, it seems almost unfair to criticise the film as it never aspires to be anything more than a kids' adventure flick. However, if you're the type of viewer who likes to get your teeth into a strong storyline then be warned that this one is flimsy at best and utterly infantile at worst. Condorman has mysteriously become something of a rare movie nowadays, but it isn't really worth weeks or months of your life trying to track it down.