It’s kind of paradoxical that the most easy movies to watch are often the harder to review. What I mean is that it’s harder to convey on paper that a movie is hilarious or that the action is way exciting that to show that it’s intelligent or complex. Jackie Chan is the best example. What is there to say about his films beside they’re action packed and a lot of fun? Maybe write about some of his other work? Let’s try that. Jackie started out in enjoyable but forgettable 70s kung fu flicks like “The Fearless Hyena”, but it’s in early 80s romps like “Police Story” that he found his style; instead of focusing on traditional martial arts and Asian fantasy, Chan got into more insane stunts, painstakingly choreographed fights and all-out comedy. Personally, I believe that he reached his peek with 1994’s “Drunken Master 2”, but I also dig a many of his other flicks, notably his real cool trilogy with director Stanley Tong (“Supercop”, “First Attack”, “Rumble in the Bronx”). And who didn’t just love his (latest) American debut “Rush Hour”? Recently, “Armour of God 2” was released in America under the title “Operation Condor”, and now we get the first “Armour of God” under the title “Operation Condor 2”. Get it ? Neither do I.

Jackie stars as, who else, Jackie, the singer of a cheesy 80s pop band, The Losers. But after another band member steals his girlfriend, he leaves the group and becomes a soldier of fortune (don’t ask me!). As the film begins, Jackie is doing his Indiana Jones and stealing a very valuable ancient sword from an African tribe. After some cool fighting and death-defying running around old monuments and cliffs, Jackie leaves in a really small plane and I thought, here we go, some good old mindless action. Jackie gets into am incredibly dopey plot involving Satanists after the sword, which completes the almighty Armour of God. Unfortunately, there’s way too much silly slapstick and tedious story development, as Jackie teams up with the daughter of an antique collector and his musician buddy to save his kidnapped ex-girlfriend from the evil monks.

There’s little action during most of the film besides a so-so car chase and unambitous fights. Still, the film’s finale is action packed and hilarious, as Jackie faces a monastery packed with bad guys. It features one particular confrontation that ranks as one of the coolest Jackie Chan scenes ever: Jackie against four real pissed amazons in stiletto heels! So “Operation Condor 2” ain’t a perfect flick, but it’s still worth renting for its share of amazing action set-ups and for Jackie’s hilariously lame singing over the bloopers at the end.