Fist of the Condor review: John Wick 4’s Marko Zaror owns

John Wick Chapter 4.Audiences were treated to action legends by a variety of actors. American audiences were probably already familiar with Hiroyuki Snada and Donnie Yen, while those more experienced in action films may have heard of Scott Adkins. The guest appearance that really got me excited was Marko Zaror, a Chilean martial arts artist.

A onetime stuntman for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Zaror has since emerged as one of the most dynamic under-the-radar action stars working today. Zaror first came to my attention in the wonderful It’s Undisputed 3: RedemptionHis first appearance as an actor in an American movie. In the threequel, Zaror plays an antagonist to Adkins’ iconic Yuri Boyka, culminating in one of the most breathtaking and impressive fight scenes ever filmed.

Zaror appeared in several American films. He is a villain in Machete KillsAdkins was again starred alongside. Savage DogHe could briefly be seen as one of the motorball-athletes in Alita: Battle Angel.

However John Wick Chapter 4. is by far the biggest exposure American audiences have had to Zaror yet, and it’s great timing — he has a new movie out, Condor FistIt rules.

Image by Well Go USA Entertainment

Condor Fist This drama is old-school in martial arts and lasts 85 minutes. Director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza, who previously collaborated with Zaror on Kiltro, MandrillThe revenge movie and? Redeemer, takes heavy influence from the Hong Kong films of the 1960s and ’70s (rather than the ’80s/’90s era we more often see imitated these days). Zaror co-produced the movie, stars in two roles, and also choreographed the movie’s breathtaking fight sequences.

The Fist of the Condor, an ancient, gravity defying martial art, is featured in the movie. It was used against the Spanish conquistadors. These techniques have been handed down through the centuries by warriors of good heart. Zaror plays Zaror’s twin brother Zaror, one of whom has the book and the other who betrays him to get it.

Condor FistIt looks amazing, even with a small budget. Espinoza and cinematographers Nicolás Ibieta and Benjamín Luna Vaccarezza make the most of the gorgeous landscape of Chile, with beautiful shots of wide-open mountains and jaw-dropping fights on beaches next to crashing waves or in a lush forest.

Image: Well Go USA Entertainment

But the beauty isn’t just found in the geography or the fight sequences: In beats of our hero looking at himself in a fractured mirror, or Ibieta racking focus to draw attention to meaningful objects like an empty birdcage, Condor FistThere are many small and extraordinary choices available.

The action. Action!

The stunning opening fight sequence on a beach communicates the movie’s visual language and Zaror’s incredible athleticism all in one exhilarating five-minute sequence. One of the twin brothers, Guerrero, is challenged to a fight — he hasn’t fought for six years, a point punctuated by the calming waves of the ocean. The challenger leaps up at Guerrero and extends his leg, setting up a vicious kick to his head. Guerrero almost accepts his fate as he waits for the kick to happen for an interminable time. Then, in a flash, he jumps up to meet the opponent, spinning in midair to block the kick with his left elbow, before slamming into his opponent’s jaw with a spinning backfist to knock him to the ground.

It all takes place in a flash, yet the fluid movements of the camera and their placement make it very easy to follow. Zaror could still be moving in the air after one flurry kick and then a series of punches.

Image by Well Go USA Entertainment

Espinoza shows his Hong Kong heritage by wearing his old-school inspirations on his sleeves. The Bruce Lee movie gene in Espinoza is a great example of this. Condor Fist, there’s also some First Blood (one of the twin brothers is a bit of a vagabond who gets picked on for being an outcast) and nods to the films of Western legend Sergio Leone (Claudio Rocco’s driving, propulsive score clearly draws inspiration from the work of Ennio Morricone).

Nevertheless, at the end of each day Condor Fist This is Marko Zaror’s show. And boy, does he deliver. When the movie is full of incredible fights one after the other, it’s at its most effective, this film is truly remarkable. Zaror’s acting skills are unmatched, as is his ability to bring life and pain to the brothers. He seems to be able to alternate from raw animalistic movements to robotic, hypnotic defense (he calls it an “electrical impulse” in the movie) and balletic, gravity-defying spinning kicks that are simply poetry in motion.

Marko Zor is one the most effective cinematic kickers today. Condor Fist You know it.

It Condor Fist Select Alamo Drafthouse cinemas will be showing the films on April 4. The films will then be streamed exclusively by Hi-Yah! Starting April 7,