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I loved this film in the eighties. I used to own it on Betamax, but since VHS and DVDs took over the world, I lost my copy of Condorman somewhere along the way. Michael Crawford (better known for his hapless TV character Frank Spencer), plays a comicbook writer who gets recruited by the CIA.

As improbably as that sounds, you're best just glossing over it, as thinking too deeply about anything you see will spoil the film further.

It's just stupid, cheesy fun. I loved it as a kid, but I have to admit being a little disappointed at what was really in front of me all the time. I could still appreciate some of it. The gadgets were fun, but Frank Spencer... sorry, Woody Wilkins, can just be a bit annoying. His jokes aren't that funny and he isn't tough enough to carry off being an action hero. I know this is a parody of spy movies in general, but if you want a cheesier spy movie, just watch some of the later Roger Moore James Bond films.

Yes, I loved it as a kid and others who have such nostalgic memories of it will probably get something out of it, too. However, it's unlikely to find a new audience nowadays. If you have an eight-year-old boy, he might like it, but anyone over the age of eight will feel pretty bored by it all.

I'm giving it 6/10 because of how much I used to love it. By today's standards, it's probably no more than a 5/10.

http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Being a superhero flick made by Walt Disney Productions, one couldn’t expect the violent thrills associated with the genre – but, then, neither was it the kiddie-oriented fare I was dreading. In fact, it’s more espionage stuff (the narrative occurs in a variety of European locations) in clear imitation of the James Bond extravaganzas, complete with multi-purpose car, than outright fantasy (the hero is a mild-mannered cartoonist and the “Condorman” outfit emerges to be decidedly quaint, getting very little mileage into the bargain!).

Still, it’s engaging and pleasant-looking for what it is – though the simplistic “Condorman” theme wouldn’t rank among famed composer Henry Mancini’s most memorable pieces. The cast enters gleefully into the absurd spirit of the thing: Michael Crawford as the unlikely hero; Barbara Carrera as a luscious defecting Russian agent (she would eventually feature in the “Odd Bond Out” of that series i.e. NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN [1983]); Oliver Reed, a bit glum but at least non-hammy as the chief villain; James Hampton as Crawford’s C.I.A. agent pal; Jean-Pierre Kalfon as Reed’s top henchman, a one-eyed menace; and Dana Elcar as the C.I.A. operative who unwittingly puts “Condorman” on the map.

Typically, we get a number of disguises (at one point, both Crawford and Hampton don the garbs of Arab sheiks!), chases (on land and sea) and stunts (directed by the ubiquitous Remy Julienne) – not to mention romance (Crawford, of course, falls for Carrera and models his fictional “Laser Lady” character on her!). Incidentally, while we’re obviously not treated to an action prologue here like in the Bond films, we’re given an animated sequence instead – which is a nice way of acknowledging the film’s comic-strip aspect. Finally, I wouldn’t say that CONDORMAN is hilarious…but it does contain one good in-joke – a crack by Hampton that “not everyone in the C.I.A. is Robert Redford”, clearly a reference (and a very apt one given the title!) to that star’s own espionage venture THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975).

Condorman,wow....the film that made a childhood. It was THE Easter/Summer/Christmas/Half Term movie of a generation. Back in the 80's this film was ALWAYS on TV in the UK. Now,you hardly see it, its a disgrace (to my knowledge the last time it was on was at 5am on a Saturday morning on BBC1).Kids today have no idea what their missing,this was superhero movie magic at its best.....no...really...it was. It starred Michael (Phantom,Some Mothers) Crawford as Woody, a comic book artist who turned into his creation (Conderman) in order to rescue the beautiful (when your 10) Barbara Carrera from the clutches of the evil Hannibal (played in ultimate OTT mode by Oliver Reed... What i find more upsetting is that this masterpiece isn't available for us in the UK (Video or DVD). So,why,with the current trend for making Comic Book movies at a high,does nobody take a chance and offer this classic a remake!! Think about it..its got to be better than Daredevil,The Punisher, Batman and Robin and as for Catwoman,don't get me started!!. Question is,who could replace the Wonderful Crawford,Reed,Carrera?? Well the part of Natalia (Carrera) could go to somebody like,umm,lets say Hilary Swank.........Hannibal (Reed),needs to be one mean SOB,so how about Vernon Wells (Bennett in Commando, bad guy,bad string vest,back moustache,perfick!) and last but by no means least the part of Woody Wilkins.....well Vin Diesel needs a Hit!!!! But i feel the acting part of the role may be too much for him, so lets get Jeremy Irons on board!!! COME ON Hollywood GET WITH IT!!!!!!

I saw this on VHS rental in the early 80's and remember it with massive fondness. Over here in the UK the film has been deleted from VHS for over a decade so my chance to see this film again was nil.

So along came DVD, I had no player and this was only available in the US. I bought a player that could play all regions and imported me a copy, and when it bounced through the letterbox to the floor I was like a kid at Christmas.

This is the story of an American comic book artist drawing his books from Paris. His best friend, and flat mate, is a CIA office clerk. When a job comes up for a civilian to carry out, Woody is recruited. After the success of the first mission, all be it by pure luck, Woody is requested by a KGB agent to help her defect.

Now this film is still one of my favourites at the age of 30. And that's not seeing through rose tinted glasses anymore. This film is funny and you really wanna see the good guys win. The gadgets blow James Bond away and I dare anybody who doesn't wanna own a old wagon that converts to a car, or a massive condorman suit that helps you fly.

Now for the bad bits. The film doesn't relate to today's audience with the cold war long since dead and the Russians our friends and allies now. Michael Crawford will always be Condorman to me, but his American accent is very poor. The films print looks lifeless with no colour and the music still lives in 80's ville. Also the plot is very loose, why they went across the alps and through small villages when they could of got on a plane and been in the US in a few hours is never explained. But please do not let this put you off. This is a gem of a movie that still makes me wanna be Condorman. So Speilberg you ever make a remake of this count me in...........

"Condorman" is not a great movie. However, it is a lot of fun to watch. "Condorman" follows cartoonist Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford), an eccentric who refuses to have his hero, Condorman, do anything in a comic book that he himself hasn't done in real life. The acting is predictably predictable, but still fun. Aside from Crawford, the other characters include a ravishing Barbera Carrera as the gorgeous Russian spy Wilkins falls for, and Oliver Reed as her "old fling". If for no other reason than to see a pre-"Phantom" Crawford in an outrageous role, this movie is worth at least a look.