Film

Condorman

Name: Condorman
Genre: Comedy, Action, Adventure
Released: 1981
Cast: Michael Crawford, Oliver Reed, Barbara Carrera, James Hampton, Jean-Pierre Kalfon

Parody
Action
Light-hearted

A comic book writer accidentally becomes a spy, then deliberately becomes his own superhero. Condorman is pure '80s wish-fulfilment: earnest, silly, lovingly ridiculous, and genuinely charming. It's for anyone who's ever wanted to live inside a comic book, or who remembers when adventure films didn't take themselves seriously.

TMDb rating

2.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you grew up on Saturday matinee spy capers and enjoy a wink-at-the-camera silliness where the gadgets are cheerfully ridiculous and the villains take their evil very seriously.

Skip it if you want sharp, grown-up espionage or a plot that tightens as it goes; this is a loose, gag-driven romp that treats its own stunts and jokes as the point.

What it asks of you: Ninety minutes of light, brisk business that asks you to accept a cartoonish premise and go along with its slapstick rhythm rather than track any intricate intrigue.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Superman1978

The DNA is identical: a regular person discovering they can be their own fantasy, with a script that plays it completely straight and lets the absurdity do the work. Reeves' sincerity is Crawford's sincerity.

But At two and a half hours it's considerably longer, and the romance feels like obligation. The pacing is stately where Condorman bounces.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.2015

Stylish spy escapade with a writer's sense of playfulness. Ritchie knows this world is fundamentally ridiculous and designs everything—stunts, locations, gadgets—to make you grin rather than gasp.

But It's sleeker and cooler than Condorman by design. If you want heart alongside the humour, this trades some of that away.

Romancing the Stone1984

Same era, same spirit: an ordinary person (a romance novelist) thrust into adventure and discovering they're more capable than they knew. Charming, funny, genuinely exciting, and it believes in its own nonsense.

But Kathleen Turner's competence eclipses the romance. The film knows it, and some viewers want the relationship to feel more earned.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Condorman

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Daffy Duck's Quackbusters1988

Both are about someone becoming their own fantasy through pure force of will and enthusiasm. Both trust that sincerity is funnier than winking. Both animate the idea that belief in yourself is a superpower.

A Looney Tunes feature where Daffy *believes* he's a superhero ghostbuster and succeeds through sheer unwarranted confidence and cartoon logic. It's Condorman as animation: the same alchemy of earnestness and absurdity, just louder.

But It's a children's film and makes no apologies. If you're watching for action, it's bright and silly rather than thrilling.

Charade1963

A spy caper that's actually a romantic comedy in disguise, with genuine wit, beautiful locations, and the understanding that fun matters more than stakes. Donen and Grant prove the formula works.

But Black and white, and made in the '60s—the visual language is different. Some find the quick tonal shifts jarring.

The Pink Panther1963

Sellers' bumbling inspector succeeds by accident while remaining completely oblivious. The DNA of Condorman's hero: good intentions, actual competence hidden under self-doubt, and comedy that comes from character rather than gags.

But Sellers' accent is broad and divisive. The pacing assumes you'll sit with the absurdity rather than race through it.

Barbarella1968

Jane Fonda as a space explorer who's genuinely charming and genuinely out of her depth, supported by baroque design and complete tonal sincerity. It's campy the way Condorman is campy—from love, not irony.

But Nude scenes and sexual content that feel dated now. The pacing is languid; it's asking you to float through it, not race.

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins1985

Fred Ward as an ordinary guy turned secret agent, trained by a wisecracking Joel Grey. Tone-deaf in places but endearingly committed to its own goofiness. It's Condorman's weird cousin.

But The humour misfires frequently. Some sequences feel longer than the runtime should allow.

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins poster

American Dreamer1984

JoBeth Williams as a romance writer who gets knocked on the head and wakes up believing she's her own protagonist, living her fictional adventure. It's the same wish—to live inside your imagination—played completely straight.

But The amnesia plot device is clunky. The resolution comes quickly and neatly in a way that feels unearned.

Spy Game2001

Both are about a spy who succeeds through improvisation and charm rather than training. Both treat spy fiction as a game you play with style and wit. Both know that sometimes the best weapon is being smarter and more creative than your enemy expects.

Brad Pitt flashing back through a career of insane spy improvisations that somehow work because he's impossibly charming and creative. Quick, energetic, and genuinely funny about the gap between fantasy and reality in espionage.

But The frame device is more structure than story. If you want emotional stakes, this prioritizes pace and spectacle.

Urusei Yatsura: Only You1983

Same era, same philosophy: adventure as romance, wish-fulfilment played seriously, and a hero who's ordinary but discovers he's capable of extraordinary things. Both are fundamentally about someone becoming the hero they imagine themselves to be.

A Japanese anime romantic sci-fi adventure where the hero constantly finds himself in over his head but succeeds through determination and genuine care. Hand-drawn, kinetic, and unconcerned with realism. Pure '80s fantasy energy translated to animation.

But It's anime with subtitles, so you're reading rather than watching. The art style is from 1983 and won't look familiar. The romantic plot requires some familiarity with the series.