Shot on location in Singapore, this sequel to SANDOKAN THE GREAT sees both director Umberto Lenzi and star Steve Reeves returning to offer up more of the same, an action-adventure movie which basically jumps from one escape/attack to the next (with a smattering of romance) and is fairly entertaining in an old-fashioned sense. The film is ever moving forward with plot intrigue, and the battles take place in varied locations, like at sea, in enemy prison camps, and the like. Heck, even the same machine gun as in the first film is brought back, this time at in a mine prison camp, where Reeves rides a cart through the tunnels whilst gunning down dozens of the enemy soldiers - a very cool sequence.
Visually, the film is picturesque throughout, and it's so close to the feel of the first movie that even some of the minor niggles are the same - for instance, Lenzi shoots at least one of his major battles in the dark, which is again frustrating because you have no idea what exactly is going on. Reeves puts in another assured performance as Sandokan, and has some fun fight sequences, including a brutal one-on-one with a fellow prisoner. Also returning from the first film are Dakkar, who thankfully has a greater role this time around, and a brief turn from Wilbert Bradley, who bizarrely died in the first film but returns as an ally here - I guess Lenzi's acting pool wasn't too large at the time this was made.
Highlights include a scene in which a prisoner is about to be sacrificed to a crocodile, Reeves' aforementioned "machine gun ride", an attack by bloodthirsty natives (I'm suspicious that stock footage was used here though), and the large-scale battle that acts as the movie's finale. As fine a slice of old-fashioned escapism as you could wish for, and refreshingly serious throughout.
Visually, the film is picturesque throughout, and it's so close to the feel of the first movie that even some of the minor niggles are the same - for instance, Lenzi shoots at least one of his major battles in the dark, which is again frustrating because you have no idea what exactly is going on. Reeves puts in another assured performance as Sandokan, and has some fun fight sequences, including a brutal one-on-one with a fellow prisoner. Also returning from the first film are Dakkar, who thankfully has a greater role this time around, and a brief turn from Wilbert Bradley, who bizarrely died in the first film but returns as an ally here - I guess Lenzi's acting pool wasn't too large at the time this was made.
Highlights include a scene in which a prisoner is about to be sacrificed to a crocodile, Reeves' aforementioned "machine gun ride", an attack by bloodthirsty natives (I'm suspicious that stock footage was used here though), and the large-scale battle that acts as the movie's finale. As fine a slice of old-fashioned escapism as you could wish for, and refreshingly serious throughout.