First off the cast all seem up for fun; and while I wouldn't call any particular performance "hammy", they're definitely winking at the audience through the whole film. Ron Ely carries the title role very well, and seems to be physically and mentally capable for the part; he's fit enough to carry his action scenes (and honestly, more so than his turn in the Tarzan series of a few years earlier), and he does convey a sense of intelligence of a true renaissance man like Doc Savage. His cohorts are all fun, with established and recognizable character actors.
Of note, the film tells the overarching story in a style of an old-fashioned film serial; of particular note are scenes of our heroes escaping mortal danger in proper cliffhanger fashion; for example only after we see the destruction of the plane supposedly carrying Doc and Co do we learn it was a decoy the entire time. As a fan of film serials, I approve!
A few things that hold the film back are that it presents far more like a mid-70s television movie than a feature motion picture. It's pretty obvious that most of the film is shot around the Los Angeles area instead of globe hopping, as is implied. The special effects, even by the standards of the day, are pretty weak. And while many efforts are made to show a stylized art deco/streamline moderne 1930s, the clothing and hair styles often wreak of the mid-1970s. And the camp comedy style, while mostly fun, does wear thin in a few places.
On the whole, the film deserves a lukewarm recommendation; the good does outweigh the bad, and it's fun to watch. But other films, like the Indiana Jones series or the 1994 film version of The Shadow or 1996's The Phantom succeed in capturing the stylized period piece adventure film much better.
Review of Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze
