5/10
Oh, for one of those handy red super-suits
8 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Having already directed every serious hero from Sandokan to Zorro, Bitto Albertini took one look at the campy Batman TV phenomenon, took the red suits The Monkees used to wear as 'Monkeemen' and decided to only make spoofs from now on. This entry in the 'Supermen' series, has two buff bodybuilders (Brad Harris, George Martin) and mute Italian acrobat (Sal Borgese) wearing the same silly red leotards and a matching black cape (Stephen J. Cannell, take note) These super-suits remain as much a mystery to their enemies as they are to the audience. I guess Albertini and Co rationed that anyone who had not seen one of the preceding films, would never bother with this one.

The vague agency that our heroes work for forces Superman Steve to postpone his wedding so he can rescue his buddies Dick and Martin from an Arabian prison. They get away on some Arabian Horses (they can't even fly by themselves?) and have to secure an Uranium mine from falling into the hands of a Russian expedition led by Klaus Kronski. The three of them seem to have one of those Bud Spencer/Terrence Hill relationships. As long as there is a common goal or enemy, they will work together, but as soon as the job is done, it's every man for himself.

They meet up with an old man who shows them the way through the stock shot invested jungle. The story moves along with awkward jump-cuts: one moment the mute one is communicating with animals (!?), the next moment he is being cooked in a pot. Turns out they have been captured by Jungla (Femi Benussi) and her band of amazons who rule over the original inhabitants of the jungle. Happy to have found some Caucasian guys, the girls do some sexy sixties dancing while the natives play their Flintstone style xylophones.

Steve has no intention of becoming Jungla's jungle king, although he never mentions his fiancée back at the altar either. Jungla brews up a love potion to snare her man, but Dr. Dick Doolittle drinks it instead and lo and behold, starts to speak (this is comedy gold). Meanwhile those evil Ruskies are doing a dance of their own, having traded the uranium land (often mentioned but never seen) for a fridge and a bike. At one point the bad guys even manage to steal the suits, and start shooting at the half naked Supermen. They only manage to murder the old guide, but our heroes never notice the loss (and this was probably the most likable person in the picture). After a confusing fight scene we get a rather unnecessary coda back in the big city, where the Supermen are back to double- and triple crossing each other.

5 out of 10, for sheer lunacy
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