Some pluses: Margaret Lee (in a dual role). Margaret Lee performs one of the sexiest belly dances EVER. Authentic location shooting (around Istanbul for the first half, then at a remote fortress with multiple castles, surrounded by hills and valleys). Some offbeat (for the genre) touches - like open incest (!), and an assassin who can't stop eating. An inexplicably compelling villain. A whip-cracking, knife-packing, horse-riding Amazon villainess. Some technique in the fighting.
Some minuses: The film is very drawn-out. Many talky scenes in the first half with characters who turn out to be unimportant. A boring hero who has the same pained expression on his face for about 95% of the time (he's good at the action parts, but that's about it). Occasional feeling of pretentiousness (like in the scenes with Klaus Kinski, playing a weird sculptor).
Ultimately, this film is a mix of parts that you need to see and parts that you can do without. If you're looking for an almost arty take on the spy genre, it is worth catching. **1/2 out of 4.
Some minuses: The film is very drawn-out. Many talky scenes in the first half with characters who turn out to be unimportant. A boring hero who has the same pained expression on his face for about 95% of the time (he's good at the action parts, but that's about it). Occasional feeling of pretentiousness (like in the scenes with Klaus Kinski, playing a weird sculptor).
Ultimately, this film is a mix of parts that you need to see and parts that you can do without. If you're looking for an almost arty take on the spy genre, it is worth catching. **1/2 out of 4.
