The first Steve Reeves "Hercules" was a big hit in North America and was a pretty good example of the sword and sandal genre. This first sequel (also starring Steve Reeves) did about half of the business of the first movie in North America... which is kind of surprising considering the quality of the movie. True, Steve Reeves still makes a fine Hercules despite not being quite as muscular as you'd expect. And the production values are fairly solid for the most part. However, the movie is kind of lacking in one key area: action. The middle section of the movie, when Hercules loses his memory and is being controlled by the villains, is essentially action-free and is pretty dull and tough to sit through. There is a bit more action in the first third of the movie, and the climax (when it eventually comes) is okay, but despite those moments the entire package feels kind of slow and sluggish. In the end, the movie doesn't manage to distinct itself much from the dozens of other sword and sandal movies of the time.

This film begins where the previous movie "Hercules" essentially ends with "Hercules" (Steve Reeves) bringing his bride "Iole" (Sylvia Koscina) along with "Ulysses" (Gabriele Antonini) back to Thebes with him. However, when he gets to Thebes he discovers that things have changed for the worse as two brothers, "Polinices" (Mimmo Palmara) and "Eteocles" (Sergio Fantoni) are locked in a bitter dispute over who will be the new king and war is about to break out between them. To make matters worse, while trying to mediate a solution Hercules is captured and beguiled by the evil queen of Lydia named "Onfale" (Sylvia Lopez) which only exasperates the situation. Now, as far as the overall merits of this film are concerned let me just say that a person may have to make some allowances in order to fully appreciate it. First, it was initially filmed in Italian and dubbed in English which sometimes doesn't capture the equivalent emotion of the event. Also, the fact that it is over 60 years old doesn't allow for any modern special effects which would have helped this film immensely. But the fact that it is in color should count for something and viewers of this time will certainly understand this. Be that as it may, although the story is somewhat entertaining it doesn't quite measure up to the previous film and because of that I rate it just a notch below it. Average.

The sequel to the original Hercules film has Steve Reeves just trying to get back home to Sylva Koscina and settle down and raise little muscle dudes. But he gets a mission from old King Oedipus living at the edge of the underworld. His two sons are not living up to what was a really crazy power sharing scheme whereby they would alternate the monarchy of Thebes for year intervals. The first one's year is up and he doesn't want to give up his royal prerogatives. The other one has hired a mercenary army and is threatening civil war.While Hercules is trying to mediate the conflict he gets to drinking from the waters of forgetfulness and wakes up in the palace of Queen Omphale played by a fetching Sylvia Lopez. This woman with the help of some embalmers trained in Egypt is collecting a beautiful lifelike statuary and after some servicing by Hercules, she wants to add him to her trophy room.This second Hercules film that starred Steve Reeves is a cut above most of the peplums out there. It even has an appearance by former heavyweight champion Primo Carnera who towers over Reeves playing the giant Anteas.Nice stuff for the Saturday matinée trade.

Only a fool would curse a fairy tale because it narrates the actions of a witch. A good man has a strong enough heart to allow differences to flourish as long as people are allowed to live their lives in a peaceable manner.That's the great lesson that underlines this film, otherwise silly and occasionally mawkish. I suppose that's why intelligent children have loved the Hercules myth ever since it could be recorded. Hercules is pretty dumb, but he's a nice guy with good intentions, the most important of which is to keep those who have let power corrupt them from bringing ruin to farmers and villagers and other peaceful working people.Here he is threatened by three evil generals and an over-self-indulgent witch. The plot is partly based on the Hercules myth itself, but borrows freely from the Odyssey and from the Oedipus plays, with just a dash of the Argonauts legend tossed in briefly at the beginning.Alright, so it's a mess. And the middle third is just outright dull as the witch grows to love her buffoonish captive.Never mind. It's well-made for its time and place, colorful, and even occasionally lyrical. And some of the fight scenes retain their excitement, after all these years.Perhaps best viewed - and understood - by children; but can provide real entertainment for intelligent adults in the right frame of mind.