Christopher Lee dons silk robes, eyeliner and droopy moustache to return as the most evil criminal master mind in the world, yellow peril Fu Manchu, who this time plans world domination by kidnapping the wives and daughters of top industrialists and scientists, forcing their menfolk to build a highly destructive weapon that operates via radio waves. And when he has no more use for the women, into the snake-pit they go...A little bit James Bond and a little bit Sherlock Holmes, assistant commissioner from Scotland Yard Nayland Smith (Douglas Wilmer) is the man tasked with tracking down the evil Asian before he can put his dastardly plot to control the world into action.I thought I was settling down to yet another Jess Franco film when I pressed play on this film, so was rather relieved to see that it was directed by Don Sharp, who made the rather excellent Rasputin The Mad Monk for Hammer Studios. But while this film is nowhere near as bad as your average Franco film, it isn't all that great either, the tedious plot providing dull intrigue, little suspense and lots of repetitive fisticuffs between our brave heroes and their despicable enemies, all of which gets rather boring after a while. About the only thing that prevented me from dozing off at times was the fact that all of the kidnapped women are very attractive and wear revealing dresses. Now what are the chances of that?

Lively Sequel that is nothing if not Hyper. There is a Wild Fisticuffs Fight Scene every Few Minutes and becomes Exhausting Excitement after a while. When the Standard Action is not on Screen the Movie resorts to Minimal Sets with Flat Electronics with a lot of Wheels and Levers and a Colored Light Bulb or Two that Flash.The SFX are Weak and Obvious Models. All of this gives the Movie a Cheesy Appeal and the 1960's Style Hair and Clothes the "Brides" wear are a Distraction to the 1920's Setting. The Cars and Planes not so.There were Five Films in the "Fu" Series Produced in the Mid-Sixties each Trying to Install this "Yellow Peril" Menace from the 20's to Modern Audiences but the Success Waned Considerably after a Modest Profit from the First Entry "Face".It all seemed Forced and never quite Caught On. Viewed Today it has more Camp Appeal and is a "Pulpy" kind of Escapism. Christopher Lee walked through the Series with a Deadpan Desire to become Ruler of the World.In this one the "Brides" are really nothing but Prisoners Caged and Threatened with Horrible Painful Deaths (like a pit of snakes) to make Their Father Scientists Cooperate with "Fu". A Sadistic Tone is Ongoing Throughout the Series.The Movies are Interesting Flops with One-Note Stories holding back the Intrigue. Nothing Near Must Watch Stuff, but those willing to Enter the World of Fu Manchu for some Goofy Fun can Enjoy these Things. Others may find even the Best of the Series (#1 & 2) quite Tiresome and Clunky.

Not bad but certainly not the best of the Fu-Manchu bunch. Christopher Lee (as the world's most evil man) kidnaps a bunch of foxy girls with the hope that their scientist fathers will help him devise a way to send deadly radio frequency throughout the world. He's pursued, as always, by resilient Scotland yard cop Nayland Smith. It's silly rather than suspenseful with a plethora of studio bound action. Lee is fine and Tsai Chin is again on hand as his equally nasty daughter. Directed by Don Sharp, who, after helming the first two of this series, wisely stepped aside...the budgets for the final three went steadily downhill. Ernest Steward did the photography.

Surviving his cataclysmic demise at the end of Don Sharp's The Face Of Fu Manchu (1965), Christopher Lee dons the stick-on Eastern eyelids a second time, utterly and entertainingly unconvincing as Sax Rohmer's villain-to-end-all villains. With his daughter and resident henchmen led by Burt Kwouk (Kato in the Pink Panther series), Fu is now blackmailing the world's top scientists to create a doomsday device by kidnapping their daughters. Douglas Wilmer replaces The Face Of Fu Manchu's Nigel Green as Neyland Smith, Fu Manchu's lantern-jawed arch nemesis from Scotland Yard, and battles all manner of Cartoon oriental stereotypes before rescuing the reluctant harem from the firey finale. Lee utters the immortal words `The world shall hear from me again!", thus ensuring a further three sequels (Vengeance..., Castle... and Blood Of Fu Manchu, all released in 1968) for producer Harry Allen Towers - the last two in the series helmed by Spain's infamous hack Jess Franco (whose filmic Midas Touch could grind the Star Wars series to a halt!).