Das Zepter des Sonnengottes

The dream team of Antonio Margheriti, David Warbeck and John Steiner reunite for a thematic sequel to Hunters Of The Golden Cobra, and its a beauty, as good if not better than the earlier film. Warbeck is on top form and John Steiner is as magical as ever in a rip roaring adventure that will keep you hooked until the credits fade. Good guys, bad guys, fisticuffs, car chases and a lovely in joke about Roger Moore. This is a wonderful film.

ARK OF THE SUN GOD is an INDIANA JONES & 007 copy that's an okay time waster. The real reason to watch this Italian made film is David Warbeck (THE BEYOND) who's a great action star, imo. He would have made a fun James Bond. The production values are good. I really enjoyed the car chase made with models, not real cars. And some of the effects at the end were pretty good. But the whole film is hampered by a grubby look/feel about it (dark and dreary sets; the two old and overweight men at Warbeck's side) and a vivid sense of Deja Vu for anyone who has already seen YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE, which sorta keeps it from being more fresh and fun. And that stupid song was really annoying. But it's a must-see for fans of David Warbeck. Those who don't know him or Italian cinema in general will probably not like this though.

My review was written in July 1986 after watching the film on Trans World Entertainment video cassette.

After filming the fantasy "Yor, the Hunter from the Future" there, Italian filmmaker Antonio Margheritti returned to Turkey in 1983 to shoot "The Ark of the Sun God", a subpar entry in his series of imitative adventure films. Pic debuted domestically on video cassette.

British thesp David Warbec (veteran of 10 Italian films to date) gets to play a British character for a change, sa Rick Spear, a London cracksman sent to Istanbul on a cockeyed mission: he's to find the temple of the Sun God which is the resting place of Gilgamesh. A legendary jeweled scepter of the king is inside and can be used as a limitless source of power to the bearer. Because the golden door is booby-trapped (with the entire temple set to self-destruct), a master burglar like Spear is needed for the job.

If this sounds a bit like "Raiders of the Lost Ark", it's because Margheritii earlier raided that hit with an interesting variation, "The Hunters of the Golden Cobra". This time there's too much padding, as Sperar is tested and then goes hunting for the site, aided by a survivor of a mission over 40 years earlier, Beetle (Alan Collins).

The Turkish locations are again impressive, but this "Ark" doesn't pic up steam until the final reels containing cliffhanger derring-do in the em=emple and caverns surrounding it.

Soundtrack features a lovely romantic theme but elsewhere pointlessly includes the main theme from "Battlestar Galactica".

This Italian Indiana Jones inspired adventure, from director Antonio Margheriti, certainly seems to have its fans, but I'm not one of them, finding the low rent action on offer rather tedious.

David Warbeck stars as world-class cat burglar Rick Spear who is enlisted to help locate a Turkish temple where, as legend has it, lies the tomb of demigod Gilgamesh, whose jewelled sceptre bestows the bearer with great power. Out to prevent Rick from succeeding is a descendant of the demigod, Prince Abdullah (Aytekin Akkaya), who sends his men to kill the adventurer.

With its 'exotic' locations an overcast Istanbul and a drab desert, 'exciting' car chase scenes achieved via remote-control vehicles, two ageing overweight Sallah-style sidekicks, and a 'lost' temple that is so easy to find I'm surprised that there wasn't a tour guide and a gift shop, The Ark of the Sun God is stodgy schlock that rarely kicks into gear, idling away until the predictable ending when the bad guy battles our hero while stone columns collapse around their ears.

4.5 out of 10, rounded up to 5 for Susie Sudlow as Rick's eye-candy girlfriend Carol.

The ever likable David Warbeck headlines in this highly enjoyable Raiders Of The Lost Ark inspired yarn as a professional burglar/safe cracker hired by a rich British Lord (John Steiner) to locate and retrieve a priceless artifact (a sacred sceptre) from a lost temple somewhere deep in the Turkish desert.

This being tauted as an all action film however, you can probably imagine that the task proves far more complex and dangerous than initially sounding as the artifact is also craved by some less than pleasant individuals who wish to get hold of the sceptre for their own nefarious ends and who most certainly do NOT wish to share it with anyone else.

Plenty of the promised action inevitably ensues with a plethora of high speed car chases (which utilise some cool looking Gerry Anderson style model work), fist fights, shoot outs and James Bond style intrigue together with a healthy dose of humour which all add up to produce a highly satisfying 90 or so minutes.

Warbeck is on top form here and is ably supported by a great cast which includes the previously mentioned and always great value John Steiner, and perennial favourite Luciano Pigozzi (who appears to be in pretty much EVERY Italian B-movie ever made!!!)

Tremendous fun from beginning to end, this is typically rip roaring stuff from the ever dependable Antonio Margheriti and is certainly well worth watching.