Early in the third century AD, the city of Acastus and its surrounding territory formed an independent kingdom on the Eastern border of the Roman Empire. The king of Acastus has recently died, leaving a daughter, Sira : Isabelle Corey, and a 12-year-old son, Darius. Until the young King is of age, the Prime Minister Rabirius :Leo Anchoriz, is to rule as Regent of Acastus. While celebrating a Gladiator Combat our hero : Richard Harrison saves life of the regent Rabirius, and the latter assigns him the commanding some troopers. As he takes command of two hundred men to defeat a brigand of rebels. As the brave gladiator along with his colleague : Jose Marco set out in pursuit the rebels who find themselves hidden in the mountains.
An acceptable peplum with usual ingredients to be loved by genre's hardcore enthusiasts . Stars Richard Harrison as the heroic gladiator who leads a revolt against the nasty regent. The American Richard Harrison was one of the several US actors who emigrated towards Italy to star mythological figures such as Rock Stevens, Mark Forest, Kirk Morris, Ed Fury, Brad Harris, Reg Park, but none of them topped in popularity to Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott. This "The Invincible Gladiator" results to be a passable Sword and Sandal with thrills, emotion, romance, charot chases an battles. The picture contains some violent and breathtaking combats in arena on a small circus. Being a Spanish and Italian Co-production here appears various Spanish actors as Leo Anchoriz, Jose Marco, Jorge Martin, Antonio Molino Rojo, Barta Barri, Tomas Blanco and Italian ones as the beautiful Isabelle Carey and the bald Livio Lorenzon as a Lanista
It contains an evocative and atmospheric cinematography by Eloy Mella. Filmed on Spanish locations in La Pedriza, Manzanares Real and Colmenar Viejo, a bit later on, these places to be used to shot Spaghetti and Paella Westerns. It displays a moving and rousing musical score by Carlo Franci. The motion picture was professionally directed by Antonio Momplet and Alberto de Martino .The Spanish director Antonio Momplet was a craftsman who wrote and made some popular films as Julia y el Celacanto, Cafe Cantante, Vertigo, Bel Ami, La hija del mar, Las de Cain, Amok, A media luz, Jandro, El Corsario Negro and Terrible Sheriff . While the most known Alberto Martino was a professional writer and director who made pictures of all kinds of genres and exploitation movies such as Terror : Antichrist, Holocaust 2000, 7 Hyden Park, The Killer is on the phone, Wartime : Dalle Ardenne all Inferno, Thrillers : Roma vs Chicago, The man of the ice eyes, The Consellour, The Puma Man, Upperseven , Operation Lady Chaplin, The insatiables, Spaghetti Westerns : Django Shoots first, Seventh Cavalry, One hundred thousand dollars for Ringo and Peplum : Seven Spartans, Invincibles, La Rivolta dei Sette, Medusa against the son of Hercules and The Invincible Gladiator. Rating : 6/10. A decent Sword and Sandal movie for ordinary aficionados.
