User reviews

The third Matt Helm film - and easily the weakest up to this point. Though Maltin's BOMB rating seems a bit harsh - it IS watchable, after all - it's hard not to notice the drop-off in quality from its predecessor, "Murderers' Row". The villains are nobodies, the gadgets are not as cool as before (levitating gun < delayed / reverse firing gun), the climactic vehicular chase has worse rear projection than the Abbott and Costello movies, and the entire enterprise is slow, unexciting and drab. Bright spot: Janice Rule, who is the smartest Matt Helm assistant so far, and also closer to Dean Martin's age than Ann Margret or Stella Stevens, which makes their (professional and romantic) partnership more believable. Senta Berger has an interesting character, in the sense that you are not sure for a long time whose side she is working for, but ultimately she is underused. The movie's two best bits actually come at the very start (the catchy title song), and the very end (a funny Frank Sinatra gag). *1/2 out of 4.

This Helm flick should be ranked slightly lower than THE SILENCERS or MURDERER'S ROW, but definitely better than that final train wreck - THE WRECKING CREW (great babes though). The Ambushers sports Janice Rule (great actress from the 60's - check her out in THE CHASE with Brando) and Senta Berger, a European beauty with exotic looks and voice. Beverly Adams is on hand again as the sweetheart assistant, Lovey Kravezit.

A 4 out of 10. Best performance = Janice Rule. Give this one a chance. It's not THAT bad! Dino is starting to show a lack of energy by the end of it, but the girls hold him up. If you're not a complete spy-spoof snob, this is a perfect way to waste 100 minutes.

The third of Dean Martin's Matt Helm adventures is generally considered to be the worst of the quartet but, while undeniably the silliest (especially in the film's relentless concession to go-go dancing), it's still never less than enjoyable; I'd say these goofy spy sagas were basically the rough template for the jokey version of James Bond as depicted throughout Roger Moore's tenure in that series!

While here we don't get the hero thinking in song per his usual custom (though Hugo Montenegro's lounge score is as infectious as ever), all of the character's other traits are allowed full sway: the constant intake of alcohol, the lethal attraction to women, the dubious gadgets (guns shooting heat rays or causing people to levitate, an inflatable tent complete with comfort accessories, cigars emitting laughing gas, while even the women spies are given the benefit of narcoleptic lipstick and bullet-shooting bra – the latter device has actually reminded me that I've yet to check out the Vincent Price sci-fi comedy DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE [1965]) that I've recently acquired.

The two leading ladies themselves are well chosen: Senta Berger (somewhat ill-used, though, as the obligatory duplicitous female – especially since she's eventually disposed off rather too quickly, and not even by Helm!) and Janice Rule (quite delightful as Martin's companion but who also gets to play an important role in the mission); besides, as ever, there's a plethora of other beauties on hand – including Helm's ubiquitous secretary Lovey Kravezit (Beverly Adams yet again). The villains, too, are notable: Albert Salmi and Kurt Kasznar; as for the action scenes, perhaps the most elaborate is the one inside Kasznar's brewery…and, of course, a jab at Martin's fellow Rat Packer Frank Sinatra never goes amiss! For the record, the best line in the film has Berger toasting via the traditional Scandinavian epithet of "Skol", with Martin's instant retort being "Sure it's cold – it's got ice in it!"

The plot, for what it is, involves the theft of a flying saucer (though we're never told just what Salmi intends to do with it and, in fact, is later visited by interested parties bidding for possession of it) which, it transpires, can only be flown by a woman – as the atmosphere inside is fatal to the male of the species (huh?). The comic-strip nature of the film extends to the climax – in which Helm chases the runaway saucer (speeding across a railway track with Rule still inside it) on a motorbike (he even goes underwater on top of it and comes up with an alligator seated in the sidecar!) – which, however, is rather marred by the rampant back-projection involved.

Third in a series of Matt Helm films starring Martin, this is often noted as being the worst or next to worst. Martin plays a swinging, hot-to-trot parody of James Bond in a film that takes every double entendre and gadget from that series and cranks them up to the nth degree. This time out, Martin must recover a stolen flying saucer with the aid of the female pilot who was stolen with it, then released. Rule (a pretty uncharacteristic choice for a film like this) plays the astronaut/pilot. Martin first attends a camp where he's refreshed in the ways of the spy (and where a battalion of voluptuous babes called The Slaygirls are being trained.) Then he's off to Mexico to track down the ship which is believed to have been nabbed by (the decidedly UN-Hispanic) Salmi. Various complications ensue including run-ins with bumbling second banana Kasznar and drop-dead eye candy Berger. It's pretty clear that the film isn't aiming for greatness, or even seriousness, when the two primary weapons are a bra that shoots bullets and a device that makes men's pants fall down! The latter device is pitifully ridiculous in that it melts belt buckles and somehow that leads to men's buttons, hooks and zippers also failing so that an army of henchman are forced to reach for their dangling trousers rather than catch their man.

There's a groovy title song played over credits that display a huge array of bikini-clad, heavily made up beauties that wind up having little or nothing to do with the plot. All of the kicky, funky music is by Hugo Montenegro and it's one of the film's better attributes. The film is only really bad if one is expecting serious spy drama or high brow jokes. The villain's chief gadget is a dopey looking satellite dish that shoots sparks out of it (along with a hand-held version.) It serves its greatest purpose pouring drinks for everyone. The one-liners in this film are of the lowest caliber possible and the ultra-macho point of view will likely be off-putting to some viewers. However, for those eager to see the type of kooky, colorful romps that inspired Mike Myers to create "Austin Powers", this is required viewing. (Check out how Dino's car trunk pops out an inflatable tent complete with bed, nightstand, lamp and metal chairs!) Martin isn't exactly flexing his acting muscles here, but he was playing into his image at the time of a boozy womanizer. Rule is a better actress than this fluff deserves and she doesn't really fit the boobs and hair-type of role, but she does well anyway. Berger is unbelievably luscious. Wearing what have to be the cinema's largest-ever earrings and sporting an impossibly golden tan, hair piled high and an aquamarine lounging gown, she is one of the most underrated beauties on record. She deserved a bigger career in Hollywood than she wound up with. There's a poolside fashion show of ultra-60's Oleg Cassini creations and most of the women wear false eyelashes so heavy they can almost open their eyes. It was a time that can never be repeated, so one should relish films like this as the time capsules they are and rent Oliver Stone movies when they want to be challenged.

The theme written by Lalo Schifrin for the previous Matt Helm lark 'Murderers Row' was so good it's bizarre it wasn't used for the rest of the series; instead you get a boringly noisy jazz soundtrack by Hugo Montenegro.

Poor Albert Salmi looks constipated as the "sadistic leader" of the usual group of fanatics, while Janice Rule and (particularly) Senta Berger are squandered as a pair of groovy sixties chicks (although it's diverting to see an actress of Rule's calibre, usually associated with far less frivolous stuff, scampering about in a tiny dress and big boots).

The gimmicks this time include the bra that shoots bullets from 'The Tenth Victim', a device that makes goons' trousers fall down, "happy gas", some sort of Ray gun and a flying saucer built and piloted by Earthlings.

Some think this is the worst. I say it is the best. A must see Austin Powers fans. Matt Helm inspired the rotating round bed. This movie had the gun in the bra (Fembots) and the Arab assassin. Co-star Janic Rule was great as a fellow agent. The dialog was like Steed and Miss Peale. Better than the past Helm females that were comic relief. The story was put together well, a bit silly about a flying saucer that only women can operate, but the plot line was solid. Not much filler action or girl scenes. Great location shot and the jazzed Mexican background music fit just right. Good action scene in the beer factory. The lifting machines used to lift kegs may have inspired the fight in the Alien film. A fun film.

MASTER PLAN: steal a flying saucer and sell it to the highest bidder. This 3rd Matt Helm goof-fest (after "Murderers' Row"), a comedic take on the James Bond films, starts out promisingly. There's a decidedly more sci-fi flavor in the early scenes, with the theft of the saucer, though the special FX never rise above the "Lost in Space" TV show, from the other producer, Irwin Allen. There's also some goofy science involved: the electro-magnetic power source for this aircraft is lethal to males, which is why only female astronauts can pilot it. We also have some early scenes at an ICE (the CIA of the Helm universe) training facility which, though in the same silly vein of all females drooling over Helm, are somewhat imaginative. Dino Martin & James Gregory reprise their roles as, respectively, Helm & his boss, with Helm the increasingly boorish, lecherous Americanized Bond-type agent and MacDonald more weary of the whole deal. During one intriguing training sequence, Helm somehow removes most of a female agent's clothes in the span of a few seconds - a scene I'm sure would send modern feminists into a rage. Most of the action, however, moves to sunny Acapulco; Helm is accompanied by another female agent and pilot (Rule) who has been traumatized (as in, raped off-screen, it seems) by the main villain (Salmi) some days earlier.

Some of these plot points lend an additionally sleazy tone to the movie and a lot of Helm's double entendres take on an extra unpleasant subtext. The actress Janice Rule was usually in serious roles and seems out of place as a 'Helm girl,' but she also lends a maturity and edge to the part not usually seen in these pics. As it is, a lot of her scenes involve her losing half her clothes, for one reason or another, and it comes across as distasteful. Senta Berger, on the other hand, is a great femme fatale, especially in that outfit with the purple boots - va-va-Voom! (The boots change to green at one point, suddenly). She holds her own against all the men, hero or bad guys, and her role is cut short unceremoniously, unfortunately. Both she and Rule are outfitted in some typically far-out sixties attire that shows off the female figure. The actor Salmi, as the head villain, is almost too sinister for this type of movie, with his odd looks and intense demeanor. He's a natural villain, but more suited for realistic thrillers. His flunky is played by Kaszner, hamming it up; he was a regular silly villain/foil on the "Land of the Giants" TV show, an Irwin Allen production. The final action involves Helm tricking/doping a firing squad and a lot of poor backscreen projection during the chasing. Helm also uses a futuristic gun which can lift objects - pretty hokey, all in all. Helm would return in "The Wrecking Crew." Hero:5 Villain:5 Femme Fatales:7 Henchmen:5 Fights:5 Stunts/Chases:5 Gadgets:6 Auto:4 Locations:7 Pace:6 overall:5+

I'd like to know more about the people writing negative reviews of a movie like this: how old are they? were they even alive during the 60s? This movie is a product of a different age. It was a simpler time. You could get away with making movies that had this kind of production values, script and, yes - allusions to rape in an action-comedy notwithstanding - moral values (I'm not saying they're high, they're just an indicator of the time).

Do you watch Charlie Chaplin or Laurel & Hardy and complain about the cinematography? You're watching a movie from the 60s guys - it's a time capsule. It can teach you about what life was like then, because at the time the Matt Helm movies were all completely acceptable and even successful.

I dread to think how you lot would handle a 'Carry On' film - yet they were some of the most successful movies ever made in England. You'd probably brand them sexist, vulgar, childish and uninventive though...duh!

It's the continuing adventures of superspy Matt Helm (Dean Martin). The government is testing a flying saucer with pilot Sheila Sommars. She is captured evil Jose Ortega. Back at ICE rehabilitation center, Matt runs into a zombie Sheila who is under treatment. He is assigned to recover her memory to find the missing saucer. She has the delusion of being married to him after their last mission together as a honeymooning couple.

This needs to be a fun franchise and Matt needs to have some humanity. It occurs to me that despite the bevy of adoring beauties, he lives an empty life. Sheila actually provides an opportunity for him to care. When he sees her traumatized, he should help out of the goodness of his heart. It shouldn't have to be an assignment. Once he realizes that she thinks that they're married, he can play along to help her and that leads to the evil villain. The sex jokes and go-go dancing are no longer that fun. Unless the franchise decides to go full spoof, the comedy is pretty much done.

The Matt Helm series of movies featuring Dean Martin are based upon the novels of the same character (loosely), but they are all parody movies. Similar to how "Naked Gun" spoofed many popular themes at the time, these films all poke fun at the spy movies by featuring the outrageousness of the films right in your face. Bond drinks martinis, Helm drinks - a lot. Bond beds a girl or two, Helm beds them all. Bond has fancy gadgets, Helm has them plus his home has them too. Bond has villains with sinister purpose (and sometimes a quirk or two), Helm has villains that are sometimes freaks or simply idiotic. These movies are blatantly obvious as spoofs and their value is that they are interesting to watch at least once or twice.

Nice, entertaining movie -having in mind that this is not a serious film but a James Bond parody full of clichés, male chauvinism, sex object female characters and absurd situations. Still, it is a nice sixties movie full of colour, impossible groovy fashions and happy pop music. The final joke about Sinatra and Martin music is an eye blink to the rat pack films they made together. Dean Martin seems to be having a good time as watchers do. Light entertainment.

This film is a funny spoof of the James Bond series. Dean Martin is hilarious as the stereotypical spy with a drink in one hand and a sexy girl in the other. All the people who call this series a rip off of James Bond are missing the point. I especially loved Kurt Kaznar, playing the despicable character he would play so well in his most famous role on Land of the Giants as Alexander Fitzhugh. Also, Janice Rule is more than just window dressing. She plays the femme fetale role to the hilt and she shows a great flair for comedy in this film. The Matt Helm series was intended to be a parody of that series and did a great job of it.

I watched this Matt Helm movie after watching the other three because of its reputation for being subpar. While it is definitely the most campy of the four and starts off a little slow, it's a lot of fun. The Ambushers is the most sci-fi of the four and features an "electro-magnetic" UFO and some very forward-thinking exo-suits.

Dean Martin looks comfortable in the role (in The Silencers he looked like he didn't want to be there) and he actually shows up for location shoots in this one. He also has some interesting lines. (Girl: "Suspenders AND a belt?" Helm: "I have trouble keeping my pants up.") I love the gadgets (the fez-garrote, the belt-sword) and the humor. The firing squad scene has to be seen to be believed.

Janice Rule sparkles on the screen. Her character is so self-assured and beautiful-a great partner for Helm. The score is lush and fitting and the girls' outfits are to die for. Also, the film transfer, like the other Helm movies, is decent.

As a footnote, it has been said that the UFO and the columnar "control panel" seen in launch control are recycled from Star Trek (Lazarus' ship in The Alternative Factor, and the Romulan warbird bridge controls from The Balance of Terror). Simply comparing photos of each is enough to disprove this. Perhaps the interior frame of the UFO and part of the dome were re-used, but otherwise they are quite different in size and construction.

This movie is bad even by Matt Helm standards. It's as incomprehensible as the previous movie, "Murderers' Row", but lacks the ambiance of a French locale or the flamboyant villain that saved that one. The action sequences are totally lacking any credibility whatsoever. It's a shame that this one chased away so many movie goers that they decided not to turn out for the splendid (by Matt Helm standards) "The Wrecking Crew", the last and best of the series.

And those who excuse it as "a product of it's time" are the ones missing the point. There were plenty of good spy parodies made in the 1960s (including the first and last Helm movies), this just wasn't one of them. It has nothing to do with "production values" of the era or the period corniness. Just like people understand that most Elvis movies were corny but entertaining, they realize there were a few out and out stinkers. Well this film is a stinker. In fact, it was so bad it was originally listed in the book "The Fifty Worst Films of All-Time" when first published in 1978.

Well my review will be simple.do you like the cult movies...this is for you.

simple..funny..typicall 60's.

i can see now from where Austin Powers humor is coming from

The Ambushers is the weakest of the four Matt Helm movies. While they were meant to be seen by movie-goers in a semi-vegetative state, The Ambushers disappoints even that audience. Those who expected this movie to improve on its prequel, Murderers' Row (1967) were treated to a cheap-looking and incompetently made movie. Hugo Montenegro's score is totally inappropriate (what a let-down after Lalo Schifrin's excellent Latin-inspired spy theme from the '67 outing) and they may as well have temp-tracked I Dream of Jeannie. The opening title is cheesy, even for this type of film. As with the others, the Frank Sinatra jokes are present - but unlike the others, they are the high point! Watch it if you must see all four Dean Martin Matt Helm adventures, but otherwise, save your time and money.

Matt Helm is kitsch, outdated and egocentric, however the girls are really gorgeous and hot, this turn the guest stars are fabulous, Kurt Kasznar from "Land of the Giants" had an convincing performance, and Albert Salmi as his Boss, the plot is too weak and has some many flaws, unpretentious the picture becomes a easy and pleasant to watch if you forget those inconsistencies.

The sequence on Spaceship is fair enjoyable, funny enough to hold you on the chair since the beginning to the end, Acapulco provides an easy looking on those marvelous spots, Senta Berger and Janice Rule dispensed any additional comments in such beauty, Just enjoyable!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1990 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 6.

The first movie in the Matt Helm series, The Silencers, was a decent James Bond spoof, and good fun. This falls short of that mark, seeming to just go through the motions with no fresh ideas.

Avoid this, watch The Silencers instead.

These movies were tongue in cheek spoofs, not 007 movies. They were deliberately written as one liner after one liner. They are Laugh In, 60's hyper hip, jet set, free love, and an Airplane, Austin Powers, type play on spy movies of which there were many back then.

If you seek socially redeeming value outside of humor then move on to something else. If you expect Matrix effects, well.....run like hell. If you want to see an original spoof before they were the rage and made at a rate of 4 or 5 per year for each movie genre...relax and enjoy.

I shall add that the 10 lines of text minimum is ludicrous. Not everyone has to give a play by play and pretend at being a professional critic. Some of us just want to say whether we liked it and if we recommend it.