Kindar the Invulnerable
March. 05,1965An evil bandit kidnaps a sultan's son and raises him but finds the son has magic powers.
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Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.
This is without doubt one of the toughest Italian sword and sandal movies I have sat through. I will admit that it's not completely without merit - the location shooting in Egypt does provide at times a somewhat eye-catching backdrop. But a pretty look does not a film make. The movie has many problems, but I think the most pressing is that it is surprisingly boring. There aren't that many action sequences, and the few that there are come across as absolutely flat, being given passionless choreography and clunky direction. And between those drab action scenes, viewers will be subjected to a really slow story and endless sequences of dry chat. As for the movie's title protagonist, I don't think it was a good idea to make him invulnerable to practically everything - knowing that he doesn't stand a chance of being killed or even hurt, no tension is ever built, nor does the viewer feel any empathy for this guy, since he never has to struggle. Definitely one time when being stuck in public domain hell is well deserved.
"Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun" director Osvaldo Civirani and scenarists Alessandro Ferraù, Roberto Gianviti, and Luciano Trasatti concocted a warrior unlike any other in the annuals of traditional Sword & Sandal films. In some way, Kindar is like Superman, but he isn't an extraterrestrial. Instead, Kindar (Mark Forest) is born into royalty as the son of a sultan, but his birth is singular. He was born during a storm, and lightning struck his mother when he was born and killed her. Meantime, baby Kinder emerges as a man who isn't vulnerable to anything. Like Superman and Kryptonite, Kindar has only one weakness, a red rose. Actually, the red rose here is a metaphor for fire. Nothing but flames can harm Kindar. The Sultan is awestruck by this turn of affairs. Essentially, a villainous rebel leader, Seymuth (Mimmo Palmara), abducts the infant and raises him as his own. He keeps Kindar hidden for some twenty years, and Kindar hasn't the slight clue that Seymuth isn't his real father. When he rides into battle for the first time, Kindar lives up to his name as 'the Invulnerable.' Seymuth plans to use Kindar to lead his army of nomadic warriors into the city. Unfortunately, Seymuth's plan doesn't work out, and Kindar discovers that he is the son of Eman, King of Utor. Eventually, Kindar and Seymuth have a face-off.Civirani, who also served as cinematographer, lensed the action on location in Egypt as well as on the Nile River. The pyramids of Giza, Abusir, and Dahshur are visible in some long shots. The spectacle, Palmara's villainy, and the authentic Egyptian scenery make this Sword & Sandal melodrama tolerable, but it lacks surprises and revelations. Forest furnishes his solemn muscular presence, while Palmara is every inch an audacious dastard. Rosalba Neri and Dea Flowers provide the feminine pulchritude. Only serious Peplum fans should apply. "Kindar the Invulnerable" isn't one of Forest's better epics.
The son of a Sultan named Siro, Kindar is born just as his mother is hit and killed by lightning. The strange happenings at his birth make Kindar invulnerable to all human attacks, save one – the mysterious red rose. But soon after his birth, Kindar is kidnapped and taken to grow up as the the son of a desert warrior and bandit named Seymuth. Seymuth's one ambition in life is to destroy Kindar's real father and his city. And with an invulnerable son at his side, no one would dare stand in his way. But before Seymuth's grand day of glory, Kindar learns the truth of his birth. Which side will Kindar choose – Siro or Seymuth? And how will the discovery of the red rose affect the events to come? Something of a rare peplum, Kindar the Invulnerable is also a bit different from the standard fare. Instead of ancient Athens or Rome or Sparta, Kindar the Invulnerable is set in the deserts of North Africa. I'm not sure where the movie was filmed, but it looks wonderfully authentic. The vast, empty deserts, the lush oasis, and the walled city of Uthera – it's a nice change of pace from the normal scenes of coliseums and chariot races. Another plus for me was the acting. While Mark Forest is basically "the body" the role of Kindar calls for, he's as good as any of the muscle-bound would-be actors that populated these peplums. In fact, I was actually a bit impressed with his acting prowess. The rest of the cast includes the always welcome genre favorite Rosalba Neri in a small role and Mimmo Palmara chewing more scenery than one actor has a right to in his role as Seymuth. I must admit that I was also enjoyed the performance of Dea Flowers in her one and only listed credit. I'm amazed she didn't do anything else. Finally, there are a couple of moments in Kindar the Invulnerable that really caught me off guard by how well they were shot. Two of my favorites that I'll mention are Kindar's nighttime trip into the walled city and the film's finale with Kindar back home holding his one true love. That last one may be hokey, but it's a wonderful shot nonetheless. You know, other than a slow patch in the film's second act, I've got no complaints. I'll give Kindar the Invulnerable a strong 6/10. If you're a fan of the genre, this is one worth seeking out for its uniqueness if nothing else.
Mark is hit at his birth by a bolt of lightning which kills his mother but makes him almost invulnerable: Only the "Red Flower" can harm him, though nobody knows what it is. Unfortunately, he is soon thereafter kidnaped and made the chief warrior of a desert bandit tribe led by Mimmo Palmara, which tries to sack Mark's city of birth. Two great scenes: Mark, without knowing it, has to fight his own brother in a whipping and wrestling duel in the mountains. And: Mark lets himself be put into an iron maiden to prove that he cannot be harmed; he steps out of it and simply states, "I am invulnerable." Extra wooden acting during love scenes (even in comparison to other products of Italian popular cinema of this time)!! Low production costs, partially boring. Recommended for fans of Mark Forest or Italian trash cinema only. Almost the bottom of the barrel. Rosalba Neri has only a very small part to play, which is a pity.