James Nicholson and Samuel Arkoff were obviously hoping for another JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH when they were making this film. Come to that, even another MYSTERIOUS ISLAND may have been something. Sadly, whereas both of those films were consistently entertaining, MASTER OF THE WORLD turns out to be one of the dullest Jules Verne adaptations that I've ever witnessed. There are approximately two potentially exciting situations in the entire film, both of which are mishandled. The rest is packed with dialogue and lame characters arguing with each other.
Indeed, there are two good things about this film. Their names are Vincent Price and Charles Bronson. Everything else is just below par, especially the supporting cast with whom we have to spend much time. First up we have the token female, a bland presence. It's impossible to understand why two men would fight over her, when she's such a forgettable and personality-free woman. Secondly, there's a crusty old inventor who must be one of the most irritating and plain unlikeable characters in the history of film - he spends the whole time complaining or shouting, and even when he escapes at the end, he isn't happy. Thirdly, we have the young male romantic lead who spends the entire time fighting with Bronson and even attempts to kill him - only for him to fail and Bronson to instantly forgive him (?). Things sink lower with the introduction of a "comedy" French cook whose comic relief is simply excruciating. Things briefly look as if they might become interesting when muscular peplum actor Richard Harrison pops up, but it's in a non-speaking bit as the ship's helmsman.
I'm not sure whose idea it was to cast Charles Bronson as this film's hero. He's not the first person you'd think of for a children's adventure such as this, but his presence oddly works. Bronson gives a good performance as the non-violent prisoner who agrees with Price's ambition but is determined to stop him nonetheless. His ruthless character is one of the more interesting things this film has to offer. Obviously, though, the best thing on offer is Vincent Price, who gives a typically great performance as the misguided villain of the piece, playing him as a tormented and mournful soul who just wants peace but ends up murdering lots of people. Sadly, he's wasted in this insipid movie.
MASTER OF THE WORLD is a bright, impossibly colourful film with a consistently chirpy movie score. It also contains some of the most disappointing special effects in a film of this type, from the dodgy back projection to the dodgy stock footage which pops up nown again. When we see a superimposed ship flying over a native battle then we know we're in trouble. One scene has Bronson and Frankham dangling from ropes over a forest, dodging trees and rocks alike. Sadly the special effects are so unconvincing as to render this worthless. It's a shame that MASTER OF THE WORLD is such a flop, as the story is quite a good one with an interesting theme. If the special effects had been better, if the film had had more incident and if something had actually happened, then this might have been watchable. As it is, it's not. I say turn it off after the interesting footage of primitive flying machines at the beginning.
Indeed, there are two good things about this film. Their names are Vincent Price and Charles Bronson. Everything else is just below par, especially the supporting cast with whom we have to spend much time. First up we have the token female, a bland presence. It's impossible to understand why two men would fight over her, when she's such a forgettable and personality-free woman. Secondly, there's a crusty old inventor who must be one of the most irritating and plain unlikeable characters in the history of film - he spends the whole time complaining or shouting, and even when he escapes at the end, he isn't happy. Thirdly, we have the young male romantic lead who spends the entire time fighting with Bronson and even attempts to kill him - only for him to fail and Bronson to instantly forgive him (?). Things sink lower with the introduction of a "comedy" French cook whose comic relief is simply excruciating. Things briefly look as if they might become interesting when muscular peplum actor Richard Harrison pops up, but it's in a non-speaking bit as the ship's helmsman.
I'm not sure whose idea it was to cast Charles Bronson as this film's hero. He's not the first person you'd think of for a children's adventure such as this, but his presence oddly works. Bronson gives a good performance as the non-violent prisoner who agrees with Price's ambition but is determined to stop him nonetheless. His ruthless character is one of the more interesting things this film has to offer. Obviously, though, the best thing on offer is Vincent Price, who gives a typically great performance as the misguided villain of the piece, playing him as a tormented and mournful soul who just wants peace but ends up murdering lots of people. Sadly, he's wasted in this insipid movie.
MASTER OF THE WORLD is a bright, impossibly colourful film with a consistently chirpy movie score. It also contains some of the most disappointing special effects in a film of this type, from the dodgy back projection to the dodgy stock footage which pops up nown again. When we see a superimposed ship flying over a native battle then we know we're in trouble. One scene has Bronson and Frankham dangling from ropes over a forest, dodging trees and rocks alike. Sadly the special effects are so unconvincing as to render this worthless. It's a shame that MASTER OF THE WORLD is such a flop, as the story is quite a good one with an interesting theme. If the special effects had been better, if the film had had more incident and if something had actually happened, then this might have been watchable. As it is, it's not. I say turn it off after the interesting footage of primitive flying machines at the beginning.