"The Vengeance of Fu Manchu" (1967), directed by Jeremy Summers, marks the third and final appearance of Christopher Lee as the infamous criminal mastermind in the 1960s Fu Manchu series. While the film attempts to breathe new life into the franchise, it ultimately falls short of its predecessors, offering a somewhat tepid conclusion to Lee's portrayal of the character.
Set against the backdrop of a globe-spanning criminal conspiracy, the film follows Fu Manchu's elaborate plot to discredit and destroy his nemesis, Nayland Smith, by creating an evil doppelganger. This premise, while intriguing, is not fully realized, often getting lost in a maze of subplots and poorly developed supporting characters.
Christopher Lee, as always, brings a commanding presence to the role of Fu Manchu. His performance remains the highlight of the film, infusing the character with a cold, calculating menace that elevates every scene he's in. Lee's ability to convey Fu Manchu's intelligence and cruelty with subtle facial expressions and measured delivery of dialogue is truly remarkable, especially considering the sometimes clunky script he's working with.
One standout scene involves Fu Manchu's meticulous preparation of his Nayland Smith duplicate. The sequence effectively showcases the villain's attention to detail and scientific prowess, while also highlighting the film's makeup and special effects, which are quite impressive for the time. This scene encapsulates the film's potential, blending suspense, horror, and science fiction elements in a way that, unfortunately, the rest of the movie struggles to maintain.
Director Jeremy Summers seems to struggle with the material, failing to capture the exotic atmosphere and tension that marked the better entries in the series. The pacing is often uneven, with long stretches of exposition interspersed with action sequences that lack true excitement or innovation. The globe-trotting nature of the plot, which should have added to the film's scope and excitement, instead feels disjointed and poorly integrated.
The supporting cast is a mixed bag. Douglas Wilmer, returning as Nayland Smith, gives a solid if unremarkable performance, while Tsai Chin once again shines as Fu Manchu's daughter Lin Tang, providing a worthy foil to Lee's calculated villainy. However, many of the other characters feel underdeveloped, serving more as plot devices than fully realized individuals.
The film's production design and cinematography are adequate but fail to capture the lush exoticism of the earlier entries in the series. The budget constraints are often apparent, particularly in some of the more ambitious set pieces that fall flat due to unconvincing effects or lackluster execution.
Thematically, "The Vengeance of Fu Manchu" attempts to explore ideas of identity and the nature of evil, particularly through the doppelganger plot. However, these potentially interesting concepts are never fully developed, lost in the shuffle of convoluted plotting and action set pieces.
It's worth noting that, like its predecessors, the film is a product of its time and contains problematic portrayals of non-Western cultures and stereotypical depictions that modern viewers will likely find offensive. While this was unfortunately common in the genre and era, it does detract from the film's appeal to contemporary audiences.
"The Vengeance of Fu Manchu" is a film that will likely appeal primarily to completists and die-hard fans of the series or Christopher Lee's work.
While it offers some entertaining moments and the always-welcome presence of Lee as the titular villain, it ultimately fails to live up to the potential of its premise or the better entries in the Fu Manchu series. The film serves as a somewhat disappointing conclusion to Lee's portrayal of the character, hinting at what might have been with a stronger script and more assured direction.
For those interested in 1960s pulp adventure cinema or the evolution of the Fu Manchu character on screen, "The Vengeance of Fu Manchu" may be worth a watch. However, casual viewers or those new to the series would be better served by starting with earlier, stronger entries in the franchise.
