THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES REVIEWED
“The Colossus of Rhodes” is a swords and sandals movie that straddles so many lines. While it’s Sergio Leone’s first credited directing work, none of his later charm is seen here. Honestly, it’s fairly flat story about a soldier being mistaken for a spy while trying to crush a rising rebellion. The shots with the Colossus are impressive, even for an under budgeted European flick. Honestly, I wonder what it could’ve looked like with a little more budget muscle.
Rory Calhoun is workable as the lead character, but it’s not like he had to do much. He just guides the plot from various points, as we await the Colossus finally being put to work. For the history nerds, this Colossus bares little semblance to the original. Well, the idea of the original. Leone and company envision the Colossus as a Statue of Liberty knock-off standing 300 feet high. The physics of the Colossus make no sense, but ultimately it’s destroyed.
What bugs me about that ending is how no one seems that bothered by losing a giant war machine. It just kinda ends.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Commentary by Film Historian Christopher Frayling
A/V STATS
- 2.35:1 1080p transfer
- DTS-HD 2.0 MONO
