By the 1970s, El Santo had transformed from a Batman-style caped crusader into something entirely different: a James Bond-style, globetrotting hero who just happens to wear a silver mask along with his suit while he's fighting crimes. SANTO VS. DOCTOR DEATH is the second of these Bondian adventures, and it's chock full of glamorous women, Interpol agents, and bust-ups in hotel rooms. It's also probably the worst-plotted Santo movie you'll see, as the main story here – about a madman growing tumours to use in his painting – makes absolutely no sense whatsoever and is merely a hook on which to hang the storyline. When things begin, you'll swear you're watching a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE rip-off, as a guy breaks into an art gallery to deface a painting; by the end, in which Santo duels with a villain using speedboats and hangs from a helicopter, you'll be convinced this is a Bond flick. It's very derivative and there's no originality to speak of.

Sadly this isn't one of Santo's better movies, despite some decent action sequences. Although there are great plot ingredients, as a whole it's a confusing mess. Santo doesn't seem to be trying quite as hard here, and despite decent eye candy from the likes of Helga Line, the supporting cast are a disappointment. Son of the director, Carlos Romero Merchante is Santo's sidekick for this film alone, and it's a laugh to see this skinny, floppy-haired guy beating the bad guys with the same gusto as our hulking hero. It was a kick to see Spanish film regular Frank Brana (who cemented his career with appearances in all three films in Sergio Leone's DOLLARS trilogy) appearing as a henchman whom Santo knocks out in one scene.

Still, there is some fun to be had, whether it's the see-through nightgowns the ladies wear, the acid bath in the basement (always a classic),the excellent series of traps that Santo has to face at the film's climax (fire, machine guns, arrows, falling roofs),the always-fun wrestling bouts dotted here and there, the cheesy car chase or the great fights (the hotel and bathroom fights are my tops). It's just a shame these moments put together take up about twenty minutes of the running time, while the rest of the film is dull.

By the early 70s, Mexican wrestler Santo was a huge figure in Mexican cinema. However, his formula of action and comedy that was very successful in his horror/action films of the 60s, began to take a campier, kitsch tone during the 70s. Taking away the previous mystical origins of Santo and with an huge influence of Bond films, "Santo contra los Secuestradores" (1973) started the trend of Santo as an special Interpol agent. The same year, "Santo contra el Doctor Muerte" followed up this trend and perfected it the style creating the now familiar image of the suave wrestler-by-day/agent-by-night that Santo carried during the 70s.

The plot starts as mysterious criminal (Antonio Pica),damages the famous painting "Los Borrachos" during its exhibition on a Mexican museum. Spain's government demands an investigation and soon the Interpol suspects that Dr. Mann (Georges Rigaud),the man hired for the restoration of the painting is in fact behind its damage. Since his wrestling tour will take him to Spain, Special Agent Santo is called to work incognito. With the aid of agent Paul (Carlos Romero Marchent) Santo will infiltrate in Dr. Mann's castle in Spain to discover the mystery behind the painting's' damage, a mystery that involves the use of kidnapped women in bizarre scientific experiments.

Owing a lot to the 70s bond films, the movie feels like an update to the Santo's character and a follow up to the humanization of his character. Santo is no longer the mystical warrior or the crime-fighting scientist, he is an Interpol agent who uses his status as Wrestling champion to make his work easier. Rafael Romero Marchent handles the Bond-style action genre competently even when his work had been mainly on the Spaghetti Western sub-genre.

While not groundbreaking or particularly special, Rafael Romero Marchent makes a film that works despite its limitations and successfully mixes the Bond-esquire elements with the Santo mythology paving the way for the iconic figure Santo would become during the 70s. Like in his westerns, Romero Marchent makes good use of his locations and the film looks very good for its low-budget. Something very remarkable are the action sequences that, albeit short, work extremely well and are among the most realistic on a Santo movie.

Santo looks more comfortable in this new take on his character than in his early films. He is now a less superhuman character and is relatively more believable than his previous incarnations. Carlos Romero Marchent is very good as Paul, but with the exception of some great scenes, the potential of his character is never exploited. Antonio Pica and Georges Rigaud are superb as the villains and they are probably among the best actors in the cast.

Although not a kitsch extravaganza like the previous "Santo contra la Hija De Frankenstein", the movie is entertaining and filled with Santo's light-hearted comedy (both voluntary and involuntary). The campy tone of the previous films is still here but the approach, as other aspects in the movie, is based on the style of Bond films. This may probably be a flaw as fans of Bond-style action films may not like the Santo elements and at the same time, fans of typical Santo films may feel like the Bond elements are not part of Santo.

"Santo contra el Doctor Muerte" is definitely a love it or hate it movie. In my opinion the mix works and while it is not a perfect film it makes good entertainment for 95 minutes. 6/10

A refreshing Santo picture since it was mostly produced in Spain, and it shows, the execution its mostly the generic action crime film from the time with a few slightly horror-like elements that arent too dissimilar from a Mexican Santo film.

Going from a third world country with barely any money or resources to a first world country with a far bigger film industry really did a lot to change the overall feel and production value of the series with this one (even if this is still low budget). Its not as great as some of the best Santo entries done in the wrestler´s home country, but it is a welcome addition, specially since some of the last few movies were nothing spectacular or new.

A very serviceable european action spy movie that just so happens to have Santo in a leading role. Not amazing but entertaining enough.

Mostly recommended for Santo and wrestling movie fans.