When the ambassador husband of Lady Elena Hamilton (Anita Rinaldi) is kidnapped by pirates, and she receives no help from the authorities, she decides to rescue him herself. To this end, she recruits the roguish Captain Thomas Butler (Carlo De Palma), and together they put together an eccentric band of misfits for the mission.
If ever a film had an unfortunate retitling, this is it. Originally released in 1999 as “I predatori delle Antille” (“The Predators of the Antilles”), this film will, under its new monicker, lose a good chunk of its intended audience (who will no doubt assume it to be porn) and alienate whoever would be drawn by the new title (there are only a couple of brief nude scenes). What we have here is a fairly straightforward low-budget adventure film, one that makes the most of its handsome sets, and makes for a not-unpleasant but far-from-memorable 90 minutes. The only real point of interest as far as the plot is concerned lies in the fact that, while Lady Hamilton must promise herself to Butler in return for his help, she doesn’t, in the end, have to uphold her end of the bargain, having managed to cement the relationship between Butler and the woman who adores him (Venere Torti).
Outside the story, the film is interesting for being one of Joe D’Amato’s last efforts, and will be, for most viewers familiar with his work, a little surprising, lacking as it does both explicit sex and gore. It also was a change of pace for Rinaldi, herself a hardcore specialist (on both sides of the camera). We’ll trust they enjoyed the break, and all involved seem to be having a good time. But while this is far less bloated than any Pirates of the Caribbean entry, it’s also bit too ho-hum to recommend.
