Redundant and unnecessary.

Pretty Good

Boring

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

With some of the best fight scenes Hollywood ever produced, a viewer can only marvel at the quality of this excellent serial, called by many the best, or at least one of the best, ever.With both Dave Sharpe and Yakima Canutt present, although un-billed and credited only here at IMDb and among knowledgeable movie fans, we have to expect the very best in stunt work. And we get it.To repeat: Some of the best fight scenes ever produced in Hollywood.From the very beginning, we get a beautifully effective use of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, with the "V" motif, "V for Victory," which is perfect for 1942.It's very important to remember that 1942 context. Modern audiences are probably more used to pyrotechnics and glitz, of which there is none or very little.But what we get is a great story, with some truth in the basic premise of the bad guys' plot: An intention to ruin the U.S. economy by flooding the country with counterfeit money. (This has a truthful basis: Several times in the last 100 years, warring nations, or cold-warring nations, have attempted to subvert an enemy's economy just that way. For example, the Germans during World War II, and North Korea more recently. They didn't succeed, but at least a couple of U.S. administrations took over and flooded the economy with pretty-nearly worthless Federal Reserve notes in such numbers, prices soared as much as 20 percent!)We also get some good acting, some great directing, and some very great special effects from Republic's master, Howard Lydecker.The good acting comes not only from the listed stars and "withs," but from all the stunt-men-bad-guys and from the good guys who might eventually get killed by the nefarious bad guys.All in all, this is one great, one astonishingly great serial, available for home ownership, for rental from various sources, and for free at YouTube. Try to pick carefully. One uploader says his version is from a not-very-good VHS. But this is one great adventure, one exciting serial, one thoroughly entertaining, even enthralling, movie experience. From Republic. I like the sound of that word. And I highly recommend "Spy Smasher."

One reviewer, who clearly didn't pay much attention to the serial, says that Spy Smasher falls off a building and dies...then in the last chapter DOESN'T die. Well, that's plain silly. If anyone just watches the movie (I mean, you don't even have to pay super-close attention), you will see that it is Spy Smasher's twin brother Jack, who has donned the costume, gets shot and falls off the building. He does indeed die! But he isn't Spy Smasher! His brother Alan is...and has been the entire serial. His twin brother is no last chapter reveal...he's there from Chapter One. Wake up before you write a review...or at least watch the movie.

Probably considered a close second to The Adventures of Captain Marvel as the best of all serials. This too is a comic adaptation, but of a comic almost no one has seen in 60 years since it was a war related comic that died a painful death when the "enemy" went away and Spysmasher was forced to fight regular criminals. The plot has Spysmasher- a reporter who faked his own death so he could fight the enemy on their own terms- returning to America to stop The Mask from flooding the country with counterfeit money as well as doing other terrible things. It's a rip roaring adventure that moves like the wind. Republic spent a nice chunk of change on the film and it shows with production values that seem a little more than normal. If there is a flaw its that the film is so action packed that watching it in one or two sittings you become aware how little plot there is. Yes it moves like the wind and yes it's the perfect serial to be seen one chapter each week, but as a something to watch it one sitting its almost too much motion. Granted this was never intended to be seen in one sitting so its understandable that there are "problems" (and minor ones at that). Action film and comic nuts really should see this. It's a blast and a half, especially if you like to watch the old wartime films from the 1940's.

This action-packed serial never fails to amaze me--first-rate work by Kane Richmond in the lead and some of the best-choreographed action scenes to be found in any serial; the stunts are sometimes astonishing. Spy Smasher is as convincingly agile a serial good guy as I've seen; his falls from balconies during fights are truly breathtaking. Sure, none of the bad guys lose their fedoras during the intense fight scenes; but if you can't suspend disbelief during a serial, you shouldn't bother watching them in the first place. Several very clever cliffhangers are impossible to explain until their subsequent resolution in the succeeding chapter. The whole serial is stylish, exciting, fun, and even ends, notably, with the tragic death of a beloved favorite good-guy character. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!