Donatello “Big Don” Calabria
Played by Bryce Crisp
This movie shares only a title with its origin book, as Huntington Smythe returns as a nigh-indestructible cyborg. Smythe kidnaps the world’s leading technology experts in order to transform his consciousness into a signal continuously broadcast throughout the world. Brand’s gadgets are pushed to the next level, as no normal weapon can damage Smythe’s ultra-steel body.
Widely criticized as being a departure from the Brand formula, this movie is saved by Ray Ford’s the incredible effects work. Ford had been developing the effects for a separate film, but was fired when he and the writer/director of the project came into conflict. Big Don Calabria stepped and bought the work-in-progress, allowing Ford full creative freedom, then shaped the story around the results. When watched in the mindset of not being a Brand film, the rating should increase to 4 stars.