Story: On the circus circuit, exotic animal acts are all the rage and of course, that means hunters have incentive to venture to places like Africa, to secure new animals. Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) first realizes that the hunters have arrived when he finds a dying lion, which leads him to discover that the outsiders plan to trap or kill as many lions as possible on this excursion. While he doesn’t agree with this and makes his stance well known, he is ignored by the hunters and in fact, puts a target on himself in the process. When the hunters kill a native and hatch a plan to blame the lions, they hope the ruse will give them free reign to claim the lions. Bomba has other plans, but will the hunters do whatever it takes to secure the animals, even if it means killing Bomba?

Entertainment Value: The Lion Hunters is the fifth installment in the Bomba the Jungle Boy series and for me, this is the most entertaining film in the franchise to this point. The story is competent and has some nice twists, as well as some light world building to flesh things out. I appreciate that, as these movies are episodic and don’t rely on seeing them all or in order, but adding some details for fans that always tune in is nice and helps gives the Bomba world some extra depth. A runtime of seventy-five minutes and a brisk pace ensures The Lion Hunters is never dull and I was pleased with the amount of jungle action packed in here. I always like seeing Bomba do his jungle boy routine like battling animals and swinging on his vine, which is why I liked this sequel so much, as it has more of those elements than the previous volumes. Of course, this can’t compete with an Indiana Jones level production, but this is a brisk, enjoyable adventure. If you like the Bomba series or Tarzan type pictures, The Lion Hunters is well worth a look.

Johnny Sheffield is back for yet another turn as Bomba and as usual, he has the jungle boy routine down pat and is fun to watch here. I tend to prefer when Bomba is the focus of these films, rather than the ones where the narrative steers around him, so The Lion Hunters delivered in that regard. The story is good and weaves Bomba into the mix well, so Sheffield gets to show off his skills often. This includes his swinging around, taking on wild animals, and general jungle thrills, which he does so well. He is able to be so likable and charismatic as well, traits which have increased as he has settled more into the role. By this point he knows how to bring Bomba to life like clockwork, so this is a enjoyable performance to be sure. The cast also includes Woody Strode, Ann E. Todd, Morris Ankrum, and Douglas Kennedy.

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