The musclebound star of the Italian Challenge of the Gladiator is billed as "Rock Stevens." To anyone even casually familiar with Mission: Impossible (or, for that matter, Playgirl magazine) it will be abundantly obvious that Rock Stevens is really American leading man Peter Lupus. Our hero plays no less than Spartacus, the Thracian gladiator who led a slave revolt in Rome. Juggling history a bit, the film allows Spartacus to take on Emperor Nero. Old Spart' is even permitted a happy ending, a balm denied Kirk Douglas back in 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi