First and weakest of three serials made by a variation of the Dead End Kids, East Side Kids, Little Tough Guys and Bowery Boys. Here the boys are fighting the Torch Gang a band of crooks and saboteurs. The problem with the serial is that aside from interest in the idea of Huntz Hall, Billy Halop and friends in film like this, there is nothing really of interest in the entire affair. The boys walk through the 12 chapters as if they were in one of their least interesting features (even uninteresting to the actors). The action is dull and telegraphed, with cliffhangers that are so poorly done that they generate almost no suspense. Universal was a studio that had a wildly uneven output of serials, with the high point being the Flash Gordons and this and things like Red Barry being the low point. Of interest only as a curio or to die hard fans of the long running Dead End/Bowery Boys etc. films.
3.5 out of 10
3.5 out of 10