和其他讲述穿紧身衣的超级英雄的作品一样，这部改编电影故事离奇 节奏紧张，迎合了大萧条时期西方观众的遁世心理，取得巨大成功。
片中，冷酷的明被刻画为长着两道刀把状的眉毛的邪恶形象，这一特征在后来数十年的时间里被“飞侠哥顿”的众多影视改编作品中普遍采用，包括1980年摄制Mike Hodges导演的同名影片。

A mysterious plague, the Purple Death, ravages the earth. Dr. Zarkov, investigating in his spaceship, finds a ship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere with dust. Sure enough, Ming the Merciless is up to his old tricks. So it's back to Mongo for Flash, Dale, and Zarkov.

An Indian rug is the key to the location of a lost treasure. When the rug's owner is murdered, it becomes a case for Forest Ranger Steve King

An escaped criminal impersonates a Police Commissioner, causing no end of trouble to a determined Federal Agent.