Ator: A Águia Guerreira

Lots of people would call "Ator" a bad movie. I, personally, would call it delightfully cheesy, like an unintentional spoof on itself. The random use of pyrotechnics at the end, the extremely low quality acting, the plot line that was, at the same time, both stupidly simple AND made no sense, and an arch-villain that wouldn't scare a baby unless it was hit by lightning. Don't see this movie for technical genius, see it for laughs. But, make sure not to become to overcritical of the movie. It may be an extremely bad movie, but I think you will find it hard to enjoy if you are looking for problems. Just sit back, and let the cheesiness do it's work.

Ator, the Fighting Eagle (1982)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

After his village members are slaughtered and his love kidnapped, Ator (Miles O'Keeffe) must travel far to battle the High Priest of the Spider (Dakar).

When people ask me why I enjoy watching bad movies, this bit of dialogue from this film comes as a perfect example:

Ator: I love you.

Sunya: And I love you.

Ator: Why can't we marry?

Sunya: Ator, we are brother and sister.

Ator: I'll talk with our father.

You know, it's really hard to judge a film like this. I mean, it is a very bad movie full of awful acting, silly special effects, lousy direction and it rarely even looks like a "real" movie. Yet, at the same time, the film is so campy and silly at times that it's hard to hate the picture too much. Not only is it hard to hate the picture but it's also so campy that you might find yourself enjoying it somewhat.

With that said, there's no question that there are all sorts of problems with this film and heck, you could argue that there are countless problems with the entire sub-genre. There are many laughable moments throughout the film including that dialogue I highlighted but O'Keeffe was obviously hired for his looks here as his acting isn't all that memorable. Ritza Brown is at least good eye-candy and Dakar is over-the-top enough to where you can laugh and enjoy the performance. Laura Gemser appears briefly as a sex object.

Director Joe D'Amato was obviously working on a small budget and it shows throughout the picture but I will say that the final ten- minutes are actually entertaining and good. Well, as least they are until we get to the stock footage and the awful closing song. ATOR, THE FIGHTING EAGLE isn't a masterpiece, a good film or even a fair film. It's a bad movie but it's campy enough to where you can get some laughs from it.

Conan the Barbarian you could say was at the top of the pile of these derivative sword and sorcery enterprises that were being churned out in the early 80s and the main influencer for these films. "Ator" was at the very bottom of the pile and was a quick cash-in on the former by notorious director Joe D'Amato. It's quite bad. More so in a banal and simple-minded way, this is unforgivable. What happens is second-rate and hasty in its execution and with little fun attached to it. A bemused Miles O'keeffe plays the title character and goes about things in a rather laborious manner (uneventful journey with plenty of strutting and flat sword choreography)… although there are some amusingly terrible dialogue exchanges (the heart to heart talk about love with romantic interludes), a lousy twist… and a battle scene with a slow moving gigantic spider… but other than that not much to recommend. It's just risible more so than thrilling. Oh I did forget something… the bear cub. I don't know what it had to do with anything, but its presence was a welcome inclusion.

If you are looking for a sage tale, full of mystic fantasy that takes you off to into uncharted territories, please, do not watch. If you like really hokey barbarian movies, this is perhaps one of the best.

This is not a good movie. However, that should not discourage you. If you can accept it's badness, you will enjoy it. It is so terrible that you can sit back and laugh. The furry boots, the chest armor that looks like a large dinner plate, the fact that he wants to marry his sister... Miles O'Keeffe kinda looks like an out of work porn star.

If you enjoy really bad movies, this is a must see; one of those few gems that is a funny-but-not-supposed-to-be-funny movie.

The fearless warrior Ator and his brave female companion, the Amazon Roon, travel through miles of primitive villages, forests, caves and castles to destroy the "kingdom of the spider" (or something) and kill its evil ruler. It's a dull and clunky journey. My advice is: watch the sequel ("The Blade Master") instead. Not only is it slightly more watchable than this film, but it also includes a brief "recap" of it, which enables you to see every single scene of the original that's worth seeing (so to speak) in a matter of a few minutes. (*1/2)