I watched this film expecting to see a fighting eagle! I thought this might have been a precursor to “When Animals Attack” or other nature vs. humans themed films. Unfortunately, the eagle does not fight. In fact, the only eagle in this movie happens to be a stone statue that the bad guy occasionally talks to. Likewise, the main character’s name is not Ator. Neither is the eagle’s name Ator. But once you get through this, Ator, the Fighting eagle is a delightful romp through fantasy land.
Our story takes place on a bad studio set someplace in the universe. Is it prehistoric Earth? Is it on another planet? Who knows? All we know is that they have domesticated horses, but the wheel hasn’t been invented yet. We see a boy born who bears the mysterious mark of Ator. We don’t ever get to see the mark up close, just that he has one. According to the prophesy, the boy will grow up to defeat the bad guys who have taken over the land. Rumbling Mountains have something to do with it as well (see also Sheena). The bad guys are instantly alerted to the birth of the boy, because as he’s being born, “the earth trembles like a virgin being drawn to the nuptial bed–” how could you help but like a movie with a line like that? Anyway, a mysterious guy takes the baby away and gives him to strangers to raise.
In time, our hero grows up and falls in love with his sister. As he asks his father for his sister Sunya’s hand in marriage, he discovers that he’s adopted! How convenient! He’s confused, but happy. Unfortunately, for some unexplained reason, the head bad guy (Dakkar, played by himself,) crashes their wedding and kidnaps Sunya. Now our hero is on a mission to save her. But first he meets up with Griba, the guy who dropped him off to be raised by strangers, who teaches him how to fight. Griba gives him a shield that “belonged to Chung the Terrible. [He had] defeated him in combat during the assault on the City of the Winds that was governed by the notorious Seven Siamese Sisters.” But wait! There’s a plot twist. I’ll spoil it for you, because it’s pretty obvious. Griba is a bad guy too! He planned this whole overthrowing of the bad guys thing just so he can get promoted!
Get the picture? A totally cheesy movie, complete with bad dialogue! I can’t even go into all of the cheese involving bad special effects, a tribe of Amazon women and giant spiders.
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