Alchemist Akronos on discovering a Geometric Nucleus asks his daughter Mila to bring his former student Ator to stop it falling into the hands of the evil warlord Zor.
Director Joe D’Amato returns for Ator 2 – L’invincibile Orion, AKA The Blade Master. Like it’s predecessor it was made to cash-in on the Conan, here namely 1984’s Conan the Destroyer (for some reason Ator 2 is erroneously labelled as being made in 1982, possibly a mix up with the original Italian title).
Opening with a classic fantasy voice over, there’s then a recap of the original told by Akronos played by Charles Borromel with a large amount of footage from Ator: Fighting Eagle (1982). It has some shortfalls synonyms with D’Amato, clunky music, editing and the like but real location exteriors offer a period feel. Although a low budget offering the craftsmanship on the production, from the sets to weapons and costumes is effective.
Miles O’Keeffe reprises his role as Ator, here with a little more muscle, he’s more knowledgeable and wise, as he and sidekick Thong (Kiro Wehara, credited as Chen Wong) they travel the mythic ends of the Earth. Sadly Sabrina Siani’s Roon is missing having died in the first film. Doe-eyed Lisa Foster takes up the reins as Mila and does a good job with D’Amato basic script, which includes Ator using a hang glider made from wood, twine and cloth, there’s also a nuclear-like explosion thrown in echoing the tension of the time it was made.
Again it’s cheap but played straight and if you enjoyed the simplicity of the first, this is more of the same as Mila, Ator, and Thong face a variety of dangers along the way, including cannibals, a serpent god, snakes and soldiers.
Overall, while not reaching the gore heights of Conquest (1983) it’s more of the same and arguably one of the better sword and sandals films from Italy, debatably better than the likes of Deathstalker II (1987).
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