The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire (1981)

hyped garbage

Don't Believe the Hype

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

This sword and sorcery flick is a mess. Judging from the confused narrative and editing plus constant namedropping of characters we haven't been introduced to, I would guess that it's a failed TV-pilot or something that somebody squeezed together to feature length and released to an unsuspecting world. If you have a high tolerance level for bad sword and sorcery flicks there's some fun to be had: there's some monsters, like the cool snake-men, magic, a lot of silly fantasy nonsense dialogue ("you must recover the runestone from Brakus the Destroyer in order to save the kingdom of Harmonia from the evil... blah blah blah...") and some weird color filters that the creators use from now and then for no apparent reason. Also, it should be noted that this film takes itself 100% serious, which makes the pretentious overacting from an aged George Kennedy in fake-beard and a silly wig all the funnier. And everybody's favorite boy's-own hero Kabir "Sandokan" Bedi plays the hero's sidekick! But all in all I think it's safe to say that this movie is only for real sword and sorcery nerds like me. Hawk the Slayer come back, all is forgiven!

I was a 10 year old boy when I saw this on TV. Odd how certain things stick in your mind.I still remember something about the evil guy--I believe he had a black beard?--and his magic item, as a sort of contrast to the Heartbow, was, if I recall, a sort of metal gauntlet thing with a blue gemstone in it. I don't recall what its power was, but if he put it on, he had some sort of energy power. I think the screen would turn blue and dark/light inverted, as when the Heartbow arrows "exploded". A modern film reference to the blue gauntlet would be a good obscure reference.The great thing about the internet is you can ramble like this about things that don't matter in the slightest little bit...and it's okay.

I remember seeing this film when it was first broadcast on tv. If memory serves, it was the first of what was supposed to be a series of specials, which would advance the story. Unfortunately, it didn't do well and became the only installment.I thoroughly enjoyed it initially. It had a great villain and unique concepts. The acting was bad in certain cases (oh, George Kennedy, what were you doing?) but for the most part, it was watchable.I later found it at a video store and rented it. I was less impressed the second time around, but still found it entertaining. It was vastly superior to most of the other attempts at sword & sorcery films from that era, with the exception of the first Conan.It was a shame that the series didn't continue, as I always wondered what the intended conclusion was supposed to be. If you enjoy fantasy, give it a try.

when I was a child. Damn, it's a long time ago I've seen this movie. It seems like an eternity, yet it was only six, seven, eight years ago, back when I was about 12. Man, this movie, it just rocks in my memory. I mean the fact that I saw it about 5 to 10 times and that I even remember seeing it now (about 8 years later) and being able to remember scenes and recognize photo's says it all. I think it is a great film. Underrated, not known to many folk but definitely a truly GREAT film. Although I liked the Neverending story too back then and now I think it is bad. But who cares I bet you it makes very good entertainment for kids. 8 out of 10