Okay, they weren't working with the biggest budget here. The plot was a little confusing - if an American plane sunk in the waters off Malta, why doesn't the U.S.Navy send all its resources to retrieve it? Malta is their ally, after all. What's with all the covert stuff? This would be an overt operation. The Russians, meanwhile, are trying to get the jet with the high tech systems on board before the Americans do. It would have been difficult for them if the Americans had about ten ships and ten helicopters searching the waters. But no... they need to send for their #1 agent to do it alone. Pleease!!! Before sending for the Black Eagle, another U.S. agent was assigned. He was caught by the Russians and subsequently dispatched by Van Damme. What was he doing? Trying to attach a homing device to the Russian vessel. Homing device? Why? Malta is seventeen miles long at its widest point. Were they afraid of losing the ship?? Van Damme was cool as the evil Russian guy. In the two fight sequences with the Black Eagle, he actually beat him - the Black Eagle retreated both times before he got killed; both times diving into the water after receiving a beating from Van Damme's character, Andre. Then, Andre first gets shot by the Black Eagle's sidekick, then he gets sucked into a boat's propeller after diving into the water to save his girlfriend. The Black Eagle is the first action hero to get his butt kicked by the bad guy and run away both times! Good location shooting on Malta, a very historical island and fun vacation spot. One funny note: At the end of the film, Black Eagle and his kids are supposed to be in Rome. They are standing at a street corner, looking at the Coliseum. The street corner is obviously still in Malta and it looks as if the camera panned a closeup of a postcard of the Coliseum. Like I said, not much of a budget here.
Review of Black Eagle
