Iron Eagle

[areaseven]

Iron Eagle
Tri-Star Pictures, 1986
Directed by Sidney J. Furie (The Ipcress File, The Entity)
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rated PG-13 for violence and strong language.

Cast
Louis Gossett, Jr. (Sgt. Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman, Jerry in Enemy Mine) as Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair
Jason Gedrick as Doug Masters
David Suchet (Agatha Christie's Poirot) as Col. Akir Nakesh
Tim Thomerson as Col. Ted Masters

Synopsis
Doug Masters is an aspiring pilot, hoping to follow his father's footsteps in the U.S. Air Force. Then one day, his father is shot down over the Mediterranean sea and taken prisoner in an Arab country, where he is to be executed in three days. Seeing that the U.S. government will do nothing about this crisis, Doug takes matters into his own hands, as he and his friends make plans for their own rescue operation. In addition, they receive further help from veteran pilot Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair, who flies with Doug on their way to rescue Col. Masters in hostile territory.

Lowdown
With all this news about a new Top Gun movie, I couldn't help but dust off this 1980s relic. Iron Eagle is seen by many critics as a second-rate Top Gun, mainly because both films came out on the same year. Yes, it's cheesy and a bit dated, but quite a gem for anyone who enjoys the '80s.

The first half of the film tends to be dragging, as it focuses mostly on Doug's life, from spending his time flying simulators and Cessnas while cranking his Walkman to dealing with a rejection notice from the Air Force Academy. Doug, at most, is your stereotypical film brat. But then comes Chappy, who carries the whole weight of the film with his cool, calculating attitude.

The dogfights are decently choreographed, despite using the same explosion shots over and over again. And as with Top Gun, this film has MiG fighters inaccurately portrayed by Western fighter planes - in this case, the Israeli-built IAI Kfir takes the role of the baddies. But perhaps the strongest point of this film is the music. You've got heavy-hitting rock and metal anthems from Queen, Dio and Eric Martin, as well as the epic theme song "Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)" by King Kobra.

In short, Iron Eagle is no Top Gun, but if you're in the mood for a decent air combat movie or if you're a fan of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, look no further. Just don't bother with the sequels, which will be reviewed later on in this thread (at least two of them are better than Stealth).

Rating: B

References
The Internet Movie Database Edited June 13, 2014 by areaseven

[Roy Focker]

I wouldn't call it a "classic".

On the plus side a Queen Song is in it. Fried Chicken!

[Knight26]

Iron Eagle is an exercise in how to get yourself court martialed in the air force for misapropriation of government equipment. In fact the Air Force was so against the story that they removed all support for the movie, and then the whole thing had to be filmed using Israeli Air Force aircaft, hence the Kfirs. I will give props for using KFirs as MIGs since they are at least a foreign airframe. But at least they didn't use F-4s like they did in Iron Eagle 2. Plus the aerials are so good because the same guy who did the aerial fight scenes in Blue THunder did the coreography.

[Dynaman]

Iron Eagle is an exercise in how to get yourself court martialed in the air force for misapropriation of government equipment. In fact the Air Force was so against the story that they removed all support for the movie, and then the whole thing had to be filmed using Israeli Air Force aircaft, hence the Kfirs. I will give props for using KFirs as MIGs since they are at least a foreign airframe. But at least they didn't use F-4s like they did in Iron Eagle 2. Plus the aerials are so good because the same guy who did the aerial fight scenes in Blue THunder did the coreography.

Another plus for using Kfirs, they are cooler looking then the F5/F20. One of these movies also used barely disguised M113s as soviet equipment, which I found nearly as amusing as the opening scene from Rambo 3(*)

(*) - Where the supposedly really really good colonel of special forces goes riding around in the Afghanistan desert with headlights on, I started laughing hysterically...

[Agent ONE]

Wait, the black guy ISN'T Montel Williams!!??

[Vifam7]

Iron Eagle is an exercise in how to get yourself court martialed in the air force for misapropriation of government equipment.

Applies to Chappie but not Doug.

Ofcourse this kind of stuff (ie. snot-nosed kid jumps into military mecha) happens all the time in anime.

In fact the Air Force was so against the story that they removed all support for the movie, and then the whole thing had to be filmed using Israeli Air Force aircaft, hence the Kfirs. I will give props for using KFirs as MIGs since they are at least a foreign airframe. But at least they didn't use F-4s like they did in Iron Eagle 2. Plus the aerials are so good because the same guy who did the aerial fight scenes in Blue THunder did the coreography.

I actually liked Iron Eagle 2 for the sheer fact that they showed F-4 Phantoms. However, to think of them as Soviet airforce "MiGs" was indeed ridiculous. It might've made more sense to use IAF Skyhawks.

[Dynaman]

Applies to Chappie but not Doug.

Doug is guilty of stealing or knowingly receiving stolen government property. Since he is not a soldier he is also guilty of terrorism (I think), certainly of violent acts against another country...

Me, I'd rather watch "Uncommon Valor". It was also silly, but better then the other films of it's kind. (Vietnam grunts - not fighter planes though)

[Vifam7]

Doug is guilty of stealing or knowingly receiving stolen government property.

The original post mentioned "court martial". Which doesn't apply to a civilian.

Yah, in the real world, both of them would be in a world of trouble.

But ofcourse this is why I enjoy fantasy movies and anime.

[taksraven]

It was a great film when yr a 15 year old kid back in the 1980's. As a late 30's man in *this* century, its clear that the film has not aged well......

To be honest though, Red Dawn has not aged as bad as this film....

Taksraven

[Agent ONE]

It was a great film when yr a 15 year old kid back in the 1980's. As a late 30's man in *this* century, its clear that the film has not aged well......

To be honest though, Red Dawn has not aged as bad as this film....

Taksraven

Cyborg hasn't aged that bad. This movie is terrible now.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Best things about this movie:

1. IAF in action
   
2. Soundtrack
   

I didn't like the scenes where the F-16's were shown with ordinance after previously releasing said ordinance. I liked seeing the Kfirs in action too.

[danth]

Ah, I was expecting the 1988 action movie featuring Jean Claud Van Damme, but I was thinking of Black Eagle.

[Dynaman]

To be honest though, Red Dawn has not aged as bad as this film....

Well, it is hard to go down from where Red Dawn started. Another laughably bad film. At least they tried to make the Helicopters look like Hinds - did a rather decent job of it too.

[buddhafabio]

my pop was a b-52 and kc135 mechanic in the 80s he hates the f-16. yet i remember seeing the first iron eagle 2-3 times in the theater with him when i was 8. he picked at the movie here and there. but i am pretty sure he liked it because he bought the vhs. me being 8 i loved it. i like it now for its entertaing value and have it on dvd

[Ghost Train]

I liked how when Doug clicked play on his walkman, all the missiles on his F-16 were instantly replinished .

[areaseven]

Time to cover the three sequels in one post.

Iron Eagle II

Carolco Pictures, 1988

Directed by Sidney J. Furie (Purple Hearts, The Taking of Beverly Hills)

Running Time: 105 minutes

Rated PG for violence and strong language.

To make a long story short, Doug is killed in the opening scene during a run-in with the Soviets (who are flying F-4 Phantoms). His wingman Matt "Cobra" Cooper is recruited alongside Chappy to cooperate with the Soviets on a joint strike operation to destroy a nuclear weapons facility somewhere in the Middle East. Considering that one F-16, a cargo plane and an APC were destroyed and one soldier was killed, this operation sucks. They should've given this mission to the Israeli Air Force instead. And the strike operation itself is a ripoff of Star Wars. Still, the dogfights are decent.

Rating: D+

--

Aces: Iron Eagle III

Seven Arts Films/New Line Cinema, 1992

Directed by John Glen (all James Bond 007 films from 1981 to 1989)

Running Time: 98 minutes

Rated R for violence, drug use and strong language.

What did Sonny Chiba do to deserve this humiliation? Aces: Iron Eagle III has Chappy and three World War II veterans (a Briton, a German and a Japanese, to be more precise) fly antique aircraft to Peru in order to stop a drug cartel run by a former Nazi captain and a corrupt U.S. Air Force general. This film makes a lame attempt at sarcasm by throwing in every stereotype out there. Worst of all is a sidekick named Tee Vee, who seems to be the precursor to Jar-Jar Binks. Hell, the movie even makes Sonny Chiba do what every Japanese pilot was trained to do during WWII. Probably the only good part of this movie is that bodybuilding hottie Rachel McLish, but that alone doesn't save it from obscurity.

Rating: D-

--

Iron Eagle on the Attack

Trimark Pictures, 1995

Directed by Sidney J. Furie (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace)

Running Time: 96 minutes

Rated PG-13 for violence, drug references and strong language.

Behold: The final nail on the coffin of the Iron Eagle film series. Chappy, now retired from the Air Force, runs a flying school in order to rehabilitate a group of juvenile delinquents. Also, it turns out that Doug did eject from his plane during the incident in Iron Eagle II, but ended up being a POW in the Soviet Union. Also, he's played by someone else. Still, this severely low-budget disaster has no excuses: plot has no direction, characters make no sense, and the fighter jets magically change from F-5s to F-16s. And this movie doesn't even have a decent soundtrack (as the producers were probably too poor to license any rock music). As a result, this movie is beyond awful that an F, bomb or turkey are not low enough to rate it. So I'll use the same rating I gave The King of Failures.

Rating:

References

The Internet Movie Database

Edited April 12, 2012 by areaseven

[Graham]

Don't remember which of the Iron Eagle films it was, but I remember one terrible seen where the F-16 was shown firing its Vulcan cannon, but sound effects added for the firing had it firing at a ridiculously slow rate.

Graham

[reeoyuy]

If they use F-16 not F-15, shouldn't it titled "Iron Falcon" not "Iron Eagle"?

[David Hingtgen]

Hell, the movie even makes Sonny Chiba do what every Japanese pilot was trained to do during WWII.

If you're referring to kamikaze attacks, IIRC that was not universal. I know that early on they took volunteers* to form dedicated squadrons. And regardless, it was only during the final few months of the war---many Japanese pilots were killed in the early 40's before it had even been thought of.

*for most any "volunteer", it was never spelled out what it entailed. It was along the lines of "we have the ultimate weapon which is certain to cause heavy damage---but you must commit fully to it before we reveal it to you--there is no turning back".

[Vifam7]

To make a long story short, Doug is killed in the opening scene during a run-in with the Soviets (who are flying F-4 Phantoms). His wingman Matt "Cobra" Cooper is recruited alongside Chappy to cooperate with the Soviets on a joint strike operation to destroy a nuclear weapons facility somewhere in the Middle East. Considering that one F-16, a cargo plane and an APC were destroyed and one soldier was killed, this operation sucks. They should've given this mission to the Israeli Air Force instead. And the strike operation itself is a ripoff of Star Wars.

More of a ripoff of 633 Squadron IMO.

The Star Wars "trench run" also comes from this movie.

Edited November 18, 2010 by Vifam7

[Chronocidal]

I always thought it was pretty similar to Dambusters actually.

I got the dvd of the first IE a while back for like $2.. figured it was worth it for the soundtrack and reminiscing about my childhood dreams of being a fighter pilot. Same reason I bought Top Gun, actually, though the F-14 pushes it easily on top. In fact, I don't think I've actually watched any part of either of those movies not involving aircraft in years. Reminds me, I need to find a way to setup a custom chapter playlist so I can skip all that useless character development automatically, and get to the flying.

Honestly, for all that goes on in the first movie, it needs to be shown as a military training video in how NOT to conduct security. <.<

I never could stand the second one, and never even knew 3 and 4 existed.. which was probably for the better.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

If they use F-16 not F-15, shouldn't it titled "Iron Falcon" not "Iron Eagle"?

I think in the IAF, one variant of the Falcon is called the Eagle.

[areaseven]

The film is titled Iron Eagle because it's a military slang for a Colonel who will not be promoted to General for various reasons. This means the movie is referring to Chappy. Of course, the sequels somewhat defeat the purpose of the title, as Chappy is promoted to Brigadier General.

[Chronocidal]

I rarely hear F-16s referred to as Falcons by anyone anymore, seems everyone's picked up the nickname Viper instead, similar to how the A-10 is originally the Thunderbolt, but everyone calls it the Warthog.

[taksraven]

Time to cover the three sequels in one post.

Iron Eagle II

Carolco Pictures, 1988

Directed by Sidney J. Furie (Purple Hearts, The Taking of Beverly Hills)

Running Time: 105 minutes

Rated PG for violence and strong language.

To make a long story short, Doug is killed in the opening scene during a run-in with the Soviets (who are flying F-4 Phantoms). His wingman Matt "Cobra" Cooper is recruited alongside Chappy to cooperate with the Soviets on a joint strike operation to destroy a nuclear weapons facility somewhere in the Middle East. Considering that one F-16, a cargo plane and an APC were destroyed and one soldier was killed, this operation sucks. They should've given this mission to the Israeli Air Force instead. And the strike operation itself is a ripoff of Star Wars. Still, the dogfights are decent.

Rating: D+

--

Aces: Iron Eagle III

Seven Arts Films/New Line Cinema, 1992

Directed by John Glen (all James Bond 007 films from 1981 to 1989)

Running Time: 98 minutes

Rated R for violence, drug use and strong language.

What did Sonny Chiba do to deserve this humiliation? Aces: Iron Eagle III has Chappy and three World War II veterans (a Briton, a German and a Japanese, to be more precise) fly antique aircraft to Peru in order to stop an drug cartel run by a former Nazi captain and a corrupt U.S. Air Force general. This film makes a lame attempt at sarcasm by throwing in every stereotype out there. Worst of all is a sidekick named Tee Vee, who seems to be the precursor to Jar-Jar Binks. Hell, the movie even makes Sonny Chiba do what every Japanese pilot was trained to do during WWII. Probably the only good part of this movie is that bodybuilding hottie Rachel McLish, but that alone doesn't save it from obscurity.

Rating: D-

--

Iron Eagle on the Attack

Trimark Pictures, 1995

Directed by Sidney J. Furie (Superman IV: The Quest for Peace)

Running Time: 96 minutes

Rated PG-13 for violence, drug references and strong language.

Behold: The final nail on the coffin of the Iron Eagle film series. Chappy, now retired from the Air Force, runs a flying school in order to rehabilitate a group of juvenile delinquents. Also, it turns out that Doug did eject from his plane during the incident in Iron Eagle II, but ended up being a POW in the Soviet Union. Also, he's played by someone else. Still, this severely low-budget disaster has no excuses: plot has no direction, characters make no sense, and the fighter jets magically change from F-5s to F-16s. And this movie doesn't even have a decent soundtrack (as the producers were probably too poor to license any rock music). As a result, this movie is beyond awful that an F, bomb or turkey are not low enough to rate it. So I'll use the same rating I gave The King of Failures.

Rating:

References

The Internet Movie Database

I adjusted it go give it a lower rating

[Gaijin]

I still love the original Iron Eagle as cheesy as it was.

[F-ZeroOne]

If you're referring to kamikaze attacks, IIRC that was not universal. I know that early on they took volunteers* to form dedicated squadrons. And regardless, it was only during the final few months of the war---many Japanese pilots were killed in the early 40's before it had even been thought of.

*for most any "volunteer", it was never spelled out what it entailed. It was along the lines of "we have the ultimate weapon which is certain to cause heavy damage---but you must commit fully to it before we reveal it to you--there is no turning back".

Max Hastings has pointed out in Nemesis that the Japanese rulers did not do much to discourage, and almost cultivated, a "culture of death" though, particularly towards the end of the war. Although the kamikazes [1] were indeed voluntary, the Japanese leadership did seem to encourage the throwing away of life, often to little practical effect. To quote Cryptonomicon:

"When are you going to learn that 'Banzai!' charges don't <bleep> work?!"

"All the people who learnt that were killed in 'Banzai!' charges... "

[1] There was, in fact, a kamikazes survivors club. Its not quite as odd an idea as it sounds; leaving aside those who couldn't carry out their mission for whatever reason (for example, the great ace Saburo Sakai, who was thwarted by bad weather), there was at least one kamikaze who survived his aircraft being completely destroyed by flak. And if that sounds even more unlikely, the same thing happened to a RAF pilot over Malta once...