Iron Eagle

The film focuses a boy about eighteen-years-old (Jason Gedrick) ; when his father (Tim Thomerson) is taken prisoner by a dictator (David Suchet) from Middle East , he steals a F 16 fighter jet to rescue his daddy . He's helped by the brave Colonel ¨Chappy¨ Sinclair (Louis Gosset Jr. , though Morgan Freeman auditioned for the part) . The movie contains a plethora of action scenes , explosion , blasts , aircraft battles with various jet-planes flying to sound-velocity and blown up . The picture is a blend of typical films from the 80s , as ¨Top Gun¨and ¨Rambo¨ but starred by a teenager .

The story provides entertainment and action with no sense but being sometimes a little bit boring and dull . All of the fighter aircraft used (F-16 fighters ; plus , F-21 fighters depicting enemy MiGs) are actually Israeli Air Force aircraft , repainted with the USAF symbol and a fictitious enemy symbol . Jason Gedrick is the valiant he-man , he causes wreck havoc to nasties commanded by the villain David Suchet . Our hero ¨Chappy¨ is well personified by Louis Gosset Jr , usual to all the¨Iron Eagle¨ saga . Spectacular cinematography by Adam Greenberg with excellent sky-shots . However , the score is awful , but is based in disco-music and synthesizer , in spite of being composed by Basil Poledouris (¨Conan¨ music's author) . The motion picture was regularly directed by Sidney J.Furie . It's followed by three sequels, all directed by Furie with exception the second directed by John Glen , thus : ¨Iron Eagle 2¨ (1988) with Mark Humphrey ; ¨Aces : Iron Eagle III¨ (1992) with Rachel McLish and Horst Buchhold ; and ¨Iron Eagle IV¨ with Rachel Blanchard .

I love Iron Eagle. It's heavily slated as a "Top Gun rip-off" but in truth it certainly is not that.

Sure, Iron Eagle doesn't have the babes or the budget that Top Gun had, but who cares? It's still a fantastic fun movie to watch, no matter how unrealistic it is.

Lou Goussett Jr, Jason Gredick and David Suchet all put on blinding performances. The chemistry between Lou and Jason is great, believeable at times.

Iron Eagle in my honest opinion is better than Top Gun, many say it isn't but I think it is...it certainly has the better action scenes and a cool thumping soundtrack.

More of a "lads" movie, probably the pinnacle of an 80's nostalgic film.

Legendary, if underrated. Move over Top Gun.

8/10

I remember seeing this movie in the theater when it first came out. I think I saw it three or four times. It was the best air combat movie I had seen at the time.

I hear this movie compared to Top Gun a lot. In my opinion there is no contest. Iron Eagle is far better than Top Gun. Here's why. Top Gun had very good aerial combat sequences. Some of the best I've still ever seen. However, the plot of Top Gun was AWOL. All I remember of Top Gun is, they practiced, he got the girl, his pal died and he was the hero at the end. Iron Eagle had a good plot. However the aerial combat scenes are pretty fake and tame. Sure it was unbelievable that they could pull it off but there was a plot and a good one.

Iron Eagle's fun lies in it's youthful angst and comedy. Louis Gossett Jr. shows his veteran acting skill in this movie as the veteran pilot. Jason Gedrick was good as the young upstart pilot with too much testosterone. They chemistry between the actors was good. There is one scene where they young pilot asks for Chappy's help and he turns him down and Louis Gossett's acting skills become quite evident. One of the best scenes in the movie is the race between the motorcycle and the Cessna with a pounding rock song in the background. It is one of the best done flight sequences I've seen in a move and is not fake like the combat scenes. Another scene is when the kids use their dupe their parents and other military personnel into getting them what ever they want from the base, including two F-16s. But more than these scenes, it's really the soundtrack that makes the movie. There are songs by Queen(One Vision), Dio(Hide in the Rainbow) and The Spencer Davis Group(Gimmie Some Lovin), what a combo! Not only does the music sound good to our young pilot, it also makes him fly and fight better! While I can't say that Iron Eagle is a masterpiece, it is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Iron Eagle is out on DVD! Now I finally have and excuse to buy a DVD player!

Rayvyn

When US Airforce pilot Col Ted Masters is shot down over waters claimed by a hostile Middle Eastern country he is captured, put on trial and sentenced to death! His eighteen year old son Doug, a skilled Cessna pilot hoping to join the Air Force, is horrified to learn the military will be doing nothing to save his father. He decides to lead his own rescue mission. He enlists the help of Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair, a Vietnam veteran who is now in the Air Force Reserve... they plan the mission; appropriate two fully armed F-16 fighters and set off for the Middle East to rescue Doug's father.

To say this film is cheesy and unrealistic is an understatement... I can see why the USAF wanted nothing to do with it as it makes it look easy for kids to get classified information on an air base not to mention the stealing of two F-16s! That said if you can put your brain in neutral it is quite fun. There is plenty of action and the flying sequences are spectacular with the Israeli Air Force proving F-16s and Kfirs; the latter standing in for enemy MiGs. The effects aren't the best; it is clear that destroyed aircraft and buildings are models. The makers clearly liked explosions ... even a mast falling on a tent causes an explosion! Much of the acting is pretty hammy but Louis Gossett Jr adds a touch of quality as Chappy. Overall I wouldn't call this a must see unless you are on an '80s nostalgia trip or, like me, have to run to the window every time you hear a fast jet overhead!

I'm sorry, but I just can't help it, I love watching Iron Eagle. Now, do not misunderstand me, I am not saying that this is a great movie. No, rather, I would put it that this is an endlessly entertaining movie. For people who cut this movie to pieces for not being realistic are kinda missing the point. Of course Iron Eagle's plot was ridiculous. But I believe its target audience was kids, and I sure remember finding this cool when I was little. Now I just find it amusing as a guilty pleasure, kinda like Road House. This movie is part of the great pantheon of 80's, kids-taking-on-the-stodgy-adult-power-structure movies. You must remember D.A.R.Y.L, Real Genius, E.T., etc. If you ask me, just watching Doug and Knotcher "Ride the Snake" in the beginning is worth the cost of the DVD. That whole sequence was so STUPID! But, at the same time, it was hilarious, funny, totally 80's, all that good stuff. So bottom line, Iron Eagle is a great 80's guilty pleasure. The hairstyles, the dancing, the music, the dialogue, its all funny as hell. I have Iron Eagle on DVD and to me it was totally worth $9.99 at Best Buy. If you love laughing at dated, unrealistic action movies, this one is a must-see. Oh yeah, and I think its plot was only marginally stupider than 1986's other fighter pilot action pic, Top Gun.