178 reviews
¨Delta Force I¨ is based on a hijacking TWA plane and starred by an all-star-cast as Chuck Norris , Lee Marvin , George Kennedy , being professionally produced and directed by Menahen Golan from Cannon Productions along with Yoran Globus . Aircraft jetliner on its way from Athens to Rome and then to New York City is hijacked by Lebanese bad guys . But authorities don't negotiate with terrorists , they blow them away! as an America's special squadron led by Colonel Alexander (Lee Marvin's last film , role was originally intended for Charles Bronson) and Major Scott McCoy (Chuck Norris) take on terrorists . Delta force is charged with saving the passengers of a hijacked airliner who are transported from Greece to Middle East .
Standard action-packed picture , plenty of blow-up , derring-do and fast moving . The film has frenetic action , shoot'em up and spectacular set pieces and for that reason is fun . This is a straight-forward Action|Adventure|Drama|Thriller|War movie which is best described as Dirty Dozen in airport and based on the real-life hijacking of TWA Flight 847 on 14 June 1985 . It is tense and exciting , at time bemusing and with quite budget . Uneven picture , however being entertaining , amusing and never tiring . Extraordinary plethora of secondary actors such as Martin Balsam , Lainie Kazan , Joey Bishop , Shelley Winters , Robert Forster , Susan Strasberg , Bo Svenson , Robert Vaughan and Eric Norris ,Chuck Norris' real-life son, is seen as one of the U.S. Navy divers taken hostage . Exciting rescue climax but realized in cartoon style , to say the least , with spectacular but silly action scenes . The film was originally to be produced with the cooperation of Delta Force's real-life founder and original commanding officer, Col. Charles Beckwith ; the producers wanted to tell the story of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue the American hostages from Iran in 1979, but they wanted to change the story so that Delta Force completed their mission successfully and Colonel Beckwith left the project in disgust . Atmospheric and functional cinematography by David Gurfinkel filmed in Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, West Bank ,Israel , Ellinikon Airport, Athens, Greece , GG Israel Studios, Jerusalem, Haifa, Israel , Washington, District of Columbia, Pentagon Exteriors . Commercial and catching musical score composed by means of synthesizer by Alan Silvestri including lively leitmotif whose theme was later used by ABC Sports for the opening of the Indy 500.
This Actioner movie with great loads of gun-play and explosion is followed by several sequels in comic-book similar style ; as it posteriorly continues with ¨Delta Force II operation stranglehold or Colombian connection ¨ in which Delta leader leads the brigade into Latin America to snuff out an elusive drug lord and starred by Chuck Norris, Richard Jaeckel, John P Ryan , Billy Drago and directed by his brother Aaron Norris . ¨Delta Force III the killing game¨ with the sons Hollywood's bigger stars : Eric Douglas , Nick Cassavetes , Mike Norris and directed by Sam Firstemberg ; ¨Delta Force : operation Ebola ¨ (1997) by Sam Firstemberg with Joe Lara , Jeff Fahey , Ernie Hudson , Frank Zagarino, Rob Stewart , Natasha Sutherland and many others . Furthermore , ¨Delta Force one : The lost patrol¨ by Joseph Zito with Gary Daniels , Mike Norris and Bentley Mitcum , ¨Operation Delta Force 2 Mayday¨ with Michael McGrady and directed by Yossi Wein , ¨Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target¨ by Mark Roper with Jim Fitzpatrick , Bryan Genesse and Greg Collins ; plus ¨Operation Delta Force 4 : Deep Fault¨ with Gary Hudson , Johnny Messner , Greg Collins and Joe Lara , among others .
Standard action-packed picture , plenty of blow-up , derring-do and fast moving . The film has frenetic action , shoot'em up and spectacular set pieces and for that reason is fun . This is a straight-forward Action|Adventure|Drama|Thriller|War movie which is best described as Dirty Dozen in airport and based on the real-life hijacking of TWA Flight 847 on 14 June 1985 . It is tense and exciting , at time bemusing and with quite budget . Uneven picture , however being entertaining , amusing and never tiring . Extraordinary plethora of secondary actors such as Martin Balsam , Lainie Kazan , Joey Bishop , Shelley Winters , Robert Forster , Susan Strasberg , Bo Svenson , Robert Vaughan and Eric Norris ,Chuck Norris' real-life son, is seen as one of the U.S. Navy divers taken hostage . Exciting rescue climax but realized in cartoon style , to say the least , with spectacular but silly action scenes . The film was originally to be produced with the cooperation of Delta Force's real-life founder and original commanding officer, Col. Charles Beckwith ; the producers wanted to tell the story of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue the American hostages from Iran in 1979, but they wanted to change the story so that Delta Force completed their mission successfully and Colonel Beckwith left the project in disgust . Atmospheric and functional cinematography by David Gurfinkel filmed in Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, West Bank ,Israel , Ellinikon Airport, Athens, Greece , GG Israel Studios, Jerusalem, Haifa, Israel , Washington, District of Columbia, Pentagon Exteriors . Commercial and catching musical score composed by means of synthesizer by Alan Silvestri including lively leitmotif whose theme was later used by ABC Sports for the opening of the Indy 500.
This Actioner movie with great loads of gun-play and explosion is followed by several sequels in comic-book similar style ; as it posteriorly continues with ¨Delta Force II operation stranglehold or Colombian connection ¨ in which Delta leader leads the brigade into Latin America to snuff out an elusive drug lord and starred by Chuck Norris, Richard Jaeckel, John P Ryan , Billy Drago and directed by his brother Aaron Norris . ¨Delta Force III the killing game¨ with the sons Hollywood's bigger stars : Eric Douglas , Nick Cassavetes , Mike Norris and directed by Sam Firstemberg ; ¨Delta Force : operation Ebola ¨ (1997) by Sam Firstemberg with Joe Lara , Jeff Fahey , Ernie Hudson , Frank Zagarino, Rob Stewart , Natasha Sutherland and many others . Furthermore , ¨Delta Force one : The lost patrol¨ by Joseph Zito with Gary Daniels , Mike Norris and Bentley Mitcum , ¨Operation Delta Force 2 Mayday¨ with Michael McGrady and directed by Yossi Wein , ¨Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target¨ by Mark Roper with Jim Fitzpatrick , Bryan Genesse and Greg Collins ; plus ¨Operation Delta Force 4 : Deep Fault¨ with Gary Hudson , Johnny Messner , Greg Collins and Joe Lara , among others .
The Delta Force proved to be Lee Marvin's final motion picture and a timely one at that. Don't expect any answers to the complex geopolitical problems that are the Middle East, the film has just one answer in dealing with terrorists.
Marvin got second billed to Chuck Norris who was probably at his height as an action star when The Delta Force was made. Marvin is commander and Norris his executive officer of the United States Army's elite Delta Force called in to deal with problems like this hijacking when they arise.
Some Moslem terrorists hijack an American airliner leaving from Athens and do the things that terrorists are known to do. There are a large contingent of Jews on the plane and they look a lot like Hollywood celebrities such as Joey Bishop, Laine Kazan, Martin Balsam, Shelley Winters. One of the passengers is Catholic priest George Kennedy who plays, I kid you not, Father O'Malley. No, he doesn't sing Too-Ra-Loo- Ra-Loo-Ral, but he's a priest with the right stuff nonetheless. His is my favorite performance in the film.
The terrorists are led by Robert Forster and they do prove to be a resourceful group of fanatics, but still no match for The Delta Force.
Of course the film is simplistic, but sometimes the simple answers are the right ones. A lot of people have trouble wrapping their minds around the concept of evil. Make no mistake, the terrorists are evil and at a certain point there is only one thing to do with them.
Which The Delta Force does with zest and abandon.
Marvin got second billed to Chuck Norris who was probably at his height as an action star when The Delta Force was made. Marvin is commander and Norris his executive officer of the United States Army's elite Delta Force called in to deal with problems like this hijacking when they arise.
Some Moslem terrorists hijack an American airliner leaving from Athens and do the things that terrorists are known to do. There are a large contingent of Jews on the plane and they look a lot like Hollywood celebrities such as Joey Bishop, Laine Kazan, Martin Balsam, Shelley Winters. One of the passengers is Catholic priest George Kennedy who plays, I kid you not, Father O'Malley. No, he doesn't sing Too-Ra-Loo- Ra-Loo-Ral, but he's a priest with the right stuff nonetheless. His is my favorite performance in the film.
The terrorists are led by Robert Forster and they do prove to be a resourceful group of fanatics, but still no match for The Delta Force.
Of course the film is simplistic, but sometimes the simple answers are the right ones. A lot of people have trouble wrapping their minds around the concept of evil. Make no mistake, the terrorists are evil and at a certain point there is only one thing to do with them.
Which The Delta Force does with zest and abandon.
- bkoganbing
- May 2, 2007
- Permalink
The second half of Lee Marvin's final film is given over to the stuntmen, special effects team and armourers.
Based on the 1985 hijacking of an American airliner, it's set mainly in Beirut but inevitably shot in Israel (described by Robert Vaughan as "America's best friend in the Middle East"), the dirty dozen this time round being twelve swarthy, sweaty, wild-eyed sadists and psychos under the command of a moustached Robert Forster during the career limbo from which Tarantino rescued him ten years later.
Although Marvin is billed below Chuck Norris it's basically an ensemble piece. Personally directed by Cannon's Menahim Golan himself, it's a triumph of his and Globus's organisation and showmanship rather than actually filmmaking, having assembled an amazing cast which includes George Kennedy as a priest called William O'Malley and Martin Balsam in a rare overtly Jewish role. As usual there's a glamorous blonde fraulein aboard, but as played by Hanna Schygulla in her only English-language role she's a stewardess rather than one of the hijackers.
Based on the 1985 hijacking of an American airliner, it's set mainly in Beirut but inevitably shot in Israel (described by Robert Vaughan as "America's best friend in the Middle East"), the dirty dozen this time round being twelve swarthy, sweaty, wild-eyed sadists and psychos under the command of a moustached Robert Forster during the career limbo from which Tarantino rescued him ten years later.
Although Marvin is billed below Chuck Norris it's basically an ensemble piece. Personally directed by Cannon's Menahim Golan himself, it's a triumph of his and Globus's organisation and showmanship rather than actually filmmaking, having assembled an amazing cast which includes George Kennedy as a priest called William O'Malley and Martin Balsam in a rare overtly Jewish role. As usual there's a glamorous blonde fraulein aboard, but as played by Hanna Schygulla in her only English-language role she's a stewardess rather than one of the hijackers.
- richardchatten
- Dec 12, 2021
- Permalink
THE DELTA FORCE is an odd movie. The first hour of the film is a well written and directed portrait of an airline highjacking. The music is tense and the performances are solid (especially Robert Forster as the head terrorist). Then, when Chuck and Lee show up, the film turns into a patriotic cheesefest where the delta force whips out the terrorists along to cheesy 80s patriotic pop music. The film definitely goes down from here. The director should've realized that the first half was tense and realistic and decided to keep it that way, even if they were going to have the delta force take out the terrorists. I really dont know why they changed the mood of the film so much, because if they had'nt, this could've been an excellent actioner. The second half is still somewhat enjoyable and very unintentionally funny, but those who think that the second half of the film would be as gripping as the first will be disappointed. 3/5
- shakey_jake53
- Jun 25, 2003
- Permalink
This was an excellent action movie, and Chuck Norris does a great performance. This movie is based on a real hijacking that happened. The movie seemed to follow what actually happened aboard that TWA flight. The hijackers attempted to hold a press conference with the flight crew as hostages, with disasterous results. Yes, Lebanon at first refused to allow the hijacked plane to land at Beirut, and eventually permission was givin. The hijacked plane was refueled and flew on to Algiers. The only difference between the movie and what actually happened was the rescue. In actuality, the hostages were taken to Damascus, Syria, and released. It would have been great if it had happened the way the movie showed it, where a crack team of commandos were flown in to totally wipe out the terrorists. Still, the movie had great action, especially where Scott (Norris) beats up Abdul (Forster) and eventually blow him up in his limosine. Robert Forster did a great job acting as well.
- barnabyrudge
- Aug 30, 2006
- Permalink
As a product of the eighties (I had the misfortune to be born at the very beginning of them), I grew up on movies like this.
One has to wonder what went wrong. In the late sixties and seventies, America was putting out some of the best movies in the world. The reason for this, in my opinion, is that Americans (as a people) were suddenly not afraid of having faults. Vietnam and Nixon made America realise that it had a dark side, and this came through in its cinema. The results were some of the most palpable incarnations of the anti-hero ever put to film.
Alas, in the eighties, something changed. Suddenly, American heroes were not only invincible, but ethically flawless and totally righteous too. 'The Delta Force' is one of the pinnacles of the American hero movie.
In a nutshell, some evil Arab types take a plane full of innocent Jewish Americans and it's up to Chuck Norris and his crew of bad-ass GIs (all of whom sh*t stars and bleeds stripes, of course)to save the day. Watching it in the ultra-liberal, post-911 21st century, it's hard to believe this film even got made. It's so un-PC that it make Bill Hicks look like Porky Pig.
But here's the catch, it's so damn refreshing to see a piece of action cinema that serves no purpose but to entertain that 'The Delta Force' becomes a beautifully nostalgic piece of escapism that is hard to resist.
It is certainly a flawed film. The editor and director could sure have used a few lessons in pacing, notably around the totally extraneous character development scenes where we have it reinforced beyond any doubt that Jewish Americans are beyond reproach. However, one is more than willing to forgive this insult when presented with such testosterone-infested action sequences and cocksure pro-Americanism. It's one of those films that is so bad it's good.
'The Delta Force' is a movie that necessitates the disengagement of the brain and the full attention of the balls. If you have the capacity to do this, and overlook the fact that it is a disgraceful tool of American propaganda, you'll love it. I can just imagine this being George Bush's favourite movie...
Chuck Norris is, in many ways, the ultimate American hero; ruthless but virtuous, kind hearted yet bad-as-hell, the underdog yet the victor. After saving American soldiers from those nasty far-Easterners in the 'Missing in Action' series, Chuckie truly outdoes himself here. Taken with a large pinch of salt, or as a very shrewd satire (a la 'Team America'), 'The Delta Force' delivers in ways Bruckheimer and can only dream of.
One has to wonder what went wrong. In the late sixties and seventies, America was putting out some of the best movies in the world. The reason for this, in my opinion, is that Americans (as a people) were suddenly not afraid of having faults. Vietnam and Nixon made America realise that it had a dark side, and this came through in its cinema. The results were some of the most palpable incarnations of the anti-hero ever put to film.
Alas, in the eighties, something changed. Suddenly, American heroes were not only invincible, but ethically flawless and totally righteous too. 'The Delta Force' is one of the pinnacles of the American hero movie.
In a nutshell, some evil Arab types take a plane full of innocent Jewish Americans and it's up to Chuck Norris and his crew of bad-ass GIs (all of whom sh*t stars and bleeds stripes, of course)to save the day. Watching it in the ultra-liberal, post-911 21st century, it's hard to believe this film even got made. It's so un-PC that it make Bill Hicks look like Porky Pig.
But here's the catch, it's so damn refreshing to see a piece of action cinema that serves no purpose but to entertain that 'The Delta Force' becomes a beautifully nostalgic piece of escapism that is hard to resist.
It is certainly a flawed film. The editor and director could sure have used a few lessons in pacing, notably around the totally extraneous character development scenes where we have it reinforced beyond any doubt that Jewish Americans are beyond reproach. However, one is more than willing to forgive this insult when presented with such testosterone-infested action sequences and cocksure pro-Americanism. It's one of those films that is so bad it's good.
'The Delta Force' is a movie that necessitates the disengagement of the brain and the full attention of the balls. If you have the capacity to do this, and overlook the fact that it is a disgraceful tool of American propaganda, you'll love it. I can just imagine this being George Bush's favourite movie...
Chuck Norris is, in many ways, the ultimate American hero; ruthless but virtuous, kind hearted yet bad-as-hell, the underdog yet the victor. After saving American soldiers from those nasty far-Easterners in the 'Missing in Action' series, Chuckie truly outdoes himself here. Taken with a large pinch of salt, or as a very shrewd satire (a la 'Team America'), 'The Delta Force' delivers in ways Bruckheimer and can only dream of.
- theskylabadventure
- Mar 3, 2007
- Permalink
- BandSAboutMovies
- Mar 16, 2022
- Permalink
Lee Marvin and Chuck Norris, what else really needs to be said?
Ok, I'll say some more, Chuck as a one-man wrecking crew commanded by Marvin not only rescuing hostages but taking down the kidnapping terrorists in the process. Outside of the obvious requirement of suspension of disbelief on many different fronts needed for any action movie, the only real flaws with this movie are the lack of motivation of the terrorists hijacking the plane and taking hostages and the TV Network "Movie-of-the-Week" feel to it. It seems as though the producers and director assume everybody already knows the source material for this movie and just decides to take everybody for a ride watching Chuck go to town on the terrorists.
But still a very much enjoyable movie with lots of good star power put to good use.
Ok, I'll say some more, Chuck as a one-man wrecking crew commanded by Marvin not only rescuing hostages but taking down the kidnapping terrorists in the process. Outside of the obvious requirement of suspension of disbelief on many different fronts needed for any action movie, the only real flaws with this movie are the lack of motivation of the terrorists hijacking the plane and taking hostages and the TV Network "Movie-of-the-Week" feel to it. It seems as though the producers and director assume everybody already knows the source material for this movie and just decides to take everybody for a ride watching Chuck go to town on the terrorists.
But still a very much enjoyable movie with lots of good star power put to good use.
There are many things about this film I don;t like, seems more like a right-wing propaganda vehicle than anything else.
While the photography is good, the script has terrible flaws....
No one would hijack a plane like these two Arabs....showing their weapons while still sitting down in their seats and then crossing the plane without watching their backs...
Mc Coy and company move around Beirut as if it were Malibu, one would expect a more guarded attitude....are the Americans moving around like this in Irak???? By the way, where are the people of Beirut?
Also, what are the chances of a terrorist group hiding hostages exactly across the street from where a spy has lived and worked all his life???
I could go on, but these samples show that little thought was put into this film.
While the photography is good, the script has terrible flaws....
No one would hijack a plane like these two Arabs....showing their weapons while still sitting down in their seats and then crossing the plane without watching their backs...
Mc Coy and company move around Beirut as if it were Malibu, one would expect a more guarded attitude....are the Americans moving around like this in Irak???? By the way, where are the people of Beirut?
Also, what are the chances of a terrorist group hiding hostages exactly across the street from where a spy has lived and worked all his life???
I could go on, but these samples show that little thought was put into this film.
- revistajirafa
- Feb 7, 2005
- Permalink
Lee Marvin was already very ill when he appeared in this movie, and his grave condition sometimes shows onscreen. Still, he's able to give it all that he's got like in his previous films, and it's nice seeing that he went down still a tough guy. The rest of the movie proves to be just as surprisingly enjoyable. It does go on too long (125 minutes!), and there is not as much action as you may be expecting. But the drama portion of the movie proves to be compelling, and the few action scenes there are turn out to be exceedingly well done. Certainly no masterpiece, but it is entertaining. Fans of Norris and/or Marvin, however, should be warned that the two of them don't appear in as much of the movie as they may be expecting.
I'm under the impression that this is one of Chuck Norris' better films and if that's the case then I am in awe at how bad the bad ones must be! Anyway, ignoring the plot, acting, set pieces, etc I'd just like to focus on two things. First of all, the score for this film is outrageously awful in a great way. Tacky, intrusive, mood shattering and cack-handed, it really suits the film and is brilliantly rubbish. Secondly: a missile-firing motorbike doing needless wheelies all over the place, even when chasing after a plane, is clearly a work of genius and needs to be seen in more movies. Awesome. Chuck Norris
I salute you.
- lee_a_scott
- Jul 20, 2007
- Permalink
****SPOILERS**** "Delta Force" begins in the darkness of the Iranian desert at "Desert One" on April 25, 1980 with the disastrous attempt to rescue the US hostages in Teheran. The movie then goes ahead to the summer of 1985 where a passenger plane with some 200 persons, mostly Americans, is skyjacked on a flight from Rome to Athens. It's there where the Delta Force redeems itself from what happened to it that dark April morning five years before.
Based loosely on the TWA 847 skyjacking and brutal beating and murder of Navy diver Robert Stethem "Delta Force" takes some liberties on the historical facts of that event. Like the movies of WWII that were made to uplift the American public "Delta Force" far more succeeds then fails in it's message that it's was trying the bring to those here in the USA and elsewhere on Americas, as well as the free worlds, "War on Terrorism" back then in 1986.
Admittedly over-the-top heroics by the Delta Force especially Maj. McCoy & Col. Alexender Chuck Norris & Lee Marvin. Who I think is the real hero, in the movie and in what really happened in real life on that plane, is the planes German stewardess Ingrid, Hanna Schygulia. Ingrid in real life showed more courage, as well as kindness and humanity, under pressure from the terrorists on the plane then the whole Delta Force combined showed in the make believe of the skyjacking and phony action scenes in the film.
High tension and terror in the sky as well as on land as a passenger plane is skyjacked by a gang of Arab terrorists. The Terrorists are led by their leader Abdul,Robert Foster, who threatens to blow up the plane and passengers inside unless the Israelis releases hundreds of terrorist that they have incarcerated.
Trying to get the terrorists to let at least the women and children go free the Delta Force tries to storm the plane when it lands in Algeria for re-fueling. At the same time there's a new group of terrorist entering the plane to reinforce those that are already there.
Navy diver Pete Peterson, William Wallace, who was brutally beaten to the point where he was almost dead is shot in the head and dumped on the tarmac in retaliation of the Delta Force attempted rescue. It's when the plane lands in Beirut that the real action begins and it's there where the Delta force, with the help of Israeli commandos, save the day and in the end rack this one up for the good guys.
Heart pounding and effective movie about the good guys giving it back to the terrorist in a movie that was made some 15 years ahead of it's time, September 11, 2001, that shows if you mess with Uncle Sam you'll only get burned in the end. Chuck Norris & Lee Marvin are great as the Delta Force team-leaders in some of the most enthusiastic action scenes you've ever seen in a war movie since WWII. Lee Marvin looks too old for the role of a hard as nails Delta Force soldier, he was 62 at the time and looked like he was about 80, but his reputation as a tough guy easily made you overlook that fact. "Delta Force" was Lee's last movie.
Chuck Norris was at the top of his game with his martial arts fighting chopping up the terrorists and his unbelievable motorbike that has machine guns mounted on it and rocket launched from it's front engines and back exhaust, do they really have something like that in the US military? Chuck & Lee made the terrorists see what real red-blooded American hero's can really do when they gets really p**sed off.
George Kennedy was very good as Father O'Malley, one of the passengers on the plane, who showed the terrorists that his faith can withstand anything that they believe in any day of the week. There was so much "Ham Acting" on the plane it made the movie in spite of most of it's subjects political and religious feelings, Arab and Israeli, look treyfe, un-Kosher in Yiddish.
You just can't dislike "Delta Force" despite it's over-the-top and unbelievable heroics on the part of the good guys because you just can't help rooting for them. As for the terrorists their so bad and vicious in what they do in the movie and so unlikeable that even their mothers would have a hard time finding anything good to say about them.
The movie has a feel for that time, the 1980's, with the terrorist praising as well as having posters and pictures of the Ayatollah Khomeini who was the #1 enemy of America back in 1986, like Osama Bin-Laden is now. In fact it seems now after the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001 that the movie "Delta Force" has gotten re-discovered by thousands of movie fans who want to see the terrorists who engineered that assault on America get theirs even if it's only in the movies.
Based loosely on the TWA 847 skyjacking and brutal beating and murder of Navy diver Robert Stethem "Delta Force" takes some liberties on the historical facts of that event. Like the movies of WWII that were made to uplift the American public "Delta Force" far more succeeds then fails in it's message that it's was trying the bring to those here in the USA and elsewhere on Americas, as well as the free worlds, "War on Terrorism" back then in 1986.
Admittedly over-the-top heroics by the Delta Force especially Maj. McCoy & Col. Alexender Chuck Norris & Lee Marvin. Who I think is the real hero, in the movie and in what really happened in real life on that plane, is the planes German stewardess Ingrid, Hanna Schygulia. Ingrid in real life showed more courage, as well as kindness and humanity, under pressure from the terrorists on the plane then the whole Delta Force combined showed in the make believe of the skyjacking and phony action scenes in the film.
High tension and terror in the sky as well as on land as a passenger plane is skyjacked by a gang of Arab terrorists. The Terrorists are led by their leader Abdul,Robert Foster, who threatens to blow up the plane and passengers inside unless the Israelis releases hundreds of terrorist that they have incarcerated.
Trying to get the terrorists to let at least the women and children go free the Delta Force tries to storm the plane when it lands in Algeria for re-fueling. At the same time there's a new group of terrorist entering the plane to reinforce those that are already there.
Navy diver Pete Peterson, William Wallace, who was brutally beaten to the point where he was almost dead is shot in the head and dumped on the tarmac in retaliation of the Delta Force attempted rescue. It's when the plane lands in Beirut that the real action begins and it's there where the Delta force, with the help of Israeli commandos, save the day and in the end rack this one up for the good guys.
Heart pounding and effective movie about the good guys giving it back to the terrorist in a movie that was made some 15 years ahead of it's time, September 11, 2001, that shows if you mess with Uncle Sam you'll only get burned in the end. Chuck Norris & Lee Marvin are great as the Delta Force team-leaders in some of the most enthusiastic action scenes you've ever seen in a war movie since WWII. Lee Marvin looks too old for the role of a hard as nails Delta Force soldier, he was 62 at the time and looked like he was about 80, but his reputation as a tough guy easily made you overlook that fact. "Delta Force" was Lee's last movie.
Chuck Norris was at the top of his game with his martial arts fighting chopping up the terrorists and his unbelievable motorbike that has machine guns mounted on it and rocket launched from it's front engines and back exhaust, do they really have something like that in the US military? Chuck & Lee made the terrorists see what real red-blooded American hero's can really do when they gets really p**sed off.
George Kennedy was very good as Father O'Malley, one of the passengers on the plane, who showed the terrorists that his faith can withstand anything that they believe in any day of the week. There was so much "Ham Acting" on the plane it made the movie in spite of most of it's subjects political and religious feelings, Arab and Israeli, look treyfe, un-Kosher in Yiddish.
You just can't dislike "Delta Force" despite it's over-the-top and unbelievable heroics on the part of the good guys because you just can't help rooting for them. As for the terrorists their so bad and vicious in what they do in the movie and so unlikeable that even their mothers would have a hard time finding anything good to say about them.
The movie has a feel for that time, the 1980's, with the terrorist praising as well as having posters and pictures of the Ayatollah Khomeini who was the #1 enemy of America back in 1986, like Osama Bin-Laden is now. In fact it seems now after the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001 that the movie "Delta Force" has gotten re-discovered by thousands of movie fans who want to see the terrorists who engineered that assault on America get theirs even if it's only in the movies.
Sorry, that's the best I could do to get Alan Silvestri's theme across. I saw the last part of this movie many moons ago and one of the reasons I thought it was soooooooooo bad was that insipid theme playing over and over and over again. It's a bright, peppy, we're-number-one theme, so it hardly works for all the death and destruction, but I'm sure Silvestri, one of Hollywood's most accomplished composers had nothing to do with this aural overkill; he composed a theme for one scene and the producers just kept placing the same theme EVERYWHERE in the movie where there's Delta Force action.
So last night, Delta Force comes on. In the mood for a bad movie, honey? Sure, she says. At first I'm surprised. It's not bad. In fact, it's quite promising. Robert Forster as an Arab terrorist? Enough character actors to make a disaster flick? Kim Delaney as a nun? Hanna Schygulla as a stewardess? The acting was good, the plotting tight, and there was actually some genuine tension.
Then the Delta Force arrives.
And so does that unstoppable theme music. Ah, this is the part where the movie gets bad. I was right! My memory hadn't been faulty. Phew. Open a window.
Poor Lee Marvin, looking tired, puffy, and letting his eyebrows do the acting in this, his last role. Norris isn't a bad actor, but come on man, get a hair cut and a shave. The clichés are so painful, I wished they'd shot this without anyone doing any talking at all. And even the most patriotic, flag-waving guy or gal will cringe at how noble and heroic and elite and superior our boys are compared to the sniveling, savage, sneaky Arabs; at the height of the action the Arabs come off as though they studied terrorism with the Ritz Brothers.
The fight between Forster and Norris is perhaps the highlight, but ends stupidly (Mr. Forster's terrorist is killed by a motorcycle-to-Mercedes missile, just like all the special forces use).
So last night, Delta Force comes on. In the mood for a bad movie, honey? Sure, she says. At first I'm surprised. It's not bad. In fact, it's quite promising. Robert Forster as an Arab terrorist? Enough character actors to make a disaster flick? Kim Delaney as a nun? Hanna Schygulla as a stewardess? The acting was good, the plotting tight, and there was actually some genuine tension.
Then the Delta Force arrives.
And so does that unstoppable theme music. Ah, this is the part where the movie gets bad. I was right! My memory hadn't been faulty. Phew. Open a window.
Poor Lee Marvin, looking tired, puffy, and letting his eyebrows do the acting in this, his last role. Norris isn't a bad actor, but come on man, get a hair cut and a shave. The clichés are so painful, I wished they'd shot this without anyone doing any talking at all. And even the most patriotic, flag-waving guy or gal will cringe at how noble and heroic and elite and superior our boys are compared to the sniveling, savage, sneaky Arabs; at the height of the action the Arabs come off as though they studied terrorism with the Ritz Brothers.
The fight between Forster and Norris is perhaps the highlight, but ends stupidly (Mr. Forster's terrorist is killed by a motorcycle-to-Mercedes missile, just like all the special forces use).
Based on the real-life hijacking of TWA Flight 847 on 14 June 1985. Rather loosely , but who cares ? Of course not everything in this movie is 100% true. I doubt that the real Delta force had bikes with rockets or that any of the soldiers was as bad-ass as Chuck Norris.
The film cast includes four Oscar winners : Lee Marvin , George Kennedy, Martin Balsam and Shelley Winters and also three Oscar nominees : Liam Neeson , Robert Vaughn and Robert Foster . All these people in one Chuck Norris movie ! They good , especially Kennedy as the priest and Foster as the villain. Neeson is uncredited as one of the Delta force members. There is also Steve James ("American ninja") as Norris friend Delta force member.
Alan Silvestri synth score while repetitive, is nonetheless effective and memorable. Production values are really decent and this movie has a big , Hollywood feel to it. It's nice to see a Golan/Globus movie that FEELS like a movie , not some cheap product. The movie is 2 hours long. In the first hour we are introduced to the heroes , terrorists and hostages . There is some real tension and drama in that part of the movie. We really care about the hostages , hate the terrorists and feel sympathy for the soldiers. The second hour gives us the action we were waiting for.
The movie is surprisingly well directed by Menahem Golan . The action scenes are fun and full of tension . Many people complain that this is a movie of two halves. The first serious and dramatic and second full of action with seemingly indestructible heroes . That's why many viewers don't like this movie. Personally I think that this movie mixes seriousness and pure fun action quite well . Sure the movie is little cheesy at places , but overall holds well.
To all those obsessed with political correctness who cry that this movie has simplistic black-white morality and no depth is given to the terrorists I have to say SHUT THE F**K UP. You don't negotiate with terrorists or feel sorry for them or analyze why they are doing all those bad things . You eliminate them. This is action movie , not existential movie about the good and evil in human heart.
In the end the movie also delivers a message about the underrated heroes like the Delta Force soldiers , who risk they're lives to help people. Everyone remembers the victims and terrorists, but no one really cares about the good people who fight bad people. It's sad , but true. There's some political propaganda here too , but does anyone watch these type of movies for politics ? This is easily Norris best movie and sadly an underrated one . Recommended not only for Chuck Norris fans. I give it 7/10.
The film cast includes four Oscar winners : Lee Marvin , George Kennedy, Martin Balsam and Shelley Winters and also three Oscar nominees : Liam Neeson , Robert Vaughn and Robert Foster . All these people in one Chuck Norris movie ! They good , especially Kennedy as the priest and Foster as the villain. Neeson is uncredited as one of the Delta force members. There is also Steve James ("American ninja") as Norris friend Delta force member.
Alan Silvestri synth score while repetitive, is nonetheless effective and memorable. Production values are really decent and this movie has a big , Hollywood feel to it. It's nice to see a Golan/Globus movie that FEELS like a movie , not some cheap product. The movie is 2 hours long. In the first hour we are introduced to the heroes , terrorists and hostages . There is some real tension and drama in that part of the movie. We really care about the hostages , hate the terrorists and feel sympathy for the soldiers. The second hour gives us the action we were waiting for.
The movie is surprisingly well directed by Menahem Golan . The action scenes are fun and full of tension . Many people complain that this is a movie of two halves. The first serious and dramatic and second full of action with seemingly indestructible heroes . That's why many viewers don't like this movie. Personally I think that this movie mixes seriousness and pure fun action quite well . Sure the movie is little cheesy at places , but overall holds well.
To all those obsessed with political correctness who cry that this movie has simplistic black-white morality and no depth is given to the terrorists I have to say SHUT THE F**K UP. You don't negotiate with terrorists or feel sorry for them or analyze why they are doing all those bad things . You eliminate them. This is action movie , not existential movie about the good and evil in human heart.
In the end the movie also delivers a message about the underrated heroes like the Delta Force soldiers , who risk they're lives to help people. Everyone remembers the victims and terrorists, but no one really cares about the good people who fight bad people. It's sad , but true. There's some political propaganda here too , but does anyone watch these type of movies for politics ? This is easily Norris best movie and sadly an underrated one . Recommended not only for Chuck Norris fans. I give it 7/10.
My Take: Cheesy, mindless and entertaining in a laughable manner.
After reading a couple of reviews and seeing it's neat-looking video cover, I decided to watch "The Delta Force".After watching, I didn't get all that I expected. Well, it does have the hard-hitting action, but it lacks the drama from the all-star supporting cast, including Martin Balsam, Shelley Winters, George Kennedy, Lainie Kazan and Susan Strasberg. I expected that since the film has an stellar supporting cast (like a disaster film), I expected it to have a dramatic turn. But since this is Hollywood, and it has Chuck Norris on top-billing, it just has to end with good ol' Chuck kicking some Lebanese terrorists' butt!
But as it turned out,"The Delta Force" is corny, cheesy 80's action entry with lots of cheese poured over it. Chuck Norris is not the one-army he usually is. He teams up with Lee Marvin, and the results are really compelling. The formula of two, although not always as effective as the Gibson-Glover partnership in "Lethal Weapon", is fun to look at. The first half is the only real thing you can take seriously as some of the depictions of hijacking, one-minded as it is, is actually frighteningly realistic. The second-half was all-out cheesy that it should come with crackers. Alan Silvestri completes the lunacy with his cheesy 80's score that you might find yourself humming after you see it. Don't be so surprised.
Rating: ** out of 5.
After reading a couple of reviews and seeing it's neat-looking video cover, I decided to watch "The Delta Force".After watching, I didn't get all that I expected. Well, it does have the hard-hitting action, but it lacks the drama from the all-star supporting cast, including Martin Balsam, Shelley Winters, George Kennedy, Lainie Kazan and Susan Strasberg. I expected that since the film has an stellar supporting cast (like a disaster film), I expected it to have a dramatic turn. But since this is Hollywood, and it has Chuck Norris on top-billing, it just has to end with good ol' Chuck kicking some Lebanese terrorists' butt!
But as it turned out,"The Delta Force" is corny, cheesy 80's action entry with lots of cheese poured over it. Chuck Norris is not the one-army he usually is. He teams up with Lee Marvin, and the results are really compelling. The formula of two, although not always as effective as the Gibson-Glover partnership in "Lethal Weapon", is fun to look at. The first half is the only real thing you can take seriously as some of the depictions of hijacking, one-minded as it is, is actually frighteningly realistic. The second-half was all-out cheesy that it should come with crackers. Alan Silvestri completes the lunacy with his cheesy 80's score that you might find yourself humming after you see it. Don't be so surprised.
Rating: ** out of 5.
- vip_ebriega
- Feb 5, 2007
- Permalink
- paul_pooty
- Apr 7, 2005
- Permalink
Chuck loves Chuck. In all his movies he is the most outrageous hero of all. Just like his rendition of the Texas Rangers, this is absolute garbage. Military personnel with long shaggy hair? Motorcycles with grenade and missile launchers as well as twin machine guns. You don't see it, but there was obviously a crack pipe involved here somewhere. We could not stop pointing out the stupidity and mistakes. This is one film you should pass on. I personally only watch Chuck Norris movies to point out the mistakes and the obvious Chuck worship as only Chuck will do. If you want a real laugh though, get some cops together and listen to them cut up his Walker Texas Ranger show.
- scythempress
- Dec 16, 2005
- Permalink
- mattcarey10
- Feb 11, 2006
- Permalink
Few countries in the world have not suffered from terrorist violence over the past three decades... Domestic and international terrorism is now at the top of the agenda for most nations...
Experts agree that there is almost always a strategy behind terrorist actions... Whether it takes the form of bombings, shootings, hijackings, or assassinations... Terrorism is neither random, spontaneous, nor blind; it is a deliberate use of violence against civilians for political or religious ends...
Terrorist acts are often deliberately spectacular, designed to rattle and influence a wide audience, beyond the victims of the violence itself... The point is as Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said at the Pentagon one day: "Terrorism must be vigorously opposed and soundly defeated wherever it exists."
The Delta Force was secretly created in October 1977 by US Army colonel Charles Beckwith in direct response to numerous, well-publicized terrorist incidents that occurred in the 1970s.
The number of terrorism attacks was at its highest in mid-1980s... Palestinians have long been associated with terrorism, including suicide bombings against Western targets and kidnappings in war-torn Lebanon during the 1980s...
Menahem Golan's 'The Delta Force' is inspired by the 1985 hijacking of TWA, which featured the famous footage of the plane's pilot leaning out of the cockpit with a gun to his head... The film opens with two fanatic terrorists taking over an American airliner bound from Athens to Rome and New York, diverting it to Beirut...
With no other option, the Pentagon decides to send the 'Delta Force' into the area for an emergency rescue operation...
Colonel Alexander (Marvin) is given the go ahead, and his elite team - specialized in rapid infantry assault, night fighting and airfield seizure - led by Major McCoy (Norris) energetically meets the terrorists...
Since Chuck Norris is on his motorcycle, the action is intense, sweaty, and fast...
Experts agree that there is almost always a strategy behind terrorist actions... Whether it takes the form of bombings, shootings, hijackings, or assassinations... Terrorism is neither random, spontaneous, nor blind; it is a deliberate use of violence against civilians for political or religious ends...
Terrorist acts are often deliberately spectacular, designed to rattle and influence a wide audience, beyond the victims of the violence itself... The point is as Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said at the Pentagon one day: "Terrorism must be vigorously opposed and soundly defeated wherever it exists."
The Delta Force was secretly created in October 1977 by US Army colonel Charles Beckwith in direct response to numerous, well-publicized terrorist incidents that occurred in the 1970s.
The number of terrorism attacks was at its highest in mid-1980s... Palestinians have long been associated with terrorism, including suicide bombings against Western targets and kidnappings in war-torn Lebanon during the 1980s...
Menahem Golan's 'The Delta Force' is inspired by the 1985 hijacking of TWA, which featured the famous footage of the plane's pilot leaning out of the cockpit with a gun to his head... The film opens with two fanatic terrorists taking over an American airliner bound from Athens to Rome and New York, diverting it to Beirut...
With no other option, the Pentagon decides to send the 'Delta Force' into the area for an emergency rescue operation...
Colonel Alexander (Marvin) is given the go ahead, and his elite team - specialized in rapid infantry assault, night fighting and airfield seizure - led by Major McCoy (Norris) energetically meets the terrorists...
Since Chuck Norris is on his motorcycle, the action is intense, sweaty, and fast...
- Nazi_Fighter_David
- Jan 24, 2004
- Permalink
Starts off as a rather awkwardly earnest documentary-style re-creation of a hijacking and switches half way through into low-budget Bondery. Full of big 80s style explosions (with lots of petrol), bad 70s hair styles (five years too late) and small-minded stereotypes of Muslims. Chuck Norris runs the gamut of acting skills from A to A and Lee Marvin proves he can be a hack actor in the 80s as well as the 70s.
Another reviewer wrote that "Chuck Norris paved the way for Stephen Seagal". Perhaps if you view that as a recommendation you'll like this - otherwise steer well clear.
Another reviewer wrote that "Chuck Norris paved the way for Stephen Seagal". Perhaps if you view that as a recommendation you'll like this - otherwise steer well clear.
I used to watch THE DELTA FORCE all the time when I was a kid. Chuck Norris was my hero, the coolest guy in the world who could take on any threat single-handidly and come out out of the conflict without a drop of sweat. It isn't LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, but THE DELTA FORCE is a solid, well-made action film with a pretty standout cast of actors, with Robert Forster making a truely dispicable terrorist. The rapport between Norris and Lee Marvin, while not concentrated on that much, is good, and the action scenes deliver the kind of response people like to give when watching the good guys wipe out the bad guys with no mercy, the way it should be. It's all capped by an excellent climax in which Chuck unleashes revenge on Forster, which is both serious and funny at the same time because the guy never gets to lay a single blow on Chuck. (Maybe Osama Bin Laden will be meet a similar fate. :) ) Alan Silvestri's Synclavier score is fun, too, with a great main theme. It may not be a complete carbon copy of the 1985 TWA hijacking/standoff incident that inspired it, but it's incorporation of some of the real incidents from that event gives it some added realism. For anybody who wants to fantasize about scumbag terrorists getting what they deserve (especially after September 11th), THE DELTA FORCE is one for you.
- MichaelM24
- Nov 13, 2001
- Permalink
He gets his news from Dick Cheney, and his sense of history probably comes from films like this. Produced by Cannon Films, home of right wing action movies and Israeli propaganda, Delta Force features an all star cast of gutsy brave Americans taking on the hopeless towelheads, played appropriately enough by Israeli actors. The 'Arabs' are hopelessly bad shots, only able to kill a single brave G.I. (plus one hostage) in the course of the entire film, whilst Yankee bullets never fail to hit their targets. The 'Arabs' are also entirely bereft of context, family, society, or humanity, rendering them the stereotypical villains we are all programmed to hate. Chuck Norris is predictably dreadful and Alan Silvestri's atrocious and repetitive electronic score will give you a headache. Repulsive and hateful trash designed to play on the worst of our fears and prejudices.