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Iron Eagle (1986)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
17 January 1986 (USA)
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Tagline:
Break the sound barrier. Break the speed barrier. more
Plot:
When Doug's father, an Air Force Pilot, is shot down by MiGs belonging to a radical Middle Eastern state...
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| full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Fun For Everyone Halloween Films - Part II!
(From Screen Rant. 25 October 2009, 3:37 PM, PDT)
Syfy's Summer of Schlock
(From Dread Central. 23 June 2009, 4:01 PM, PDT)
(From Screen Rant. 25 October 2009, 3:37 PM, PDT)
Syfy's Summer of Schlock
(From Dread Central. 23 June 2009, 4:01 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
1986: The year of the jet fighter movie!
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US TV Schedule:
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Louis Gossett Jr. | ... | Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair |
 | Jason Gedrick | ... | Doug Masters |
 | Tim Thomerson | ... | Col. Ted Masters |
 | Larry B. Scott | ... | Reggie |
| Caroline Lagerfelt | ... | Elizabeth Masters |
| Jerry Levine | ... | Tony |
| Robbie Rist | ... | Milo |
 | Michael Bowen | ... | Knotcher |
 | Robert Jayne | ... | Matthew (as Bobby Jacoby) |
 | Melora Hardin | ... | Katie |
| David Greenlee | ... | Kingsley |
| Michael Alldredge | ... | Col. Blackburn |
| Tom Fridley | ... | Brillo |
| Rob Garrison | ... | Packer |
| Chino 'Fats' Williams | ... | Slappy |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
117 min
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Argentina:Atp |
Peru:PT |
Iceland:12 |
Australia:M |
Finland:K-16 |
Sweden:15 |
UK:15 |
USA:PG-13 (certificate #28010) |
West Germany:16 |
Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
During "The Snake Scene" in which Doug Masters races his Cessna 150 against a motorcycle-riding Knotcher, the pilot of the Cessna 150 Aerobat was actually renowned aerobatic pilot Art Scholl, who was killed later that year when his Pitts S-2 camera plane crashed while filming in-cockpit footage for the flat spin sequence in the movie Top Gun (1986).
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Goofs:
Factual errors: All aircraft used in the movie are not USAF F-16s, they are in fact Israeli AF aircraft. Their camouflage was not repainted, but their roundels were. In fact you can see patches of paint where US markings were painted over IAF markings, and where Stars Of David roundels were painted over.
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Quotes:
Doug Masters:
Chappy, I got 'em, I got all three of the guns!
Chappy: Yeah, but one of them got me.
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Chappy: Yeah, but one of them got me.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People (2006) (V)
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Soundtrack:
Hide in the Rainbow
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FAQ
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Recommendations
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Most of us remember Top Gun as being the biggest hit of 1986. Iron Eagle, despite the numerous sequels it produced, has been all but forgotten. However it also made its mark in the same year, just not as big of a mark. Iron Eagle is the story of a teenager (Jason Gedrick) who with the help of an experienced jet pilot (Louis Gossett Jr.) "borrows" a couple F16 fighters to rescue his father who is being held prisoner in a hostile Arabic country. The film is absolutely ludicrous, but definitely a sign of the times back then.
I do not recall if the hostile nation in this film is ever named, but it is obviously based on Lybia who was public enemy #1 for the USA back then. At least as far as non-communist bloc nations were concerned. The main bad guy who seems to be running the show is obviously based on Muammar Gadaffi, too. After a kangaroo court trial, Gedrick's father is sentenced to be hanged for simply being shot down in disputed air space near the enemy coast. (recall Gadaffi's "line of death") The US government seems to be planning no action to rescue the dad. It appears Gedrick and Gossett Jr. are his only hope!!!! In a series of ridiculous scenes perhaps even less probable than the actual air combat scenes, Gedrick and his teenage friends are able to steal all the necessary reconnaissance needed to set up the mission. Gedrick is able to gather enough information to convince Gossett to fly in there with him in his own plane. But can two F16s really penetrate the hostile country's air space and pull off the rescue?????? Sure they can! This was the 1980s!!! Ronald Reagan was president!! Americans could accomplish anything back then!!!! Whether or not this kind of plot seems interesting quickly becomes irrelevant once the film gets going. It is technically inept, full of impossible scenes, and lacking in logic from the get-go. This film was obviously rushed; no doubt to get it released before Top Gun which was a much better film in all areas. There are an embarrassing number of continuity goofs involving the weaponry carried on the wings of the planes. In some shots the planes appear fully loaded for battle. Then, the next shot will show only a couple missiles left. Then, the planes will do some kind of loop da loop and there will be no weapons visible at all. The editing department was either out with the flu or just didn't have time to get things right. The acting isn't bad. Gedrick is likable, and Gossett Jr. is terrific as ever. He basically plays the same kind of hard-ass he played in An Officer and a Gentleman. He likes the kid and his father, but he knows the kid will have to be toughened up drastically if they have any chance of pulling it off. Keep a close lookout for Robbie Rist who played Cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch.
On the plus side, the soundtrack is pretty good. One Vision by Queen is a great rock song. There are also good songs by Twisted Sister, King Kobra, and Dio. And also its a joy to behold someone bombing the heck out of this worthless dictator and his stupid country. Blowing up his oil refinery may have been a bad decision, though. Something like that could theoretically hike up the price of gas world wide!! Just ask our current president or his father. When bombing a Middle Eastern country, the LAST thing you want to hit are its oil resources! Prices are high enough as it is these days! 5 of 10 stars. Mostly for the soundtrack.
The Hound.