Iron Eagle
Encyclopedia
Iron Eagle is a 1986 action film
directed by Sidney J. Furie
and starring Jason Gedrick
and Louis Gossett, Jr.
While it received mixed reviews, the film earned US$24,159,872 at the U.S. box office. Iron Eagle was followed by three sequels: Iron Eagle II
, Aces: Iron Eagle III
and Iron Eagle on the Attack, with Gossett, Jr. being the only actor to have appeared in all four films.
The basis of the fictional story in the film relates to real life attacks by the United States
against Libya
over the Gulf of Sidra
, which involved U.S. bombings in both 1981 (see Gulf of Sidra incident
), and 1986 (see Action in the Gulf of Sidra
).
), son of veteran U.S. Air Force
pilot Col. Ted Masters (Tim Thomerson
), is a music lover and an experienced civilian pilot, hoping to follow in his father's footsteps. Then, his hopes are dashed when he receives a notice of rejection from the Air Force Academy
. Making matters worse is the news of his father being shot down and captured by an unnamed Arab state while patrolling over the Mediterranean Sea
. Despite the incident occurring over international waters
, the Arab state's court finds Col. Masters guilty of trespassing over their territory and sentences him to hang
in three days.
Seeing that the U.S. government will do nothing to save his father's life, Doug decides to take matters into his own hands and come up with his own rescue mission. He requests the help of Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair (Louis Gossett, Jr.
), a Vietnam veteran
pilot currently on reserve command
, who has known Col. Masters for only a couple of years. Chappy is skeptical at first, but Doug convinces him that with his friends, he has full access to the airbase's intelligence and resources and he can give him an F-16 fighter for the mission. To Doug's surprise, he learns that Chappy had already begun planning the rescue operation himself after he learned the outcome of Col. Masters' trial. The combined efforts of Chappy and Doug's team result in a meticulously planned mission and the procurement of two heavily armed F-16 planes, with Doug flying the second unit.
On the day of Col. Masters' execution, Doug and Chappy fly their planes to the Mediterranean Sea and cross into the enemy state's airspace. In the ensuing battle, they take out three MiG-23
fighters and destroy an airfield, but Chappy's plane is damaged by an anti-aircraft gun. He tells Doug to climb to a high altitude and play the tape he made him the night before, then his engine fails and Doug listens as Chappy's fighter goes down.
Chappy's recorded voice gives Doug encouragement and details that help him complete the mission and rescue his father. Making the enemy believe he is leading a squadron, Doug threatens the enemy state into releasing his father from prison and moving him to the base's northernmost runway for pickup. Before Doug lands his plane, Col. Masters is shot by an Arab sniper, causing Doug to destroy the airbase and engulf the runway with napalm
to keep the army at bay while he lands and picks up his wounded father.
Just as they take off, Doug and his father encounter another group of MiGs led by Col. Akir Nakesh (David Suchet
) - himself an ace pilot. The lone F-16 and Nakesh's MiG engage in a long dogfight until a missile from Doug finishes off Nakesh. Low on fuel and ammunition, the F-16 is being pursued by the other enemy MiGs when a squadron of U.S. Air Force F-16s appear, warding off the MiGs before escorting Doug and his father to Ramstein Air Base
in Germany.
While Col. Masters is being treated for his wounds, Doug is reunited with Chappy, who had ejected from his plane and was picked up by a fishing trawler. The two are summoned by an Air Force judiciary panel for their reckless actions. Seeing that any form of punishment for the duo would expose an embarrassing lapse in Air Force security, the panel forgoes prosecution as long as Doug and Chappy never speak of their operation to anyone. In addition, Chappy convinces the panel to grant Doug admission to the Air Force Academy.
A plane assigned by the President returns to the U.S., reuniting Doug, Chappy and Col. Masters with family and friends.
, the film's working title was Junior Eagle. The script was turned down by every studio before it was picked up by Joe Wizan, former head of 20th Century Fox
. Wizan then handed the script to producer Ron Samuels
, who likened it to the old John Wayne
westerns.
The United States Air Force
has a long-standing policy about not cooperating on any film involving the theft of an aircraft. Consequently, the filmmakers turned to the Israeli Air Force
for the necessary aerial sequences. The filming in Israel
took six weeks, with the flight sequences choreographed by Jim Gavin, whose earlier works include Blue Thunder
.
on LP and cassette, and later on compact disc. It features songs by Queen
, King Kobra
, Eric Martin, Dio
and more.
In 2008, Varèse Sarabande
released the original musical score by Basil Poledouris
as part of their CD Club.
The film has received mostly negative reviews, with a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times
called the film "a total waste of time", saying it "achieves a kind of perfection of awfulness that only earnest effort can produce." Variety
magazine commented that the film has "breakneck action and some dandy dogfights", but the dialogue is simply laughable.
in a double-feature set with the 1993 film Last Action Hero
.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
directed by Sidney J. Furie
Sidney J. Furie
Sidney J. Furie is a Canadian film director. Furie is perhaps best known for directing American Soldiers, The IPCRESS File, The Entity, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Lady Sings the Blues, The Boys, Gable and Lombard, Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York and the Iron Eagle films.Also...
and starring Jason Gedrick
Jason Gedrick
Jason Gedrick is an American actor best known for his work on the television series Murder One and Boomtown and the motion picture Iron Eagle....
and Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman and Fiddler in the 1970s television miniseries Roots...
While it received mixed reviews, the film earned US$24,159,872 at the U.S. box office. Iron Eagle was followed by three sequels: Iron Eagle II
Iron Eagle II
Iron Eagle II is a 1988 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie. It is the first sequel to the 1986 film Iron Eagle, with Louis Gossett, Jr. reprising his role as Charles "Chappy" Sinclair. An uncredited Jason Gedrick also returns as ace pilot Doug Masters in the film's opening scene.Like its...
, Aces: Iron Eagle III
Aces: Iron Eagle III
Aces: Iron Eagle III is a 1992 action film directed by John Glen and is the third installment of the Iron Eagle film series, with Louis Gossett, Jr. reprising his role as Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair. Also starring are Japanese actor Sonny Chiba and retired boxing champion Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini...
and Iron Eagle on the Attack, with Gossett, Jr. being the only actor to have appeared in all four films.
The basis of the fictional story in the film relates to real life attacks by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
against Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
over the Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte or the Great Sirte or Greater Syrtis .- Geography :The Gulf of Sidra has been a major centre for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean for centuries...
, which involved U.S. bombings in both 1981 (see Gulf of Sidra incident
Gulf of Sidra incident (1981)
In the first Gulf of Sidra incident, 19 August 1981, two Libyan Su-22 Fitter attack aircraft were shot down by two American F-14 Tomcats off of the Libyan coast.-Background:...
), and 1986 (see Action in the Gulf of Sidra
Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986)
In the Action in the Gulf of Sidra, the United States Navy deployed aircraft carrier groups in the disputed Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean Sea. Libya claimed that the entire Gulf was their territory, at 32° 30' N, with an exclusive fishing zone. Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi asserted this...
).
Plot
Doug Masters (Jason GedrickJason Gedrick
Jason Gedrick is an American actor best known for his work on the television series Murder One and Boomtown and the motion picture Iron Eagle....
), son of veteran U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
pilot Col. Ted Masters (Tim Thomerson
Tim Thomerson
Joseph Timothy “Tim” Thomerson is an American actor and comedian.Thomerson is most famous for his role as Jack Deth in the Trancers film series and is renowned for his work in numerous low-budget movies and his comedic television roles.-Early life:Tim Thomerson was born in Coronado, California. He...
), is a music lover and an experienced civilian pilot, hoping to follow in his father's footsteps. Then, his hopes are dashed when he receives a notice of rejection from the Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
. Making matters worse is the news of his father being shot down and captured by an unnamed Arab state while patrolling over the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Despite the incident occurring over international waters
International waters
The terms international waters or trans-boundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regional seas and estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater systems , and wetlands.Oceans,...
, the Arab state's court finds Col. Masters guilty of trespassing over their territory and sentences him to hang
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
in three days.
Seeing that the U.S. government will do nothing to save his father's life, Doug decides to take matters into his own hands and come up with his own rescue mission. He requests the help of Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair (Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman and Fiddler in the 1970s television miniseries Roots...
), a Vietnam veteran
Vietnam veteran
Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or...
pilot currently on reserve command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
, who has known Col. Masters for only a couple of years. Chappy is skeptical at first, but Doug convinces him that with his friends, he has full access to the airbase's intelligence and resources and he can give him an F-16 fighter for the mission. To Doug's surprise, he learns that Chappy had already begun planning the rescue operation himself after he learned the outcome of Col. Masters' trial. The combined efforts of Chappy and Doug's team result in a meticulously planned mission and the procurement of two heavily armed F-16 planes, with Doug flying the second unit.
On the day of Col. Masters' execution, Doug and Chappy fly their planes to the Mediterranean Sea and cross into the enemy state's airspace. In the ensuing battle, they take out three MiG-23
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...
fighters and destroy an airfield, but Chappy's plane is damaged by an anti-aircraft gun. He tells Doug to climb to a high altitude and play the tape he made him the night before, then his engine fails and Doug listens as Chappy's fighter goes down.
Chappy's recorded voice gives Doug encouragement and details that help him complete the mission and rescue his father. Making the enemy believe he is leading a squadron, Doug threatens the enemy state into releasing his father from prison and moving him to the base's northernmost runway for pickup. Before Doug lands his plane, Col. Masters is shot by an Arab sniper, causing Doug to destroy the airbase and engulf the runway with napalm
Napalm
Napalm is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in an incendiary device, primarily as an anti-personnel weapon...
to keep the army at bay while he lands and picks up his wounded father.
Just as they take off, Doug and his father encounter another group of MiGs led by Col. Akir Nakesh (David Suchet
David Suchet
David Suchet, CBE, is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He is recognised for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus Melmotte in the 2001 British TV mini-drama The Way We Live Now, alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Paloma Baeza, and a 1991 British Academy...
) - himself an ace pilot. The lone F-16 and Nakesh's MiG engage in a long dogfight until a missile from Doug finishes off Nakesh. Low on fuel and ammunition, the F-16 is being pursued by the other enemy MiGs when a squadron of U.S. Air Force F-16s appear, warding off the MiGs before escorting Doug and his father to Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
in Germany.
While Col. Masters is being treated for his wounds, Doug is reunited with Chappy, who had ejected from his plane and was picked up by a fishing trawler. The two are summoned by an Air Force judiciary panel for their reckless actions. Seeing that any form of punishment for the duo would expose an embarrassing lapse in Air Force security, the panel forgoes prosecution as long as Doug and Chappy never speak of their operation to anyone. In addition, Chappy convinces the panel to grant Doug admission to the Air Force Academy.
A plane assigned by the President returns to the U.S., reuniting Doug, Chappy and Col. Masters with family and friends.
Cast
- Louis Gossett, Jr.Louis Gossett, Jr.Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman and Fiddler in the 1970s television miniseries Roots...
as Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair - Jason GedrickJason GedrickJason Gedrick is an American actor best known for his work on the television series Murder One and Boomtown and the motion picture Iron Eagle....
as Doug Masters - David SuchetDavid SuchetDavid Suchet, CBE, is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He is recognised for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus Melmotte in the 2001 British TV mini-drama The Way We Live Now, alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Paloma Baeza, and a 1991 British Academy...
as Ministry of Defense Col. Akir Nakesh - Shawnee SmithShawnee SmithShawnee Smith is an American film and television actress and singer. Smith is best known for her roles as Amanda Young in the Saw films and Linda in the CBS sitcom Becker....
as Joenie - Melora HardinMelora HardinMelora Diane Hardin is an American actress, best known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's The Office and Trudy Monk on USA's Monk.-Early life:...
as Katie - Larry B. ScottLarry B. Scott-Career:Scott's film debut was in the 1978 movie A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich. He is perhaps best known for playing Lamar Latrell, the openly gay fraternity member in the Revenge of the Nerds series of comedy films from 1984 to 1994. In the 1986 film SpaceCamp he played opposite a then-young...
as Reggie - Lance LeGaultLance LeGaultLance LeGault , sometimes credited as W. L. LeGault, is an American film and television actor, best known as Colonel Roderick Decker in the 1980s American television series The A-Team.-Personal life:...
as Gen. Edwards - Tim ThomersonTim ThomersonJoseph Timothy “Tim” Thomerson is an American actor and comedian.Thomerson is most famous for his role as Jack Deth in the Trancers film series and is renowned for his work in numerous low-budget movies and his comedic television roles.-Early life:Tim Thomerson was born in Coronado, California. He...
as Col. Ted Masters - Caroline LagerfeltCaroline LagerfeltCaroline Eugenie "Carolyn" Lagerfelt is a French-born stage, film, and television actress of Swedish descent, long-based in the United States.-Early life and education:...
as Elizabeth Masters - Robert JayneRobert JayneRobert Jayne , sometimes credited as Bobby Jacoby, is an American actor.Starting his career as a child, he has appeared in many television series. His credits include: Knots Landing, The Greatest American Hero, St. Elsewhere, Manimal, The Love Boat, Highway to Heaven, Murder, She Wrote, Diff'rent...
as Matthew "Matt" Masters - Jerry LevineJerry LevineJerry Levine is an American actor and director, perhaps best known for his role as Rupert 'Stiles' Stilinski in the feature film Teen Wolf.-Career:...
as Tony - Robbie RistRobbie RistRobert Anthony Rist is an American actor and musician.-Acting and voiceover work:As a child, Rist played Cousin Oliver in the final six episodes of The Brady Bunch. With the regular children all getting older, his inclusion was intended to reintroduce cute younger children to the series...
as Milo Bazen - Michael BowenMichael Bowen (actor)Michael Bowen is an American actor. Films he has appeared in include Jackie Brown, Magnolia, and Less Than Zero. Bowen also had a recurring role as Danny Pickett on the ABC television series, Lost....
as Knotcher - David GreenleeDavid GreenleeDavid Greenlee is an American voice actor and actor best known for his portrayal of the nerdy hall monitor Dwight in the 1982 television series Fame from season 2 through to season 5 .-Anime Roles:...
as Kingsley - Tom FridleyTom FridleyTom Fridley is an American film and television actor.The son of Ellen Travolta, stepson of Jack Bannon, nephew of John Travolta and Joey Travolta, cousin of Jonathan Rau, and half-brother of Molly Allen, Fridley has played supporting roles in television and film.His film credits include The Karate...
as Brillo - Rob Garrison as Packer
Production
According to writer/director Sidney J. FurieSidney J. Furie
Sidney J. Furie is a Canadian film director. Furie is perhaps best known for directing American Soldiers, The IPCRESS File, The Entity, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Lady Sings the Blues, The Boys, Gable and Lombard, Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York and the Iron Eagle films.Also...
, the film's working title was Junior Eagle. The script was turned down by every studio before it was picked up by Joe Wizan, former head of 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. Wizan then handed the script to producer Ron Samuels
Ron Samuels
Ron Samuels is a film producer. His credits include Iron Eagle , Aces: Iron Eagle III , and Ravenhawk .Samuels was married to actress Lynda Carter from May 28, 1977 to 1982. Currently, he is married to actress and former Ms. Olympia Rachel McLish...
, who likened it to the old John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
westerns.
The United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
has a long-standing policy about not cooperating on any film involving the theft of an aircraft. Consequently, the filmmakers turned to the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
for the necessary aerial sequences. The filming in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
took six weeks, with the flight sequences choreographed by Jim Gavin, whose earlier works include Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder is a 1983 feature film that features a high-tech helicopter of the same name. The movie was directed by John Badham and stars Roy Scheider...
.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack album was issued by Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
on LP and cassette, and later on compact disc. It features songs by Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, King Kobra
King Kobra
King Kobra is a glam metal group founded by drummer Carmine Appice after his tenure with Ozzy Osbourne in 1984. The band during the time of their first two albums included four relatively unknown musicians: vocalist Mark Free, guitarist David Michael-Philips, guitarist Mick Sweda, and bassist...
, Eric Martin, Dio
Dio (band)
Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
and more.
In 2008, Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
released the original musical score by Basil Poledouris
Basil Poledouris
Vassilis Konstantinos "Basil" Poledouris was a Greek-American music composer who concentrated on the scores for films and television shows...
as part of their CD Club.
Box office and reception
Iron Eagle earned US$24,159,872 at the U.S. box office. Although the movie was not a major success at the cinema, it generated US$11 million on home video sales to justify a sequel.The film has received mostly negative reviews, with a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called the film "a total waste of time", saying it "achieves a kind of perfection of awfulness that only earnest effort can produce." Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine commented that the film has "breakneck action and some dandy dogfights", but the dialogue is simply laughable.
Home video
On February 3, 2009, Iron Eagle was reissued on DVD by Sony Pictures EntertainmentSony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
in a double-feature set with the 1993 film Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
.