The Delta Force (1986)

If only it were this easy...

By bos2lhr -  Oct 16, 2001

"The Delta Force" is loosely based on the June 1985 hijacking of a TWA jet out of Athens. And the writers make no attempt to hide it, either: The story's fictitious airline is called "ATW." Was this meant to be funny?Some parodies have already been m...entioned but I should point out that the story does include characters based on real life hostages of the TWA crisis: Navy diver Robert Stethem - the only passenger who was singled out, beaten, and killed by the TWA hijackers - is known simply as "Tom" in "Delta Force." Also, the film's character "Ingrid" was clearly drawn from Uli Derickson, a courageous flight attendant aboard the TWA jet who stood up to her captors in attempt to save passengers' lives. And let's not forget the hijackers themselves: In "The Delta Force," only two terrorists actually make the flight while the third is detained in Athens, just as in the TWA incident. Once the story abruptly moves from the confines of the airplane however, fantasy quickly takes over. In video game style, we see Chuck Norris and his brigade of wise cracking, gum smacking, anti-terrorist snipers treck off to the Middle East to rescue the hostages. Provided you don't take these Joe Cool guys too seriously, it's fun to watch them tool around Beirut on their missile equipped motorcycles while having shoot-outs with the terrorists. The action is both steady and satisfying. For a Chuck Norris event, much of "Delta Force's" dialog is believable, at least in the scenes that take place on the hijacked airliner. Norris is his usual ultra serious, soft spoken self. But how can anyone keep a straight face when he utters the words, "Sleep tight, sucker!"A couple of noteworthy performances come from actors Robert Forster (the hijacker) and Hanna Schygulla (Ingrid.) Forster gives a convincing portrayal of the brutal, surly terrorist, Abdul. His accent would suggest he actually comes from Lebanon, although he is American. His bad guy character is enough to make anyone cringe. Schygulla, too, gives an intense performance, particularly in the scene where her character is forced to call out Jewish names from the passengers' passports. Her presence alone is worth renting the video. Even with its many flaws, "Delta Force" is an entertaining film. The ending is what many of us, particularly since Sept. 11, would fantasize about. In that way, I dare say the movie could serve as a theraputic outlet for some. For a dramatic (but accurate) portrayal of the TWA event, rent "The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story." (A.K.A. "The Flight.") Read more Less