IRON EAGLE 2

US, 1988, 102 minutes, Colour.
Louis Gossett Jr, Mark Humphrey.
Directed by Sidney J.Furie.

Iron Eagle 2 is a sequel to the 1986 film which highlighted a young man flying a complicated jet to Libya to rescue his father. It was released around the time that President Reagan ordered the bombing of Libya.

There is a link with the first film in the character of Lou Gossett Jnr as Chappie. There is also a link in which the young man from the first film is flying in the opening sequences off Alaska and is killed in action. The atmosphere of the second film is much more open - reflecting the latter years of the Reagan administrator and Glasnost in the Soviet Union. In fact, the film shows a collaboration between Americans and Russians (extremely antagonistic at first) in going on a common bombing raid against a nuclear facility in a Middle Eastern country (resembling Iran or Iraq). The film is also critical of the old guard and the Pentagon and in the Soviet Union.

The film's strength is in the many aerial sequences. There are superb flying sequences, especially over Israeli desert landscapes. This work was done by Kevin Elders, co-author of the screenplay with director Sidney J. Furie.

The film also is reminiscent of Top Gun, another success of 1986. The mission has an updated touch of The Guns of Navarone.

1. The impact of the original film, its spirit? The Reagan administration? American strength in the '80s, enemies? The link of the sequel?

2. American policy: allies, enemy? Libya in the mid-'80s? The despising of the Carter administration? The admiration for the Reagan administration? Glasnost and detente? Iran? Other nuclear powers and the threat to the Soviet Union and the U.S? Collaboration?

3. The quality of the aerial photography, editing, action? The formation and training, the battles? The stunt work?

4. The nuclear themes, politics and television, the commentator and his double talk on the TV show? The head of the military and his attitude? The plan? Chappie at work at the museum, the American arrivals - and the irony of their being the talent for such work? Slob attitudes and disobedience? The arrival of the Russians?- Similar? The set-up?

5. Chappie and the training, the P.R. with the Russians, looking after relationships, communication with the Russians, the shared training, effective, clashes? The grounding of Cooper, Bush's leadership and his death? The report about claustrophobia? Set-up to fail? Anger, the confrontation with the commander? The decision to scrap the mission? His decision to go? The clashes with Cooper and his reactions - especially because of his friendship with Doug Masters, and his death? The setting up of the antagonism between Russians and Americans so that they would combine and go on the mission? The flight, tactics and action, the ground action and the tanks, explosives, air control? The success of the mission? Medals? Going to Russia?

6. The Russian commander, the personnel in the group, the parallels in attitude and behaviour with the Americans?

7. The film's comment on past American and Soviet relationships? Hawks and military hard line? Their tactics against the politicians and detente? Basic human nature, people getting to know one another as humans?

8. Cooper and his friendship with Doug Masters, the opening sequences, the daring flight from Alaska, in Soviet territory, pursued, tactics, Masters and his impulsiveness, his death? Cooper in the squad, his angers, experience, flaring up? Attraction towards the Russian pilot? Meeting the killer of his friend? Training and the tactics and endangering lives? The confrontations? Admiration for Chappie but clashes with him? Bush and his claustrophobia? Grounded because of the fight with the pilot who killed Masters? Approaching Chappie about Bush, Bush's death? The decision to go on the mission? Aerial skill, working with the Russian pilot? His growing to like her throughout the film, the finale, the farewell - and the irony of his being an exchange pilot in Moscow?

9. The American squad: Bush, his art, claustrophobia, his death? The black pilot, taunts, selling shirts to the Russians? The two slobs and their anger about Commies? The fights, the deals?

10. The parallel with the Russians: the commander, the pilots, the slobs? The Russian pilot and her background, her comparisons with Americans?

11. The build-up to the mission? The Pentagon and their hostility, calling out the bombers? Chappie setting up the confrontation, the collaboration between the two sides, the elaborate staging of the mission, its dangers, deaths? The van with the explosives, going and giving his life?

12. The nuclear theme, nuclear powers, major powers and such attack on minor powers - with terrorist connections?

13. An example of American gung-ho blended with Glasnost?