DELTA FORCE 2

US, 1990, 111 minutes, Colour.
Chuck Norris, Billy Drago, Richard Jaeckel, John P.Ryan.
Directed by Aaron Norris.

Delta Force 2 is another action-packed but routine Chuck Norris vehicle.

The first Delta Force was an American focus on troubles in the Middle East. By 1990, the shift of American interest had gone from the Middle East to South America (though interrupted by the Gulf War, from which the Delta Force was cinematically absent). The concern about drug importations and the influence of drugs in American society was certainly to the fore at the end of the '80s - for example, such films as Firebirds and their gung-ho attitude of President Bush's war on the drug dealers.

However, the expected things happen in this film. There is an extremely nasty and ruthless drug lord (played by Billy Drago who specialised in these roles). There are callous murders, portrayals of sympathetic South American peasants having to grow coca, the drug lords and their empires and their security guards. There is also the Delta Force, a gung-ho general, interference in South American politics and successful raids by gung-ho Americans to obliterate the drug industry. This is typical enough of the Chuck Norris films (such as Invasion USA).

1. The popularity of Chuck Norris, his martial arts tradition, his symbolism as an American hero? The original Delta Force movie and the concern of American government and military in intervening in world difficulties?

2. The shift of American interests from the Middle East to South America as embodied in this film?

3. The South American settings (and Philippine locations used)? The cities, Rio de Janeiro, the Colombian countryside? Florida? Musical score?

4. The importance of the stunts, the action sequences, the editing and pace? The Rio de Janeiro carnival prologue, the fiesta, the set-up by the agents, the drug lords - and the costumes and masks and the massacre?

5. Ramon Cato as villain? The young and powerful and wealthy drug lord? His ruthlessness in killing husbands and babies and taking wives? His political influence, the president, the head of the military? His associate and betrayal? His being taken in the plane by the Delta Force? In court, the $10,000 bail? His killing the wife of the officer in her home? The unmasking of his associate and killing him? His life in South America, wealth? Security? The confrontation with the agent and gassing him? Imprisoning the other officers? Killing his associate? The attack by Mc Coy, his being taken, their confrontation, fear? His being taken by the helicopter - his defiance of Mc Coy, thinking that he was invincible - and his death in the sea?

6. Chuck Norris as Mc Coy, older, in the restaurant with his friends, intervening in the fight? The interview with Taylor, Cato's associate and the talk in the taxi? The arrest on the plane - and the skydiving, the risk for Cato, his fear and losing his money? In court? The reaction to the deaths? His friend's return to San Carlos, taken, dying - and the video of his death? McCoy? and his training his personnel? The plans with Taylor? Parachuting in, the woman from the village? The mountain, the danger of the climb? His infiltration, taking out the guards? Setting free the officers? Taking Cato - the escape in the car, bullet-proof? The pursuit, his taking Cato, the pursuit by the bodyguards? The helicopter harnesses? His interchange with Cato and Cato's death? His achieving his mission?

7. General Taylor, gung-ho and pugnacious, the interviews, wanting to go into action, the plans, politics and military in San Carlos, going outside the limited conditions, in the helicopter, the rescue? His press conference?

8. The Delta Force, their training, ready to go into action?

9. The Delta Force officers, the undercover agents, needing arrests? American interests and the Delta Force?

10. The South American people, the way they were treated by the drug lords, violent and brutal, growing the coca? The recruitment of local guards? Politicians and their speeches, military control?

11. America and its interest in South America and drugs in the '90s? The accusation that America was a corrupt and drug-ridden society? The gung-ho response?