Der stählerne Adler II

What do you do when you're a young director with a hit on your hands? You go off and direct a flop like Superman IV. Then you get talked into doing a needless sequel to your big hit, only a few years ago. Well that's what happened to Sidney J. Furie. In an attempt to tell a more serious, or adult story Furie reject everything about the first film that made it work. Instead he chose to take all the fun out of the film with in the first few minutes of the picture. The first film was more of a Teen movie, it stood out because of that fact. It was fun and energetic, but this one is dry and slow. As a stand alone film, it's sort of boring. As part of the Iron Eagle franchise, it's down right depressing. First it's about the US and Russia teaming up on a mission to stop some terrorist from launching a nuclear bomb, but it never really is clear why one or the other can't just take on the mission by themselves. The characters seem either cardboard flat, or outright dumb. The biggest mistake they make is the under use of Louis Gossett Jr. His character doesn't seem to really have a place, except standing around and barking orders. He never seems to have the same energy as he did in the first film. The ending was fine, if not reminiscent of Star Wars. The contrived Love story didn't work at all for me, it felt like they were again trying to take the story into more adult territory and in that lost the point of what makes the first one so good...

I have seen this film several times not and, although they tried to pass off American F-4 Phantoms as Russian MiG-29's (and several other technical mistakes) the film concept and story line were good, and the acting was also not bad.

Far from anything remotely special, but just as good as its fair predecessor. The only relation between the two films is the Louis Gossett, Jr. character as he is called in to lead a group of pilots that are from the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Another one of those many films made in the 1980s to capitalize off the fear of the Cold War. The direction is mediocre and the screenplay is sophomoric. With that said some of the flying sequences are well-done and Gossett's performance is not bad at all. However he does look a lot more impressive with sub-par players around him. Never really wins its wings by the time it tries to fly. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Oh come on, this movie isn't that bad. The 80's has definitely applauded cheesier things. The dog fights were fun to watch, the sound effects were great, and the over maniacal General who's twisted plans get thwarted by the misfits was spot on, the out of place love story, I mean... if you hate this movie then you probably hate just about everything coming out of the 80's.

This time Louis Gossett Jr returns to whip new American and Russian recruits in line to prepare them for a mission against middle eastern terrorists who have gotten a nuclear launching site, of course the mission is meant to fail but in the heat of it all heroism prevails over the differences of the soldiers in question. Iron Eagle II was as ridiculous as it's predecessor however the edge of the first one and the overall amusing teenage vengeance angle is in favor dropped in favor of your basic military mission that for the most part is watchable if not too interesting. Iron Eagle II is fun in short spurts it is just that there is just too much character development and Gossett while good is not there nearly enough to bail out the movie's lame drama. Still it is at least better than the next two entries.

* * out of 4-(Fair)