Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target

Every once in a blue moon, you get to watch a movie and say to yourself, "Man, I wish that was me in that movie." This was kind of movie. The main actor was great. It looks like he had a lot of fun playing the part of the hero. And ANYONE that has a moral bone in their body has to love the aspect of fighting against terrorists. terrorists all need to be destroyed. Even if it's just in the movies. It's a start. Get moral people to think about and except the concept of getting rid of terrorists like rats that want to kill all of us innocent people. When ever I see a movie that makes a statement of defending the world's peace-lovers, I'm all for it.

I absolutely agree with soldier's take on this flick. I happen to think that the lead actor was utterly fantastic. Not to mention the supporting cast. I noticed whilst I was browsing the IMDb, that Mr. Collins has worked several times with Mr. Fitzpatrick. It's good to see that these gentlemen have continued a working relationship in action flics. I have yet to see American Reunion, but I am assuming it is not an action flick. I am hoping to see more films with Mr. Fitzpatrick, he has my vote for action actor of the year. I used to be a big fan of Arnold Schwartzeneger's, and realized after reading up James' bio that his wife worked with Arnold. It is truly such a small world.

Watching "Operation Delta Force 3", it soon became clear that the filmmakers were trying extremely hard to deliver the goods on a small budget. The movie keeps jumping from one different location to another, and while the various locations (underground tunnel, nuclear submarine, Pentagon Headquarters, etc.) do look a little impoverished, you can tell the filmmakers really squeezed every last penny of their small budget. The action sequences jump from place to place as well, and you get more elaborate action sequences than you usually get from a low budget actioner.

But there are some significant problems with the movie. None of the characters are fleshed out or really stand out from each other. There is poor continuity at times. There are some glaring plot holes, like why don't the good guys simply blow up the hijacked submarine. And while the action scenes are elaborate, often they are executed in a sluggish manner.

Still, the movie is never boring, and it has that other stuff I described in the first paragraph. I recommend that you watch the movie while you are doing something else at home - sewing, chopping vegetables, doing your taxes etc. It's a movie that's best not examined very closely, which would reveal more of its weaknesses if you watched it in a straightforward way.

Mark Roper was one of Nu Image's golden boy directors in the late 90's. Hot off the high-octane spy romp "Human Timebomb," he was more than an appropriate pick for the second "Delta Force" sequel. His craft is in fine form with "Clear Target", displaying a tighter focus on pace and plot - as thin as it may be. His skill has always been at deploying limited resources to follow the trends of Hollywood action directors. Here, his influences are clearly Michael Bay and John Woo, and he delivers a product worthy of his ambitions.

A harbor shootout kicks the film off nicely, with all the heavy artillery and explosions one watches this kind of film for. Roper shows improvement with keeping things cohesive and accessible, more notably in the next big sequence, which involves a locomotive ambush. Crane shots, dollies, and quick pans are utilized very efficiently and the many dimensions of the layered action are captured with seasoned confidence. The stuntwork is top-notch, with the actors scaling locomotive cars with apparently no safety harnesses, giving the scene raw and perilous danger.

Roper's B-movie tendencies are not completely shed in this stage of his filmography, however. Some drab sets, costumes and props drag down too many scenes and he seems to have trouble coaching the actors. Some do a fine job, most notably Gavin Hood (six or so years before winning an Oscar for directing "Tsotsi"), but plenty of the scenes are cardboard and far off hitting their mark.

This is an enjoyable film if you watch it in the context of an independent actioner. Sure there's abundant stock footage and direct-to -video cheese, but there's also an impressive use of resources and genuinely good film-making. It plays like a comic book, with a simple story tying together sequences of great action. Army/navy buffs will surely get a kick out of it, as will die-hard action fans.

(3 out of 4)

I'd watch Jimmy Fitzpatrick sleep. I've been an All My Children fan since I was in grade school. When he came onto the show, I was smitten. Great looking, great actor. Two qualities that are hard to beat. I was heart broken when he left the show, but then I got to work with him. He's every bit the gentleman that is, the actor. I met his wife and children, which he's totally proud of. He whips his wallet out and shows you the pictures of his family at the drop of a hat. Delta Force is an old franchise, but Jimmy has brought some new life into it. It's a shame they didn't put more money into the production, because Jimmy deserves more. He's the only reason I rented the movie. Good job Jimmy.