Intervention Delta

This is certainly not as great as a James Bond action film. It is a very good movie with a simple plot. It has a wonderful cast and a great outdoor location for the major action scenes. Not a spoiler, just pay attention when action starts. Do watch closely when a helicopter scene begins. You will see James Coburn doing a real scary stunt hanging from under the helicopter. Not a stuntman doing the job. Also close your eyes when Coburn speaks and ask yourself if it is Leonard Nemoy. They have the same voice. This is well worth seeing. It is not real dumb. It also is not an educational film. No nudity or gore. James Coburn is the main attraction here. There are very nice aerial shots. The stunt hang glider pilots are very skilled.

¨Assault on the forbidden fortress¨ or ¨Sky riders¨ is an entertaining film with interesting plot , glorious Greek exteriors and with no depth characterization . Nice and agreeable thriller with a great cast , noisy action , sensational stunts , thrills and suspense abound in this fun movie . Concerning about an industrialist's (Robert Culp) wife (Susannah York ) and kiddies are abducted by a terrorist organization called ¨World Activists Revolutionary Army¨ commanded by two nasty cutthroats (Werner Pochath , Zou Zou) who even pack bazookas , machine guns and dynamite in their mountain retreat somewhere in Greece . How to get at them ? , the surprising solution results to be the following : a nearby group of hang-gliding freaks (led by John Beck) in Greece , as the woman's ex-husband called Jim McCabe (James Coburn) comes to the rescue with a plan involving hang gliders . As the valiant Jim McCabe , supported by Inspector Nikolidis (Charles Aznavour) , recruits a team of volunteers who attempt to outwit the kidnapping rioters . As the brave hang-gilders using their spectacular ¨Delta wings¨ risk it all to take on a bunch of political abducting people . They'll try anything once ... especially if it's impossible!

Good and typical action movie with an amazing as well as startling finale , including a particular novelty : some impressive scenes about sky riding . Expert stunts , moving script by Jack DeWitt and Stanley Mann and acceptable acting make it a fun movie in any era . Breathtaking hang-gliding footage , emotion , thrills and gorgeous locations make up for garden-variety screenplay . And the last thirty minutes is sheer violence , mindless , mayhem and destruction . Fine acting from James Coburn in his usual laconic style as an intelligent he-man who rescues ex-wife from clutches of nasty kidnappers . This tough action well made by Douglas Hickock contains a stirring and rousing score by Lalo Schifrin , adding Greek sounds . Colorful cinematography by Ousama Rawi and Jim Freeman , shot on location in the Varlaam monastery in Meteora, Greece .

The motion picture was compellingly directed by Douglas Hickox in his ordinary cold-blood style . Hickock was an expert at blazing action scenes and realizing acceptable films until his early death at 59 , being his film debut : ¨It's All Over Town¨ and his final ¨Dirty Dozen: The Series¨, TV series . Being father of directors Anthony Hickox and James D.R. Hickox . Douglas began as an assistant director and second unit director in the 1950's . Before working on feature films , he also directed hundreds of commercials . As part of a bequest , the Douglas Hickox Award is given to a British director on their debut feature . Douglas made all kinds of genres and playing them known actors , such as Drama : ¨Sins¨ (85) with Joan Collins , ¨Mistral's daughter¨ (84) with Stacy Keach ; Black comedy : ¨Entertaining Mr Sloane¨ (70) with Harry Andrews ; Monster movie : ¨Behemoth , the sea monster¨ co-directed by Eugene Lorie with Gene Evans ; Thriller : ¨Blackout¨ (85) with Richard Widmark , ¨Sitting Target¨ with Oliver Reed ; Warlike : ¨Zulu dawn¨ (79) with Peter O'Toole ; a Sherlock movie : ¨The Hound of Baskervilles¨ with Ian Richardson , Action : ¨Brannigan¨ with John Wayne , and his best film was ¨Theatre of blood¨ an ironical terror/comedy with Vincent Price .

I have been trying to find this film on video for many years because I remember it as being so interesting, with the rescue sequences by hang gliders. I disagree with another person who commented that they could not see the hang-gliding sequences, due to darkness in the film. There are not very many films that make a big impression on me but this one did and I still remember it though I only saw it once, when it was first released. I hope it is released on video or DVD some day so that I can see it again.

"Skyriders" is a typical action film from the 70's that opened and closed within two weeks and your local theater and drive-in. It contains a few name stars (James Colburn, Robert Culp) but let's face it the action is supposed to be the star. On that score the film is not bad. The problem is it takes much too long to get to the action.

Colburn stars as a pilot whose ex-wife and child (along with another child fathered by Culp) are kidnapped by mercenaries for ransom. While Culp works on raising the money and cooperating with authorities, Coburn hires a band of expert gliders to aid in a rescue. All of this could have been told in a clean quick manner but it takes forever to get to the rescue. We even have a silly montage of the skydivers training Colburn. Not necessary. We want the action! Contrary to the first comment the skyrider scenes are not too dark even though the desired effect is for it to night time. Actually I think it was shot during the day and a dark filter superimposed on the film to make it look like night. If you look closely at the rocks you can see the shadows of the gliders. I never saw such pronounced shadows at night.

The gliding scenes are well done and thrilling up to a point. My biggest problem is that the escape plan seems all too easy seeing where the kidnappers are located. Of course it's not all done without a hitch but there are no real twists to keep things exciting. The last part of the film becomes a standard shoot em up film that you have scene hundreds of times before.

The film is mediocre at best. The good talent is pretty much wasted in an action film with not enough action or a smart script.

Looks cheap, grungy and is thinly plotted, but the cast (James Coburn, Robert Culp, Susannah York, John Beck and Charles Aznavour) along with the Greek scenery and aerial stunt work (hang gliding) go a long way in making this an entertainingly sweeping, old-fashioned action joint with striking showpieces. The opening (the kidnapping) and closing sequences (the in and out rescue at night) do manage to rally plenty of tension especially during the climax set against an isolated medieval monastery in the mountains, but in between that it's somewhat mechanical in its elaborate structure. A waiting game and plans being formulated with some preachy inclusions. Well we have revolutionary terrorists fighting imperialism. Gladly Coburn's hardy presence keeps you hooked for the ride. Director Douglas Hickox paces it rather well and his streamlined handling offers numerous nitty gritty passages, despite some stagy moments. Music composer Lalo Schifrin gives the presentation a bit more oomph with his grand, luxurious arrangement. A tough, but breezy 70-s drive-in action adventure.