About the film

Chuck Norris takes names and kicks ass in the exciting 1986 film “The Delta Force”, co-starring Lee Marvin. This is the first installment in the Delta Force series. The Delta Force II would follow up and complete the story-line. A 3rd sequel “The Delta Force III” would bypass movie theaters and go straight to video. Although it was not the greatest of the 3 films, hardcore fans still enjoyed it. The Delta Force was said to be inspired by the hijacked TWA Flight 847

The Story-Line – The Delta Force

After a horrific helicopter crash during Operation Eagle Claw in 1980, Captain Scott McCoy (portrayed by Chuck Norris), defies orders to abort the mission and rescues his fellow team members. At this time, McCoy expresses his disgust for those who put together the operation. He cares about his men, not the agenda of the higher-ups who view their lives as “expendable”

Next move: The Delta Force

Flash forward 5 years, when Flight 282 ( a Boeing 707) is hijacked by Lebanese terrorists. During the ordeal, Jewish passenger are separated from the rest and taken to a militant-controlled area in Beirut. So, now it’s time to recall Captain McCoy (after promoting him to Major) and Colonel Nick Alexander (portrayed by Lee Marvin) to form “The Delta Force” and rescue the passengers

Faked Out

In order to gain access to the compound in Beirut, McCoy and fellow Delta Force team member Pete Peterson fake out the terrorists by posing as a film crew from Canada. And they fell for it? Yes, they did!

Peterson is seriously wounded by terrorist Abdul Rafai and McCoy takes things up a notch and after pursuing him, breaks Abdul’s arm. Crunch! Just as Abdul is about to return fire, McCoy launches a rocket, which takes out the terrorist. Take that Abdul!

All Clear

After securing the rescue team and the passengers, The Delta Force set out to eliminate the terrorist guards and the still-captive flight crew. They quietly infiltrate the airfield via a cotton field and use silencers to take out the guards.

A Bitter-sweet ending

The Delta Force team boards the 707 with the rescued crew and passengers..along with the fatally wounded Pete Peterson. As they are about to depart, McCoy rolls up on his motorcycle (after killing several terrorists in jeeps) and boards the plane. After McCoy says goodbye to his friend Pete, the passengers break out into the song “America the Beautiful”. A bitter sweet ending because at that moment, those who are singing do not know Peterson has just passed away

The Delta Force Cast

Chuck Norris – Major Scott McCoy
Lee Marvin – Colonel Nick Alexander
Robert Vaughn – General Woodbridge
Steve – as Bobby
William Wallace – Pete Peterson
Jerry Weinstock – Dr. Jack
Shaike Ophir – Father Nicholas
Liam Neeson – Team member
Mykelti Williamson – Team member
Robert Forster – Abdul Rafai
David Menahem – Mustafa
Avi Loziah – Jaffar
Uri Gavriel – Jamil Rafai
Adiv Gahshan – Salim
Joey Bishop – Harry Goldman
Lainie Kazan – Sylvia Goldman
George Kennedy – Father William O’Malley
Kim Delaney – Sister Mary
Chelli Goldenberg – Tina
Bo Svenson – Captain Roger Campbell
Hanna Schygulla – Flight purser Ingrid Harding
Martin Balsam – Ben Kaplan
Shelley Winters – Edie Kaplan
Charles Floye – U.S. Navy Diver Tom Hale
Howard Jackson – Ed
Jerry Lazarus – Robert Levine

To read our article on the great Chuck Norris, please click here