The Delta Force: Menahem Golan

Menahem Golan's The Delta Force is quite an odd duck. Most of it is a gripping, emotionally exhausting retelling of the real-life hijacking of TWA Flight 847 in 1985. But it is also an action movie starring Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin about the U.S. Army Delta Force tasked with rescuing the hostages. To be fair, Golan manages both narratives individually quite well. The segments about the hijacking are tense, thrilling, and captivating. Scenes where the Islamic hijackers separate the Jewish passengers are a bit emotionally manipulative, however. But considering the fact that Golan is a native Israelite who fought in the Israeli War of Independence, these creative choices are somewhat understandable. The action scenes with Norris and Marvin are excellent and cheesy, as well. But here's the film's biggest problem: the two narratives don't blend. Clearly the hijacking scenes are meant to be taken seriously. But the action scenes are deliriously over-the-top in that special 80s Golan-Globus manner. Imagine if Schindler's List (1993) periodically cut to footage from Inglourious Basterds (2009). That's not to say that the film isn't entertaining or worth watching. But viewers should be warned that they are about to witness a disjointed, uneven film.

6/10