Iron Eagle
A rebellious Air Force teenager teams with a veteran colonel to launch an unauthorized, music-powered fighter rescue across enemy skies.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- brash
- earnest
- patriotic
- 1980s nostalgia night
- military aviation marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film entertaining for its breakneck dogfights and rock soundtrack but undermined by implausible plotting, laughable dialogue, and jingoistic comic-book ethics.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Doug Masters takes control of an unauthorized fighter operation to rescue his captured father.
Veteran Colonel Chappy Sinclair guides Doug while forming a fatherly interracial partnership with him.
Doug's ability to hit targets depends on flying with music playing, while the film foregrounds its rock soundtrack during aerial combat.
Doug and Chappy borrow fighters and secretly transport them from California to the Mediterranean without official approval.
Films like Iron Eagle, and why
Top Gun
teen-oriented aviation action, rebellious young pilot, patriotic rescue mission, and rock-driven spectacle
Firefox
high-energy aerial combat, military heroics, and uncomplicated Cold War-era patriotism
The Last Starfighter
youthful outsider joining an improbable military mission with comic-book action and earnest patriotism
Behind Enemy Lines
rescue-focused military action, airborne spectacle, and heightened geopolitical conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Sidney J. Furie
- Release Date
- 1986-01-17
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (354)
Cast
- Louis Gossett Jr.
- Jason Gedrick
- David Suchet
- Tim Thomerson
- Larry B. Scott
- Caroline Lagerfelt
- Jerry Levine
- Robbie Rist
- Michael Bowen
- Robert Jayne
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Iron Eagle about?
- A rebellious Air Force teenager teams with a veteran colonel to launch an unauthorized, music-powered fighter rescue across enemy skies.
- What is Iron Eagle like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Iron Eagle as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Iron Eagle violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Iron Eagle as moderate.
- What did critics think of Iron Eagle?
- Critics broadly found the film entertaining for its breakneck dogfights and rock soundtrack but undermined by implausible plotting, laughable dialogue, and jingoistic comic-book ethics.
- Which films are like Iron Eagle?
- Films with a similar feel include Top Gun, Firefox, The Last Starfighter, and Behind Enemy Lines.
- How long is Iron Eagle?
- Iron Eagle runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Iron Eagle?
- In United States, Iron Eagle streams on YouTube TV.
