Die Asse der stählernen Adler

This movie is just a strange plot.Imagine a german a japanese person and an american named Chappy who all have planes from their country during WW2.No this isn't a joke its the movie Iron Eagles 3 Aces .This flick does have its moments though.If you're looking for a good war movie id recommend Top Gun or Iron Eagle and Iron eagle 4.This is only for Iron Eagle buffs.

Still getting over the fact that the first "Iron Eagle," had been made...here's the third installment in this awful series of films about a fighter pilot, a musclewoman and some vets that hit a Peru drug lab. Silly from the word GO!

This film incorporates most of the clichés, (republican) political themes,and formulae of modern military fiction, and tells a story about aging planes and the aging men who fly them fighting to avenge the honor of a fellow pilot and put a dent (more of a bomb crater) in the drug war. The film also adds some characterization and entertaining action sequences, and attempts, though not very effectively, to employ comic relief (Phill Lewis' character).

Lou Gossett Jr, Sonny Chiba, Chris Cazenove, and Horst Bucholtz play a team of exhibition fliers who put on air shows in authentic and semi-authentic WWII planes. Gossett also has a 'day job' at an air force base which is due to be closed. When one of Gossett's younger colleagues loses his plane and the wreckage is found to have been stuffed with cocaine, Chappy (Gossett) goes into action.

Meanwhile in Peru - where all of this will ultimately lead - our female lead, Anna escapes imprisonment by an ex-Nazi drug-lord who has taken over her small town. Anna is an athlete and appears to be about 23 years old. The character is played by Rachel McLish - who is, as of 2007, 51 years old. The film is 15 years old, so she was in her mid-30s when she made it. I had to look up her age three times before I could believe what I was seeing. McLish is not a bad actress, though not quite up to the level of the rest of the cast. She is, however, excellently physical, and would have made a great action star (I wouldn't be surprised if this option were still open to her).

A quarter of the way through the film, these two plots are about to coalesce.

If you're a fan of military fantasy, you just might enjoy this fairly silly but very pretty film. Others should probably avoid it.

My review was written in November 1991 after watching the film at a Manhattan screening room.

New Line should do fine business with "Aces" an action-packed, campy entry in Lou Gossett's "Iron Eagle" series. Pic was originally slated as an off-season January 1992 release by since defunct distributor Seven Arts, but now receives a prime summer slot.

Best in its cartoonish moments, this followup helmed by James Bond director John Glen notably introduces the beautiful body-builde Rachel McLish. Though she has to strive mightily to get out her lines of dialogue.the fledgling actress is perfectly cast and could well become an important action heroine.

Producer Ron Samuels shifts here from the youth-oriented storyline of the first two "Eagle" pics (both helmed by Sidney J. Furie) to an over-the-hill gang premise reminiscent of the British "Wild Geese" pics.

Air Force pilot Gossett rounds up a group of fellow veteran fighter aces to fly to Per3u and blow up a cocaine factory.

The American government won't support this mission so the guys use vintage World War II-era planes they've been flying in air shows.

Gossett fights the drug lords because a friend was killed by them and his sister (McLish) captured and tortured. He frees McLish, who turns out to be more than the equal of any of the male combatants.

Scripter Kevin Elders, who has worked on all three "Eagle" films, throws in a streetwise ghetto kid (Phill Lewis) who stows away on the mission and offers a combination of comic relief and heroism.

Film's camp value derives from the mocking use of the fighter aces, including Christopher Cazenove in the Roger Moore role, vet action star Sonny Chiba as the Japanese kamikaze pilot and a very fit Horst Buchholz as the German wiz.

When not making corny patriotic speeches Gosett is a steadying force here.

McLish is terrific in action scenes and merely needs intensive coaching on her acting to supersede Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hamilton in genre roles.

Paul Freeman reprises his stock Nazi from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as the nominal heavy.

Dogfights in the air and pyrotechnics on ground are up to the high standards of Glen's 007 credits.

Let me put it this way: if you're looking for a movie with lots of action, plenty of explosions, Sonny Chiba (!), a cast as integrated as an old "Star Trek" episode and the wonders of Rachel McLish, you MUST see "Aces: Iron Eagle III".

The first one was pretty good in a cheesy, '80s way; the second was more or less forgettable (tell the truth, I can't remember one character from it)... but "Aces" - It has everything an action fan could want. ...that is, if you haven't seen "Top Gun", "Die Hard" or any other movies with explosions, planes, Louis Gossett Jr., etc... etc....

But Rachel McLish.

Sighhhhh....

Excuse me, where was I? Oh yes, Rachel. What a woman. Not only is she stronger than any of the guys in this film, but she shoots, fights, speaks Spanish and strangles guards with chains better than Bruce Willis ever dreamed of. Looks better in a t-shirt, too.

Two and a half stars for "Aces". Good stunts, explosions.... Great use of a former Ms. Olympia.