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Review: Delta Force 2 (1990)
It’s a given that Cannon is hoping to join the war against drugs by making a drug lord the target of one of their grade z action franchises. After all James Bond did just that last summer in Licence to Kill, Paul Hogan did same two summers ago in Crocoldile Dundee II, and Charles Bronson pursued a vendetta against such an individual in Cannon’s own Death Wish IV: The Crackdown in 1987. Delta Force 2 is a follow-up to the 1986 Menahem Golan film and marks the second pairing of Chuck Norris as star and brother Aaron as director. Their first effort, by the way was Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988).
Somewhere in South America, the DEA is keeping an eye on a cocaine kingpin named Ramon Cota (Billy Drago playing yet another hissably wicked bad guy as he did in The Untouchables); but the coca baron manages to stay a few steps ahead of the narcs and his goons eliminate several agents.
Back in the USA, Col. Scott McCoy (Norris) is taking a bit of a breather and shortly gets back into action. However, no mention is made of Lee Marvin’s character whom one is to presume I suppose has passed away (or retired) as Marvin did about a year after the first film. McCoy and fellow Delta Force member Bobby Chavez (Paul Perri) nab Cota as the drug lord is flying first class and deliver him to the authorities.
Cota posts bail and sneers as he leaves the courtroom at his former captors. Cota and his men retaliate by making short work of Bobby’s pregnant wife and his brother. Bobby travels to South America where he is apprehended by Cota’s men. Cota sends a snuff video of Bobby’s demise which, along with the capture of some DEA agents, prompts the Delta Force to put an end to Cota’s illicit operations.
McCoy goes in first. After parachuting into South America, he scales a mighty mountain. Atop the mountain is a formidable fortress where Cota, naturally, runs his empire. Of course, McCoy must put the kibosh on Cota’s castle single-handedly, rescue the captives, and face the drug lord who is looking to permanently retire the uninvited guest.
While the first film had Oscar winners Shelly Winters, George Kennedy, Martin Balsam, and Lee Marvin; the sequel has but one nominee: Richard Jaeckel. Another item of note is the fact that four people died during the making of this film. Menahem Golan, director, co-writer, and co-producer of the first film had no involvement in this film other than having given it a green light. He is only mentioned in the credits (along with the first film’s co-writer James Bruner) as a creator of the series. Aaron Norris’ effort is not that impressive. It is just a routine actioner; while it may have an audience it does not really offer the goods.
Robert Baum is Currently a Bryn Mawr, PA-based film afficanado and pop culture junkie.
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