The third entry to take off the runway "Aces: Iron Eagle III" happened to be the only feature from the series not to have director / writer Sidney J. Furie involved and he was replaced by director John Glen (who would be well known for his contributions to the 007 cycle). However Louis Gossett Jr. would return as everybody's favourite pilot Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair. Everything about this one is fairly far-fetched, lively and over-the-top, but for me it would have to be the most enjoyable of the series. Far better than the tepid last film. This b-grade effort plays out as if "Top Gun" met "Rambo" in a drug war, but with a twist as the planes used here are vintage aircrafts manned by veteran fighter pilots of different cultures. America, England, Germany and Japan are teaming up to battle corruption in an American Air force base and a German drug lord (played by Paul Freeman with venomous aplomb) living it up in South America. Gossett Jr. seems to be having a good time in the role, along with other actors Hortz Buchholz, Sonny Chiba and Christopher Cazenove. The chemistry between the four simply crackles. Also bodybuilder Rachel McLish would appear for some flexing of her muscles and to kick some ass --- doing her best impersonation of "Rambo". There are some more recognisable faces turning up; Fred Dalton Thompson, Mitch Ryan, Juan Fernandez, Tom Bower, J.E. Freeman and a comical turn by Phill Lewis. Streaming through it is a comic-book tone, where it balances out its serious side (honour and pride) with some clowning humour (witty exchanges aplenty) and a wicked death here or there (death by bell anyone). Again like the other films in the series, it's slow to start off --- characters gelling, plans are being schemed and investigations are occurring, but when it takes flight. It's time to go up against the odds. Director Glen comes to the stage, constructing blistering action set-pieces of genuine excitement (which wouldn't be out of place in a Bond presentation) and stellar airborne sequences --- especially the cat mouse scenes with the old-school planes up against the F-16s. Maybe unbelievable, but it gets the blood pumping along with Harry Manfredini's soaring music score. Senselessly clichéd, but fun action escapism.

"You want miracles. Why don't you call the pope."

Series star Louis Gossett Jr. Is once again in the thick of things in his role as flying ace Chappy Sinclair. This time, he and his friends / fellow aces, played by Horst Buchholz ("The Magnificent Seven"),Christopher Cazenove ("Eye of the Needle"),and Shin'ichi Chiba ("The Street Fighter"),come to the aid of the very sexy and very tough Anna Morales (female bodybuilder Rachel McLish, "Raven Hawk"). Her people are being exploited and abused by a Latin American drug cartel led by a maniacal German named Kleiss (Paul Freeman, Belloq from "Raiders of the Lost Ark").

Series veteran Kevin Elders wrote the silly script, complete with reams of silly dialogue. But most of us who would watch something like this would never watch it for the story. We watch it for the large-scale death and destruction, and "Aces: Iron Eagle III" delivers on that front. Directed by John Glen, a veteran of the James Bond franchise whose credits include "Octopussy" and "Licence to Kill", it *does* feature excellent flying sequences, and a pleasingly high body count. One debit was the character of Tee Vee (Phill Lewis, "City Slickers"),a homeboy who lends Chappy some assistance in a rough neighbourhood and then believes this has earned him the right to tag along on the mission. Lewis isn't dislikable, but his comedy relief really doesn't work.

Although they've certainly had better material to work with during the course of their careers, it's a top cast full of familiar faces that is the most watchable element of this sequel. The stunt casting is a good hook, even if the guys playing Chappy's comrades are definitely too young to be believable WWII veterans. Co-starring are lawyer-turned-actor-turned-politician Fred Thompson ("Die Hard 2"),"Lethal Weapon" villain Mitchell Ryan, Rob Estes ('Melrose Place'),J. E. Freeman ("Miller's Crossing"),Tom Bower ("River's Edge"),Juan Fernandez ("The Collector"),boxing legend Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini ("Timebomb"),Bob Minor ("Forced Vengeance"),and Branscombe Richmond ("Hard to Kill").

With a rousing score by Harry Manfredini (best known for his scores for the "Friday the 13th" series) as accompaniment, "Aces" makes for passable entertainment, goofs and all. It's the kind of thing you can enjoy without having to tax your brain too much. It IS appealing seeing war veterans from different nations who are friends and who unite for a noble purpose.

Six out of 10.

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.