Delta Fox (1979)

Waste of time

How sad is this?

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

"Delta Fox" is sort of a role reversal for Richard Lynch. You get the usual action film car chases and explosions, only this time Lynch is the good guy being chased, instead of his usual villainous role. Stuart Whitman is the bad guy with the bad whig. Priscilla Barnes is Lynch's love interest, once she gets past being taken hostage by him. It must have been Lynch's fabulous 70s brown leather jacket that won her over? The plot is murky, something to do with Whitman laundering money, and Lynch revenging his dead brother. This supposed cross country road trip movie doesn't get any further west than New Orleans. Probably the budget stopped there? This is OK for Richard Lynch fans, but others will find the ride a bit tedious. - MERK

I bought this film for one reason....Richard Lynch. He is such an underrated actor who should have gone on to bigger and better things. Instead, he is now caught in miserable European and low budget American films that are not worthy of his talents (or anybody else's for that matter). He gets the chance in this film to be somewhat of a hero although he is supposed to be the bad guy. He and Priscilla Barnes have some chemistry and they have one pretty hot love scene. It was a surprise to see Lynch expose so much of his scarred body...he usually wears high necked shirts and long sleeves. It is mentioned briefly by Barnes when she says "What happened?" and he replies "That's another story". John Ireland is corny as the Federal pursuer but what's new? This is a worth watching because it is full of action and it doesn't make you think too much. Good for a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Despite it's probable B-movie status, this film was quite enjoyable. It had everything needed for a taut, action-packed thriller/mystery. Richard Lynch, Hollywood's number one bad-boy, plays David "Delta" Fox, former bagman for the mob who's released from prison to work for the Justice Department. His assignment is to set up his former boss, crooked tax lawyer Harold Arnold, played by Stuart Whitman, by transporting one million dollars of dirty mob money from Miami to San Francisco where the Feds will be waiting to bust Arnold. But the tables are turned on Fox when it's clear someone is out to kill him before he delivers the money to Arnold. Along to way Fox kidnaps Karen, played by Priscilla Barnes, to help him get out of Florida. The plot then shifts to Fox trying to figure out who is out to kill him, as well as who killed his brother Mike. Are they one in the same? There are a couple of car chase scenes to keep you on the edge of your seat as well as the obligatory gunfight or two.Lynch, who USUALLY plays the bad guy, is more of an anti-hero in this film. You can't help but root for the Fox to get the bad guys, and the girl. His performance was dead on perfect for an up and coming matinee idol, complete with good looks and sex appeal, not to mention great cars to drive! Too bad he didn't get more films/roles like this one as he is totally capable of delivering more than above average performances in everything he does. Barnes was good as Karen, a little ditzy, but that was probably scripted that way to make Fox look even smarter. John Ireland, who plays Justice Department agent Lucas Johnson and with whom Fox is working, is unintentionally funny in his thwarted efforts to catch up with Fox on the road. Lastly Whitman was delightful as the sleazy lawyer with the ultra bimbo girlfriend. The music was stock music, but I still liked it, it set the tone of the late 70's for me. All in all a very good film I think, one that I am proud to have in my video collection.

Richard Lynch as Fox, an ex-criminal who got out of jail by a Federal Agent (John Ireland) to work for a bad guy (Stuart Whitman) who set his brother up and got him killed. But the tables turn on Fox as he is set-up by Whitman and is on the run as numerous hitman goes after him! He takes a girl (Barnes) hostage and later she teams up with him. Jaeckel and Julius Harris has good supporting role in this very cheap action film made with very little crew members. Lots of car chase and shoot-outs and nudity. The soundtrack is stock music and later used in CRY OF THE PROSTITUTE, KILL AND KILL AGAIN, BLIND RAGE. Recommended to action fans.