 | Gene Hackman als Col. Cal Rhodes |
 | Fred Ward als Wilkes |
 | Robert Stack als MacGregor |
 | Patrick Swayze als Kevin Scott |
 | Harold Sylvester als Johnson |
 | Randall "Tex" Cobb als Sailor |
 | Tim Thomerson als Charts |
 | Alice Lau Nga-Lai als Lai Fun |
 | Kwan Hi Lim als Jiang |
| Kelly Junkerman als Paul MacGregor |
 | Todd Allen als Frank Rhodes |
 | Gail Strickland als Helen Rhodes |
 | Reb Brown als Blaster |
 | Jane Kaczmarek als Mrs. Wilkes |
| Gloria Stroock als Mrs. MacGregor |
 | Jeremy Kemp als Ferryman |
| Debi Parker als Mai Ling |
 | Charles Aidman als Sen. Hastings |
 | Constance Forslund als Mrs. Charts |
 | Jan Tříska als Gericault |
 | Michael Dudikoff als Blaster's Assistant |
| Emmett Dennis III als Medic #1 |
| Charles Faust als G.I. #1 |
| Dave Austin als G.I. #2 |
| Le Tuan als Guard #1 |
| James Edgcomb als CIA Agent |
 | Ken Farmer als Jail Guard |
 | Tad Horino als Mr. Ky |
| Bruce Paul Barbour als Helicopter Pilot |
 | Steve Solberg als P.O.W. #1 |
| Laurence Neber als P.O.W. #2 |
| Don Mantooth als P.O.W. #3 |
 | Jerry Supiran als Frank at 9 |
| Brett Johnson als Kid #1 |
 | Barret Oliver als Kid #2 |
| Marcello Krakoff als Kid #3 |
| Justin Bayly als Kid #4 |
| Kevin Brando als Kid #5 |
 | Angela Lee Sloan als Kid #6 |
| Juan Fernández als Orderly |
 | Darwyn Carson als Secretary |
 | Nancy Linari als Reporter |
| David Dangler als Reporter |
| Joseph Dypwick als American Soldiers |
| William S. Hamilton als American Soldiers |
| Napoleon Hendrix als American Soldiers |
| Chip Lally als American Soldiers |
| Michael P. May als American Soldiers |
| Tom Randa als American Soldiers |
| Larry Charles White als American Soldiers |
 | Michael Endoso als Son (uncredited) |
| Sig Frohlich als Reporter (uncredited) |
 | Rorion Gracie als Reporter (uncredited) |
| Scott Perry als Father of POW (uncredited) |
 | Tom Willett als Reporter (uncredited) |
| Ted Kotcheff | Director |
| Joe Gayton | Author |
| Ted Kotcheff | Executive Producer |
| John Milius | Producer |
| Stephen H. Burum | Director of Photography |
| Lynn Stalmaster | Casting |
| Buzz Feitshans | Producer |
| James Horner | Original Music Composer |
| George Gaines | Set Decoration |
| James L. Schoppe | Production Design |
| John H. Anderson | Set Decoration |
| Mark Melnick | Editor |
| Wings Hauser | Author |
| Jack G. Taylor Jr. | Art Direction |
| Mel Dellar | Unit Production Manager |
| Ross Reynolds | Pilot |
| Burton Elias | Associate Producer |
| Wings Hauser | Associate Producer |
| Craig Huston | First Assistant Director |
| Pamela M. Eilerson | Second Assistant Director |
| Richard H. Prince | Second Assistant Director |
| Ric Waite | Additional Director of Photography |
| Michael Westmore | Makeup Artist |
| Monty Westmore | Makeup Artist |
| Lynda Gurasich | Hairstylist |
| Dorothy Byrne | Hairstylist |
| George L. Little | Costume Supervisor |
| Dan Chichester | Costumer |
| Violet N. Cane | Costume Supervisor |
| Joe R. Marquette Jr. | Camera Operator |
| Douglas Ryan | Camera Operator |
| Michael Gershman | Camera Operator |
| Thomas Laughridge | Camera Operator |
| Michael St. Hilaire | Camera Operator |
| Kim Guthrie | First Assistant Camera |
| Baird Steptoe | First Assistant Camera |
| Martin G. Beazell | Second Assistant Camera |
| Michael R. Marquette | Second Assistant Camera |
| Michael G. Riba | Second Assistant Camera |
| Jerry D. Good | Second Assistant Camera |
| Jack N. Green | Second Assistant Camera |
| Tim Griffith | Gaffer |
| Tom May | Key Grip |
| John Hennessey | Dolly Grip |
| Douglas T. Madison | Property Master |
| James W. Gavin | Pilot |
| Karl A. Wickman | Pilot |
| Joe Lombardi | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Joanie Blum | Script Supervisor |
| Eric Myers | Unit Publicist |
| Bruce W. Talamon | Still Photographer |
| Conrad E. Palmisano | Stunt Coordinator |
| Conrad E. Palmisano | Second Unit Director |
| Frank M. Holgate | Second Unit Director of Photography |
| Joe Kenworthy | Sound Mixer |
| Christopher Koefoed | Assistant Editor |
| Michele Sharp | Sound Effects Editor |
| Fred Stafford | Sound Effects Editor |
| Bub Asman | Sound Effects Editor |
| Stan Siegel | Sound Effects Editor |
| Tony Garber | Sound Effects Editor |
| Juno J. Ellis | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Darren T. Holmes | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Don MacDougall | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Richard Tyler | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| John L. Mack | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Kenneth Karman | Music Editor |
| Greig McRitchie | Orchestrator |
| Eric Tomlinson | Scoring Mixer |
| Dale Henry | Transportation Coordinator |
| Cal DiValerio | Construction Coordinator |
| Dan Curry | Title Designer |
| Thomas Rosales Jr. | Stunts |
| Kenny Endoso | Stunts |
| Pat Romano | Stunts |
