Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Action U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 21, 2021

Co-writer/director John Stewart strives to make his mark on B-movie mayhem with 1989’s “Action U.S.A.” A seasoned stuntman (with credits on “Phantasm II,” “The Hidden,” and “Night of the Demons”), Stewart makes his helming debt with the endeavor, commencing a plan to inject as much hellraising as possible into a single feature, creating a film that’s more of a demo reel for his capabilities when it comes to planning and executing stunts of all kinds. “Action U.S.A.” is no thriller, despite a screenplay that clumsily attempts to create characters and situations of intimidation. It doesn’t have the polish for that type of escapism. Instead, Stewart goes smashmouth with the work, packing it with car chases, high falls, explosions, and fisticuffs, on a mission to create excitement with the limited resources he has. He succeeds for the most part, as long as dialogue and drama are ignored.

In Texas, Carmen (Barri Murphy) is in the midst of an affair with Billy Ray (Rod Shaft) when their lovemaking is rudely interrupted by goons working for crime lord Frankie (Cameron Mitchell). The stooges are after the whereabouts of stolen diamonds, murdering Billy Ray during their pursuit of the mysterious man. Carmen is left with questions, soon picked up by F.B.I. Agents Clay (Gregory Scott Cummins) and Earl (William Hubbard Knight), who are also searching for the gems, hoping to protect the young woman as she offers little information. On the run from Frankie’s men, Clay and Earl are forced to drive their way out of Texas, embarking on a road trip that brings them closer to Carmen, who’s stuck in a bad situation. Hired by Frankie to finish the job, Drago (Ross Hagen) joins the hunt, with the feared mercenary struggling to catch the trio as they continue their search for the diamonds.

“Action U.S.A.” gets off to a raging start, following Billy Ray’s big day with Carmen, with the pair tearing around Texas in a tricked-out Corvette, enjoying the freedom of top speeds and reckless driving before returning home for some midday love. Such peace is shattered by Frankie’s enforcers, who commence a fresh chase around town, which follows the cars as they squeal around streets and tear through a parking garage. Part of this hunt even take to the skies, with Billy Ray left dangling out of a moving helicopter, eventually dropped into a nearby river as part of his escape. The opening reel is all “Action U.S.A.” really needs, showcasing Stewart’s interest in speed and destruction, throwing in some near-misses as well, trying to keep the effort moving swiftly to best capture viewer attention. And such an approach works wonderfully, getting the feature up and moving with real snap.

“Action U.S.A.” contains plenty of chaos, even reaching the extreme of a honky-tonk bar fight, which marries Texas racism (Earl, a black man, isn’t welcomed into the establishment) with screen violence, even giving Carmen a chance to sing with the band. Stewart oversees a wily spirit for the feature, delivering big moments of survival. He’s less secure with dramatic exchanges, as clunky dialogue kills personal moments, buried into expositional dumps and feeble characterization. “Action U.S.A.” loses momentum whenever it stops to sort through the lives of the participants, who don’t need such shading. The picture is a cartoon (with a James Bond sound alike score) and should stay that way, offering a quest for stolen diamonds and the wrath of Drago, who turns out to be quite an inept mercenary. Everything else is just filler. More explosions, please. Less personal history.

Action U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Listed as "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative," "Action U.S.A." arrives on Blu-ray in the best possible shape. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a bright, clear viewing experience that offers deep textures on facial surfaces (it helps to deal with such a crusty cast of actors) and costuming. Locations are dimensional, highlighting city tours and rural action. Colors are excellent, with crisp blue skies and varied primaries for period outfits and cars. Greenery is exact. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film- like. Source is in good shape, without pronounced points of damage.

Action U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is working with the low-budget reality of "Action U.S.A." Not much attention was placed on sound mixing and even on-set recording, making the listening event inherently uneven. Levels fluctuate at times, with ADR efforts noticeably louder. Dialogue exchanges are a bit difficult to hear, especially in the first reel, but intelligibility isn't lost. Scoring cues offer expected support with clean instrumentation, also pushing out into the surrounds. Atmospherics are appreciable, including bar bustle and street activity. Low-end comes alive for explosions. Sound effects sound inherently thin, keeping a firecracker sound for gunfire.

Action U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director John Stewart, cinematographer Thomas Callaway, actor Gregory Scott Cummins, and filmmaker Steve Latshaw.

• Interview (28:31, HD) is a video conference chat with filmmaker Brian Trenchard-Smith and "Action U.S.A." director John Stewart. The helmer opens with a flurry of information, including his complete, last-minute rewrite of the script when the shoot moved from Los Angeles to Waco, Texas, and the loss of his lead actress, who quit after three days, giving Barri Murphy a chance to move into the part. Time in Waco is recalled, with Stewart working to get permission to do crazy things, such as fly a helicopter around buildings with a man hanging out of the door. Production challenges are recalled, and Trenchard-Smith has particular interest in the fire effects used in the movie. Stewart remembers his favorite scenes, and goes a little into casting achievements.

• "Lost Gem" (23:11, HD) is an interview with actor Gregory Scott Cummins, who details his formative years as a sports star, working his way into professional football as a punter. Hurt by poor representation and a leg injury, Cummins elected to follow his love of acting, building an early career in the theater before trying his luck, at the age of 29, in films. The "Action U.S.A." experience is examined, including the audition process and the shoot in Waco, Texas, where the crew was welcomed with open arms, permitted to destroy parts of the town. Appreciation for director John Stewart is shared, and the feature's stunt work is highlighted, with some tales of daredevil actions shared. The interviewee delves into his longstanding friendship with Ross Hagen, and additional co-stars are celebrated. Without a theatrical release, "Action U.S.A." slid into obscurity, but Cummins remains proud of the picture, which gave him a shot at professional representation.

• And a "Newly Created" Theatrical Trailer (1:49, HD) is included.

Action U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Certainly "Action U.S.A" could be a better film, requiring stronger production effort to blend personalities with the plot, creating more investment in character arcs. Stewart doesn't possess that level of concentration for the picture, seemingly burning through human moments to get to stunt dangers, which are genuinely impressive. It's an entertaining movie, but only when it steps away from its storytelling. That's not usually a positive development, but "Action U.S.A." is best served as simply as possible, with as much freefalling and car crashes as possible.