Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

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

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 19, 2021

The world of licensing titles for home video releases can be something of a thicket, especially since titles that are licensed are quite often not the product of a major studio that already has a home video arm as part of their overall business strategy. That thicket can have thorns at times, as may be recalled by those who have witnessed certain brouhahas that have broken out in our Forum from time to time. Some long time readers may remember a certain outburst here by the owner of a niche label who came after the site years ago after several members at the site added Wiki data to a number of his titles indicating when the end of his retailer exclusives would be, based upon an assumed three year contract. With regard to "retailer exclusives", maybe some wise legal type can clarify whether a title selling out then frees the owner of the property to re-license it elsewhere, which seems to be what might have happened with Action U.S.A., which very recently (like just a few months ago) had a limited edition Blu-ray release of four thousand units from Vinegar Syndrome, which the site is listing as sold out, but which does seem to be available for some pretty steep prices at the usual online emporia. For those who may have missed the Vinegar Syndrome release and who don't want to spend the bulk of their latest paycheck getting a copy, MVD Visual's MVD Rewind imprint is giving consumers another chance, with an understanding that the supplemental package differs between the two releases (this one has two of the Vinegar Syndrome supplements but is missing others, while it also offers an archival video of stunt work being prepared and shot that the Vinegar Syndrome release evidently didn't include), and that this version is in 1.78:1, while the Vinegar Syndrome version is in 1.85:1. The fact that MVD does not reference what Brian Orndorf's review (see below) stated Vinegar Syndrome called "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative" leads me to believe this was not sourced from the same master, as perhaps evidenced by the aspect ratio difference itself.

As mentioned above, Vinegar Syndrome released Action U.S.A. just a few months ago, and those wanting a plot summary are encouraged to read Brian Orndorf's Action U.S.A. Blu-ray review of that edition. Brian's review is also a good resource for screenshot comparisons, as well as stacking up supplements the two releases offer. As I'm fond of saying "different reviewers means different opinions" and in that regard some may note I'm a little bit less of a fan of the overall film than Brian, though I do totally agree that anyone with an interest in stunt work and some really over the top set pieces will find a lot to enjoy in this outing.

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

Action U.S.A. is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of MVD Rewind Collection, an imprint of MVD Visual, with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. MVD offers only a generic "High Definition (1080p) presentation. . .in 1.78:1 aspect ratio" in its "technical verbiage", but for those stacking this up against the Vinegar Syndrome release (which I have not seen, and so am basing my comments on screenshot comparisons), the bottom line is there appears to be a fair degree of similarity between the two, despite the difference in aspect ratios. The big plus of these similarities is the vividness of the palette and consistency of the densities, which seem to be very similar to the Vinegar Syndrome release. It looks to me like there are very slight differences in color temperature at times, but, again judging simply by screenshots, they appear to be pretty minor. To my eyes, it looks like the Vinegar Syndrome version may have marginally better clarity, some arguably better fine detail, and a more tightly resolved grain field, but, again, differences are not huge. This is one of those situations where the wide availability of this release and its attractive price may make it a suitable substitute for the now pretty expensive Vinegar Syndrome release from a few months ago.

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

Action U.S.A. features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 tracks (the Vinegar Syndrome release featured DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks). I might be a bit more forgiving than Brian was in terms of the at times fluctuating quality of the audio, but even given that, this release at least offers an uncompressed stereo track instead of lossy audio, and that alone would probably be enough for me to grant this the slightly higher score I'm doling out. As Brian mentions, the surround activity here is kind of hit or miss, but there are some fun moments of engagement, notably in some of the crazy antics involving various vehicles. There's not a ton of really impressive LFE, and as Brian noted sound effects can be pretty thin at times. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly for the most part, though again as Brian noted, there are some amplitude variances. Optional English subtitles are available.

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

• Interview with Director John Stewart (HD; 28:38) is the same Zoom like dialogue between Brian Trenchard-Smith and John Stewart that was evidently also on the Vinegar Syndrome release. See Brian's review for a bit more information on what's discussed.


• Action U.S.A. Behind the Scenes - Stunt Featurette (SD; 6:36) is a fun aggregation of various stunt scenes being staged and filmed. This does not look like it was part of the Vinegar Syndrome release.


• Trailers includes Action U.S.A. (HD; 1:51) along with trailers for other releases from MVD Visual.


• Audio Commentary with John Stewart, Gregory Scott Cummins and Thomas Callaway can be accessed under the Setup Menu. I'm assuming this is the same commentary detailed by Brian in his review of the Vinegar Syndrome version.

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

If you have a spare Benjamin or two lying around and are a huge fan of this film, you may want to consider tracking down the Vinegar Syndrome edition. If you're an ordinary working shmoe who just wants an hour and a half or so of some rollicking stunt work and action sequences, this MVD Rewind edition will probably suffice perfectly well. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements very enjoyable, for those who are considering a purchase.