America 3000 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

America 3000 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 11, 2026

David Engelbach's "America 3000" (1986) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new program with star Laurene Landon; new audio commentary by writer and director David Engelbach; and remastered vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The Fraus

It is tiring to repeat the obvious, or what should be obvious, over and over and over again. However, when it is true, it must be done. The 1980s would not have been as great as they were without The Cannon Group and the many genre films its owners, Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, enthusiastically greenlighted. These genre films delivered so much variety and flavor that even the most outlandish amongst them are virtually impossible to dislike. They did not meet quotas. They did not protect those who are easily offended. They did not seek the approval of the so-called serious critics. They were made by film lovers, who happened to be businessmen, for film lovers. This is why the majority of these genre films look even better today. They ooze freedom and pure enthusiasm, and the kitsch that shapes their identity is unmistakably authentic. Film lovers recognize all of this. Instantly.

If America 3000, one of these genre films Golan and Globus enthusiastically greenlighted, were remade today, it would be impossible to endure. It would be a messenger first, not a genre film, of the worst kind. The feud between the male and female survivors would be used to hammer endless fallacies about patriarchy and the struggle for equality. The nuclear holocaust would be linked to the timeless perils of American imperialism. Camp Reagan would become a massive target for tasteless jabs. Someone would even figure out a smart reason to explain why nine hundred years after the Great Nuke, a red-blooded male is once again distracted by a vintage issue of Playboy with a busty blonde on its cover. America 3000 is loaded with such ‘opportunities’, and in a contemporary remake, every single one of them would be taken advantage of.

But the America 3000 that Golan and Globus enthusiastically greenlighted is unapologetically allergic to politics. In fact, the biggest message that emerges from it is that politics is a game of deception, played by players pursuing personal agendas who are equally represented by both sexes. Imagine that. A supposedly very dated B film, doomed to be sneered at by the serious critics, using politics against politics and, in the process, calling nothing but balls and strikes. This is why the 1980s were special.

All events in America 3000 are seen from two angles. After civilization is destroyed by a nuclear holocaust initiated by mistake, male and female survivors have formed tribes that are constantly at war. The female survivors have been dominant for years and learned to use the male survivors they take prisoners for two purposes only: seeding, meaning breeding, and hard labor. However, one male survivor, Korvis (Chuck Wagner), and several fellow rebels rise against the most powerful female tribe in their area, which has recently chosen the stunning blonde Vena (Laurene Landon) as its new leader. As Korvis and Vena become aware of each other, and it begins to look like they are bound to clash to determine who will rule the area, a shocking discovery and political intrigues permanently reset their post-apocalyptic reality.

Written and directed by David Engelbach, America 3000 will never be seen as anything else but a B film. However, it is a perfect example of how good and enjoyable a B film can be when it unites the right people with the right enthusiasm for such a project. Landon, who appears in an exclusive new program, also argues this exact point and even suggests that Engelbach’s screenplay, reportedly finalized in the early 1970s, was way ahead of its time and America 3000 predates Mad Max.

Engelbach was paired with director of photography David Garfunkel, who lensed several of The Cannon Group’s biggest hits, like The Delta Force and Over the Top, as well as the notorious box office bomb The Apple.

America 3000 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, America 3000 arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an exclusive, gorgeous new 2K master, struck from an interpositive. All visuals that this master produces looked incredible on my system. In fact, I would say that excluding one area where for a second or two there is extremely light color instability the entire film looked exactly as it should on Blu-ray. Delineation, clarity, and depth range from excellent to outstanding. Small density fluctuations are noticeable, but all are introduced by the original cinematography, not digital anomalies. Color reproduction and balance are perfect. All primaries are properly set and have excellent saturation levels. All supporting nuances are managed right as well. Unsurprisingly, the entire film has a very accurate, convincing period appearance. Image stability is excellent. There are no large and distracting surface imperfections to report. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

America 3000 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

America 3000 might be a B film, but its soundtrack frequently surprises with great dynamic variety and strength. The big battle at the end of the film, in particular, easily could have been inserted in a large-scale production financed by a famous producer. I also liked the rock tracks and how they sounded elsewhere throughout the film. All exchanges are clear, stable, and very easy to follow. I did not notice any encoding anomalies.

America 3000 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Fearless - in this exclusive new program, actress Laurene Landon discusses her background and relocation from Canada to Southern California, and recalls her involvement with America 3000. Also, Landon states that David Engelbach's original screenplay was way ahead of its time, and America 3000 predated Mad Max. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, writer/director David Engelbach reveals to filmmaker Douglas Hosdale how America 3000 came to exist, and comments on his relationship with The Cannon Group, the unique language of the film, his failed relationship with Over the Top, etc. Later in the commentary, Engelbach also comments on the shooting location in Israel, as well as the action choreography and the film's positive reception. (Engelbach mentions a surprising review by the LA Times).

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered original trailer for America 3000. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

America 3000 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Cannon Group did not invent the perfect formula for B films. Its notorious owners, Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, funded plenty of duds, and quite a few of them still look as ridiculous as they did in the 1980s. However, even the worst of these films ooze freedom and pure enthusiasm, and the kitsch that shapes their identity is unmistakably authentic. This is why they are different, and it is why many of them are enormously enjoyable. America 3000 is a classic B film from The Cannon Group's best period. Like all B films, it has some rough spots, but it is loaded with pure enthusiasm and looks very comfortable in its skin. It is a perfect film to see very late at night, when the mind is too tired to question its right to exist. Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release presents a fabulous new 2K restoration of it with a terrific exclusive program featuring star Laurene Landon and new audio commentary by director David Engelbach. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.