American Flyers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

American Flyers Blu-ray Movie Review

Hell on wheels.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 11, 2022

Debuting the same year as Fandango (also now available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive), John Badham's drama American Flyers couldn't be more different than its predecessor aside from a shared lead role for young Kevin Costner. Rather than a poorly-planned trip to nowhere, this more accessible crowd-pleaser follows two brothers on their road to reconciliation -- and a coveted cycling trophy -- at "Hell of the West", a brutal three-stage race through dangerous Rocky Mountain territory. And if that doesn't grab you, there's a shitload of McDonald's product placement.

The Sommers brothers -- sports doctor Marcus (Kevin Costner) and mama's boy David (David Grant) -- haven't seen each other in years until the former drives down from Madison, WI to St. Louis for an impromptu weekend reunion full of resentment: their mother (Janice Rule) has been at odds with Marcus since the death of their father from a cerebral aneurysm, which largely spurned Marcus' entry into his chosen field. Holding in some important news, he invites David back to Madison to indulge their shared love of cycling... but mainly to get a few tests at Marcus' clinic, out of fear that their dad's issue is hereditary. Easily beating the tests -- as well as Marcus' long-standing endurance record on a brutal inclined treadmill -- David eventually prods his older brother to enter that upcoming "Hell of the West" race and, along with Marcus' girlfriend Sarah (Rae Dawn Chong), they set out for Colorado in a van. And since the van has extra seats, there's plenty of room for Becky (Alexandra Paul), an ex-vegetarian hitchhiker David meets at McDonald's.

If that last sentence seemed a little out of left field, strap in: it's just one of countless oddball detours and strong tonal departures that prevent American Flyers from being an otherwise decently effective family drama. From that distracting product placement -- which starts off innocently enough but gets more obvious as the film progresses -- to unwelcome serious issues like Sarah's abusive ex-boyfriend Barry "The Cannibal" Muzzin (Luca Bercovici), a total ass who doubles as Hell of the West's defending champion, there's almost always something dumb around the corner. (Perhaps the most pointless subplot involves the overweight son of clinic head Dr. Conrad [John Amos], which goes absolutely nowhere.) But beyond the lukewarm romance, racing rivals, and episodic rest stops, the chemistry between the Sommers brothers drives American Flyers forward more often than not, and that climactic race -- which ends up dominating most of the film's entire second half -- is well-shot and ticks all the usual "sports movie" boxes to please any viewers with a soft spot for campy 80s fare... even if the end result would've been much better with a bit more spit and polish.

Armed with a charmingly over-the-top synth-driven score by Greg Mathieson and Lee Ritenour, American Flyers also features a few memorable pop cuts including the title track by Glenn Shorrock (which plays over an opening montage that might as well be a St. Louis tourism advertisement), "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Gone Ridin" by Chris Isaak, and more. This soundtrack, as well as its picturesque footage of the Rocky Mountain terrain, are both supported nicely on Warner Archive's new Blu-ray edition, an A/V-driven disc that unfortunately comes up short on extras. It's not exactly the safest blind buy in recent memory, but die-hard fans will get their money's worth.

American Flyers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

American Flyers' 35mm roots are well-maintained on Warner Archive's predictably good-looking Blu-ray, though not without a few visual speed bumps similar to those on Fandango which aren't quite as frequent. (Please note that both titles have different cinematographers and their films stocks are unknown.) Either way, it has a distinctly mid-1980s appearance with rather chunky film grain and limited fine detail in close-ups and wide shots alike, while low-lit and nighttime sequences are prone to high levels of noise. Sunnier outdoor sequences, including the lengthy "Hell of the West", are more impressive in direct comparison. At its best moments this is a very good 1080p transfer; one that's been vaguely sourced from a "brand-new restoration" per Warner Archive, which usually indicates a fresh 2K scan of the interpositive. Color saturation is quite good with no apparent bleeding and encoding related issues, such as banding and compression artifacts, are not a problem. It's clean as a whistle too, thanks to the boutique label's usual round of careful cleanup that nonetheless preserves American Flyers' thick and film-like appearance. A very fine effort overall, even if American Flyers isn't the most visually captivating title in Warner Archive's catalog.

American Flyers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Warner Bros.' antique 1999 DVD arrived with a Dolby 2.0 Surround track (and a handful of 70mm blow-up prints were theatrically shown in six-track Dolby Stereo), so this Blu-ray follows suit with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that offers a simulated surround experience if your receiver is set correctly; if not, it'll just sound like a regular two-channel track. The numerous cycling scenes are obviously the real sonic highlights here, with a wide soundstage and suitable separation; dialogue is much more narrowly centered with the exception of cheering crowds, while background effects likewise depend on the specific locale. Surrounds are used sparingly and, while not truly discrete, do create a few nice instances of sonic envelopment. As with Warner Archive's recent release of Fandango, the soundtrack gets the biggest boost and dominates several scenes with a strong dynamic range and a weighty presence that sounds quite satisfying. Overall, it's a solid mix that gets the job done; while it could have easily been remixed into a reasonably convincing 5.1 track, I respect Warner Archive's decision to keep the film's originally intended audio format.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only.

American Flyers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with iconic red, white, and blue poster-themed cover artwork and no inserts. Bonus features are unfortunately minimal, much like earlier barebones DVD editions.

• Theatrical Trailer (1:26) - This enjoyably over-the-top promotional piece can also be seen here.

American Flyers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

John Badham's American Flyers isn't exactly an early career must-see for Kevin Costner disciples, but it at least allowed the actor to shine in a more serious role. Unfortunately, his presence is undercut by a crowded supporting cast and a campy script that takes too many literal and figurative detours. Even so, its racing action is well-shot and the rugged Rocky Mountain backdrop makes the final stretch decently effective, at least enough so for sports enthusiasts who don't mind their movies with a little extra cheese. Warner Archive's Blu-ray looks and sounds quite good as expected, but the lack of extras is disappointing. Recommended to fans; newcomers should try before they buy.