Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

American Made 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 19, 2017

Director Doug Liman's (The Bourne Identity) American Made is "based on" the story of Barry Seal, a man whose career as a TWA pilot took an interesting turn -- and dozens more -- after taking on a job flying reconnaissance for the CIA. The film, by all accounts -- Liman's included -- plays fast and loose with Seal's story. It's more "inspired by" than anything else. The core center of the film may ring more or less true, but careful window dressing and amplified drama are added in abundance throughout. The result is a film that may not be a straight retelling of an interesting story from the Reagan era but certainly a fun, efficient, crafty, and catchy movie that satisfies the itch for a zipping, zagging, high energy character and period film.

Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) is a hotshot pilot for TWA. He was once the youngest flier in the fleet and entertains himself on long, slogging trips by jerking the plane about and startling his passengers. One day, he's approached by a CIA operative named Monty Schafer (Domhnall Gleeson) who propositions him to fly reconnaissance over hotspots in Central America. Taken by the opportunity to fly a fast plane and escape the rat race of the friendly skies, he readily accepts. Little does he know it'll change his life forever. Before he knows it, he's playing both sides: snapping high-speed photos and dropping guns to contra resistance fighters for Uncle Sam and running drugs on his way back home for some of Central America's most notorious drug kingpins. He finds himself rich beyond his wildest dreams but constantly evading the law, often with the CIA's help. It becomes a game of outwitting and, often, outflying his pursuers stateside and keeping his drug handlers south of the border happy, too, but it'll take a delicate balancing act that he cannot possibly keep up forever if he's to maintain his high energy, big money way of life.

"All this is...legal?" Tom Cruise asks his CIA contact early in the film. "If you are doing it for the good guys, yeah," he's told. Some response, huh? Talk about free reign, no consequences...no wonder Barry Seal got himself into so much trouble. American Made takes an interesting look not at legality of action but the right and wrong of action and, more apropos to the story, the consequences of one growing too big for one's own britches. Seal becomes so rich, so powerful, so in demand, that he cannot fly under the radar for eternity -- literally and figuratively -- even with the CIA providing him detailed maps that reveal search locations and patterns used by some of the other alphabet soup agencies out to bring him down. As he matures from aerial photographer and amateur drug mule into gun runner and leader of a complex drug distribution system, he essentially plays both sides, doing the government's dirty laundry with his right hand and dropping loads of drugs from his plane with the other. It's a fascinating story of man with no real scruples about what he is doing, one way or the other, so long as his bottom line grows larger and the high he gets from bettering himself becomes ever more the rush.

But, of course, growing so fat on anything is bad for one's health, and that's exactly what happens with Barry. The film plays it comically at first -- at one point as he's trying to stash money in a closet, an avalanche of cash falls in top of him -- but the problem gets ever more serious as the film moves along, as his rising success necessarily means increasing attention from everyone not bearing the letters C-I-A on their windbreakers. Seal's world threatens to come down on him, and come down with something much more dangerous than bundles of money. It's all about a balancing act, knowing when to "just say 'no'" as Nancy Reagan reminds everyone at one point in the movie, but here saying "no" to hubris and danger, saying "no" to rolling the dice one more time when one is already up big. The movie slows down a little in the middle as it has a bit too much fun with Seal's excesses -- though that's certainly necessary to build the plot -- and the end is a minor letdown because it's easy to see where it's all headed from pretty early on. But Liman and Cruise run with it and get an awful lot of mileage from it, finding a wonderful balance of smooth character building, frolicking fun, and deadly serious drama. The film is quick-paced, high-energy, and the leads are exceptional. Cruise really can't escape the Cruise persona, but he stretches as far as he's capable and between his work and Liman's the audience quickly becomes more absorbed in Seal's story and world and less the actor's aura.

American Made 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

American Made's 2160p/HDR-enhanced presentation is sourced from an upscaled-from-2K digital intermediate, but even so the image soars above its Blu-ray counterpart, which is largely fine but unable to handle the movie's structural needs with the same precision afforded by the added muscle herein. The UHD brings a much more stable image, where definition and detail come enhanced a good deal over the Blu-ray. Facial textures are much more firm and overall image clarity enjoys a boost, finding greater definition from everything from Louisiana bayous to Central American jungles. Colors are boosted a great deal, on the verge of catching fire with a few of the most intensive reds and oranges, but the increased density and depth, added punch, and more robust saturation compliment the movie very well. Black levels please and flesh tones are fine within any given scene's lighting parameters. Fans will find this a much improved watch over the 1080p companion release.

American Made 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

American Made's DTS:X soundtrack is made to dazzle. It's an incredible listen, offering plenty of overhead engagement and wonderfully defined sound elements. Music delivers exceptional clarity, width and depth, and even through the track's additional hard-hitting pieces with which it must compete, it never gets lost or, on the flip side, overwhelms. The track is filled with bountiful sound effects, often of the big, booming variety. Planes power overhead with tremendous weight and zip; listeners will literally feel them powering above the listening area, traversing from one side to the next. Rumbles and rattles are so clearly defined, complex, and precise that the listening area is often transformed into a plane interior. Gunfire hits hard with sharp, authoritative claps, ripping through a plane 11 minutes in during which it almost feels like the shots are actually coming from down below and shredding everything from the theater floor and above. At every opportunity the track doesn't shy away exploding with incredible depth and full-on stage penetration. Ambient effects are likewise totally immersive, whether Central American jungle atmospherics or city din. Dialogue is, of course, clear, smartly positioned, and perfectly prioritized, even through the most intensive sonic chaos. This is a reference track from beginning to end and will likely remain as one of the top handful for years to come.

American Made 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

American Made contains a few featurettes and several deleted scenes on the bundled Blu-ray; the no extras are included on the UHD disc. A digital copy cod is included with purchase.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 9:56 total runtime): JB Goes to Church, TV Delivery, Plane Auction, Barry Crashes Into Sheriff's Station, Schafer in CIA Meeting, and Phone Wars. Wirth optional Doug Liman commentary.
• American Storytellers (1080p, 6:39): Cast and crew talk up the basics, including crafting Seal's story into a film narrative, Liman's familiarity with the story, Tom Cruise's involvement, and more.
• Cruise & Liman: A Conversation (1080p, 5:25): The director and star sit down for a brief reflection on the story, characters, shooting locations, anecdotes, and more.
• In the Wings (1080p, 6:01): A closer look at a few of the secondary characters.
• Shooting American Made (1080p, 4:16): This supplement briefly explores key shooting locations.
• Flying High (1080p, 4:50): A short exploration of the role of aviation in the film, including Cruise's own piloting of the airplanes.
• The Real Barry Seal (1080p, 5:51): As the title suggests, the piece offers a quick look into the life of the real man via an interview with Seal's son.

American Made 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

American Made is a fun movie that walks that fine line between taking itself seriously and bordering on total frivolity. It's a film based on a true story but that unapologetically takes plenty of liberties with its story. Its goal isn't to document; its goal is to recreate and entertain its audiences, and both Liman and Cruise have crafted it into one of the year's more entertaining escapes. Universal's UHD delivers solid video, exceptional DTS:X audio, and a decent little smattering of extra goodies. Highly recommended.