Fortress of Amerikkka Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Fortress of Amerikkka Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 11, 2022

1989’s “Fortress of Amerikkka” initially presents itself as a considered understanding of divisiveness and American values, offering an introduction that details the central crisis between those who choose to live in the country and those who seek to control it under the guise of patriotism. There’s a moment when the feature seems like a prescient look at the world we live in today, offering a brutal but accurate understanding of armed wackos and the hyper-masculine, Rambo-loving world they live in. Alas, this is a Troma Entertainment production, so hope for a nuanced understanding of militia activity and thinking isn’t a priority. To loosely quote T’Challa, Troma “don’t do that here.” Instead of a blistering critique of American life, writer/director Eric Louzil (“Bikini Beach Race,” “Class of Nuke ‘Em High Part II: Subhumanoid Meltdown”) is out to make an exploitation movie filled with dim-witted characters, loud gunplay, and topless women. That’s the basic shape of “Fortress of Amerikkka,” which vacillates between graphic, mean-spirited violence and goofball antics with broad performances. There’s some entertainment value in the absurdity of Louzil’s screenplay, but the endeavor falls short of its potential, missing a chance to give Troma a real politicized offering to help them break free of their low-budget formula.

The peaceful residents of Troma City, California are under attack, with a militia group, The Fortress of Amerikkka, building a presence in the local woods, led by Commander Denton (William J. Kulzer), who believes in protecting the freedom of the nation by murdering anyone to crosses into his territory. Returning to Troma City after a stint in prison for murder is John Whitecloud (Gene LeBrock), keeping his distance as he sets up shop inside a cave, looking for a chance to exact revenge on Sheriff Bodean (David Crane), who killed his brother. John’s mission is complicated by the return of Jennifer (Kellee Bradley), his ex-girlfriend, who doesn’t want him to seek vengeance, pushing him to work on himself instead. Games of love and forgiveness are put on hold when Denton and his soldiers start to lose control of the takeover, happy to slaughter civilians, which doesn’t sit well with John.

The Fortress of Amerikkka takes their territory seriously, with multiple scenes devoted to the gung-ho gang murdering campers and nature enthusiasts who dare to spend some time outside of Troma City. They keep it all messy too, as an early scene explores the militia’s plan to pull the arms off one old man begging for this life, and later in the film, two kids are shot dead on a beach. So yeah, Louzil may have some anger issues he’s trying to work through in “Fortress of Amerikkka,” which goes somewhat extreme to make a point about the brutality of the organization. This sobering reality is short-lived in the feature, which settles into the saga of John and his plans to kill Sheriff Bodean (credited as Bodean, though he clearly wears a nametag that reads “MILLS,” but this is the Troma way), a racist, awful law enforcement official who isn’t entirely upset with the actions of The Fortress of Amerikkka.

Instead of becoming something dynamic, “Fortress of Amerikkka” falls asleep at times, as Louzil doesn’t have the money to rumble ahead as an actioner. He deals with John and Jennifer’s aborted relationship, slipping into melodrama, and he takes time to visit the living spaces of the militia, with men are hardened dummies and women are insecure and insane. And when the group parties, which makes up a chunk of the run time, The Fortress of Amerikkka brings in a fire-eater(!) to entertain the army. Louzil does whatever he can to pad the picture, waiting for the finale to deliver war between the town and the outsiders, and this includes various scenes of sex and nudity, tracking the movement of uninteresting characters and their disrobing habits. In a story that concerns the breakdown of American power, all the sexploitation feels out of place.

Fortress of Amerikkka Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 2K scan of the original camera negative. "Fortress of Amerikkka" has some visual advantage here, inching away from traditional Troma frugality with its war in the woods, showcasing crisp greenery throughout. Military gear and civilian wardrobe provide rich hues, and skintones are natural. Detail is excellent, offering the fibrousness (and sheerness) of the costuming, along with deep views of the locations. Skin particulars are appreciable. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy and film-like. Source is in excellent condition.

Fortress of Amerikkka Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix handles comfortably, presenting clear dialogue exchanges that periodically run into mild sibilance issues. Performances retain their shouting matches and barked orders without slipping into distortion. Music is satisfactory, with scoring cues delivering synth support. Soundtrack selections aren't quite as sharp, but remain acceptable, with a heavier presence for pop rock authority.

Fortress of Amerikkka Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Back to the Woods" (17:18, HD) is an interview with writer/director Eric Louzil, who was coming off of "Lust for Freedom," searching for his next gig. A brief pitch to Troma Entertainment honcho Lloyd Kaufman triggered production on "Fortress of Amerikkka," with the shoot occurring in Washington, offering Louzil natural beauty to photograph. Challenges arrived soon after, including the physical movement of heavy, old equipment, and the firing of the original leading actor, who was about participate in an insurance scam to collect a big payday. Soundtrack selections are analyzed, and union rules are identified, with Louzil trying to keep away from prying eyes. The interviewee shares perhaps too much about the state of breast implants in the 1990s, and celebrates the tireless support of Kaufman and Troma.

• "Chant with Me" (9:27, HD) is an interview with actor Troy Fromin, who was 21 years old during the time of "Fortress of Amerikkka." As a young actor hunting for work, Fromin found gigs in the trades, eventually spotting a casting call for Eric Louzil, who wanted actors tough enough to endure a cold shoot in the woods. The interviewee points out how he stayed away from much of the film's violence, and how he handled the lack of a screenplay, only learning his character name during production. Louzil recalls the violent content of "Fortress of Amerikkka," and jokingly implores fans to not attack him for his character's behavior.

• "Big Dreams" (6:49, HD) is an interview with actor Brad Roth, who was brought on to "Fortress of Amerikkka" by co-star Troy Fromin, his next-door neighbor. Roth was young, pulled away from prom to participate in the picture, dealing with location challenges and gun play, firing big M16s without ear protection. The interviewee discusses his relationship with writer/director Eric Louzil, and shares his memories from the shoot, happy to be part of the Troma machine.

• A Trailer has not been included.

Fortress of Amerikkka Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The picture's short Wikipedia entry describes "Fortress of Amerikkka" as "often citied by Troma fans as one of the company's worst films." I don't agree with that (Troma fans apparently haven't seen "Waitress"), but there's a much better, crisper feature to be made about this subject matter, even with all the B-movie trimmings.