After the box office success of 1984’s Mission in Action, Cannon Films offered Chuck Norris a six-picture deal. For the first film in this contract, Norris got inspiration from a Reader’s Digest article about terrorists hiding in America. Norris hired James Bruner, who previously wrote Missing in Action and An Eye for an Eye, to helm the screenplay. Since he directed Missing in Action for Cannon, Joseph Zito of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter fame returned here. With a $12 million budget, filming took place across Florida and Georgia for 10 weeks. Zito, Bruner, and Norris agreed that the film should be big, so they aimed to stage some elaborate action sequences. For example, they got permission from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport to blow up real houses scheduled for demolition. After a grueling shoot and numerous reedits, Invasion U.S.A. exploded onto screens in September 1985.
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Synopsis
Retired CIA agent Matt Hunter (Chuck Norris) is enjoying a quiet life in Florida when he’s called back into duty. His old rival, Soviet operative Mikal Rostov (Richard Lynch), is launching a massive invasion of America to destabilize the country. Rostov and his goons destroy a suburban neighborhood, kill several Cuban immigrants, and plant a bomb at a crowded mall. The hope is that these acts of terrorism cause mass hysteria and destroy the country from within. After nearly surviving an attempted assassination, Hunter agrees to stop the invasion and settle his score with Rostov. Along the way, nosy reporter Dahlia McGuire (Melissa Prophet) follows Hunter to try to break the story wide open. As Hunter thwarts his attempts, Rostov becomes more infuriated to the point where his desire for vengeance derails everything. It all builds to an explosive climax as Hunter and Rostov confront each other one last time.
Review
Invasion U.S.A. is precisely what you’d expect from a Cannon action movie: explosive, chaotic, and over-the-top. Even with just a $12 million budget, Cannon spared no expense in delivering some massive action set pieces. From wreaking havoc in a working mall to getting access to military personnel and equipment, it’s absolutely wild. While a movie like this wouldn’t ever appear at the Oscars, let alone earn a nomination, that doesn’t matter. You expect to see explosions, gun battles, fight scenes, and one-liners delivered with a sly smirk. Chuck Norris, along with Charles Bronson, was Cannon’s go-to action star, and it’s easy to see why. His fighting prowess, together with his rugged looks and quiet charm, made him a force to be reckoned with. Even if his performance was one-note, he struck that one note with gusto.
Every good action movie hero needs a strong villain, and Richard Lynch’s Rostov is a perfect foil. Lynch plays the part with a cold intensity that makes him chilling and easy to root for his downfall. Admittedly, it does come off as silly when Rostov gets so flustered over Hunter that it takes over his headspace. Still, his blowing up suburban homes and plotting to blow up a church make his demise even more satisfying. Speaking of memorable villains, character actor Billy Drago stands out in his brief part as a drug dealer. Melissa Prophet, on the other hand, feels wasted as an independent reporter who comes and goes throughout the movie. Granted, much of her role was trimmed for more Chuck Norris action, so it’s hard to criticize her performance. Still, you get the sense that there was more planned for her that we’ll never see.
On that note, while this movie is all about significant action and massive stunts, that doesn’t mean it’s flawless. For one, the pacing feels more episodic, each scene going from one action sequence to another without much in between. Much of this pacing could be chalked up to Cannon Films demanding numerous reedits to focus more screentime on action. Still, Joe Zito is a competent director and does a great job staging massive set pieces while injecting some horror. Adding to the bombastic tone is the score by Jay Chattaway, which gets the blood pumping early on. At slightly under two hours, the film gets in and out without any unnecessary filler, though without meaningful characterization. If you want something insightful, this isn’t for you, but if you want action, you can’t go wrong with this. Overall, Invasion U.S.A. is peak Cannon: explosive, ridiculous, and fun.
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Where to watch Invasion U.S.A. (1985)
