Invasion USA (1985, Chuck Norris, Richard Lynch, Melissa Prophet) – Classic Movie Review 13,234

Joseph Zito’s 1985 American action thriller movie Invasion USA stars Chuck Norris, Richard Lynch, and Melissa Prophet. Norris later said some sequences were ‘a little too much’.

‘No one thought it could ever happen here… America wasn’t ready… but HE was!’

Director Joseph Zito’s 1985 American action thriller movie Invasion USA stars Chuck Norris, Richard Lynch, and Melissa Prophet. It was produced by Cannon Films on a much higher budget of $12 million after the success of Norris’s Missing in Action films and was popular enough to take $17.5 million at the US box office.

This time a force of Russian and Cuban mercenaries are invading Florida, but the CIA recalls worried and weary-looking former agent Matt Hunter (Chuck Norris) to come out of retirement to sort things out. The terrorist Rostov (Richard Lynch) is planning to unleash terror on the US, but decides to go after Matt Hunter first.

This revolting and blood-soaked actioner cum red-menace movie is as inept and violent as it is politically un-PC.

Chuck Norris and his brother Aaron are involved in the writing, with the screenplay by Chuck Norris and James Bruner, and the story by Aaron Norris James Bruner.

Chuck Norris said: ‘We’re trying to make a statement here. This is about the people of the United States.’

Norris said he got the idea to make the film after reading a Reader’s Digest article claiming hundreds of terrorists were running loose in the US: ‘I thought boy, that’s scary. ‘What if some guy on the order of a Khomeini or a Khadafi mobilized those guys and started sending them out to every major city? I know it’s going to happen.’

Norris later said some sequences were ‘a little too much’.

Norris was paid almost $2 million.

Shooting took ten weeks. It was made in the greater Atlanta area of Georgia, and Fort Pierce, Florida. Miami landmarks such as Dadeland Mall and Miracle Mile are also seen.

It was a huge hit on home video when MGM Home Entertainment released it on VHS in 1986, becoming MGM’s second highest selling video, behind Gone with the Wind (1939), until 2007.

The cast are Chuck Norris as CIA Agent Matt Hunter, Richard Lynch as Mikhail Rostov, Melissa Prophet as Dahlia McGuire, Alexander Zale as Nikko Kador, Alex Colon as Tomas, Eddie Jones as FBI Agent-in-Charge Cassidy, Jon DeVries as FBI Agent Johnston, James O’Sullivan as FBI Agent Harper, Billy Drago as Mickey Seidman, Jaime Sánchez as Castillo, Dehl Berti as John Eagle, Stephen Markle as Flynn, Shane McCamey as Kurt Schnell, Martin Shakar as CIA Agent Adams, and James Pax as Koyo Gotoda.

Invasion USA is directed by Joseph Zito, runs 107 minutes, is made by Cannon Films, is released by Cannon Releasing Corporation, is written by Chuck Norris and James Bruner, based on a story by Aaron Norris and James Bruner, is shot by João Fernandes, is produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, is scored by Jay Chattaway, and is designed by Ladislav Wilheim.

Brazilian-born cinematographer João Fernandes is best known for his work in the adult film industry during the Golden Age of Porn before moving to mainstream cinema as the go-to director of photography for the film’s director Joseph Zito,

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,234

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