Red Dawn: Collector's Edition

One of the constant refrains of the Bush administration is that we must fight the bad guys overseas so we don't have to fight them here. Nearly a quarter century ago, 1984's Red Dawn—a macho, militaristic fantasy from the heavy hand of writer-director John Milius—predicted the possible consequences of a mainland invasion. Imagine the shock of the residents of Calumet, Colorado when a platoon of paratroopers lands on the football field of the local high school and immediately starts shooting the place up (shock escalates to horror when they realize that the Soviets and their Cuban compadres have launched a full-scale attack). In this scenario, large portions of the U.S. have already fallen, NATO has collapsed, and Europe has chosen to sit this one out…so we're on our own. But there's hope! A group of students (including stars-to-be Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, and C. Thomas Howell) holing up in the mountains have not only stockpiled a bunch of (conventional) weapons and ammo, but also somehow become crack guerilla fighters. Before long, our heroes take their righteous revenge against the boorish, barbaric invaders, launching counterattacks that begin as mere nuisances but soon flower into full-scale war. Milius, who wrote and directed Big Wednesday and Conan the Barbarian, isn't big on subtlety, nor does he have any detectable sense of humor. But Red Dawn is fairly credible (a bonus disc contains four featurettes detailing the training of the actors, and how the vehicles, weapons, and sets were created with maximum authenticity) and definitely entertaining. Other DVD extras include an onscreen "Carnage Counter" option, which tallies the ever-growing number of casualties, explosions, and other acts of mayhem. Recommended. (S. Graham)