Now when you think action star in current times Chuck Norris is not in the top 10 but in the 1980s he was probably in the top 5. This movie was one of his classics that really exemplified what 1980s action was. They destroyed a real neighborhood in this movie (the development was set for demolition so they let the film makers destroy it). This movie had the classic bad guys doing horrible things, trying to take over and only one man can stop them, that's right Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris' character is a retired Black ops/special forces type who retired and disappeared because of all the stress he had endured from his job. But when the really bad guys start making their move, the government sends for their number one guy. Chuck is a one man wrecking crew in this. He seems to dodge every bullet that comes at him but all his bullets hit their mark. They really went the extra mile in the finale of this movie, the way the top bad guy goes out is so good they used it again in a Charles Bronson 'Death Wish' movie which was made by the same producers. If you know about Cannon Films, this is one of their crown jewels.

As improbable and unrealistic as it remains, "Missing in Action" director Joseph Zito's "Invasion, U.S.A." qualifies as hugely entertaining nonsense that takes advantage of karate champ Chuck Norris' larger-than-life persona. More than any other Chuck Norris actioneer including "Code of Silence" and "Lone Wolf McQuade," (two of my favorites), this shoot'em up, blow'em apart, nonstop kill all terrorists epic came out long at a time before 9/11 occurred. As indestructible former CIA agent Matt Hunter, Norris emerges as a Terminator of sorts, taking out terrorists without a qualm, just as his chief adversary Mikhail Rostov (Richard Lynch of "Scarecrow") shows no mercy when he kills good guys and bad guys. In the first scene, we watch as a U.S. Coast Guard cutter intercepts a boatload of Cuban refugees with Rostov masquerading as an officer. No sooner have the cruised up to the boat than smiling Richard Lynch and his crew massacre all the men, women, and children in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Later, FBI agents question a lone female photographer, McGuire (Melissa Prophet of "Goodfellas"), who has taken photos aboard a yacht of all the Coast Guard personnel that Rostov murdered so his army would disguise themselves as the Coast Guard. Later, when Rostov deals with underworld thugs to purchase illegal weapons from drug dealer, he shoots the head criminal in charge, Mickey (Billy Drago of "Delta Force 2"), by shoving his automatic pistol into the villain's pants and blasting away. Earlier, he smashed a drug addict in the back of her head, driving her nose down on the metal straw poised over a pile of cocaine. The cocaine came from the interior of the boatload of Cuban refugees. Of course, the violence is cartoon-like, but this film provides a catharsis of sorts after all the real-life violence and paranoia that terrorists have wrought since 9/11. Chuck Norris' heroic character is definitely a force to be reckoned with and he emerges as omnipresent. Zito depicts only one scene where the Norris character did not succeed in intervening and saving lives. Several scenes of Hunter thwarting the terrorists are memorable, particularly when Hunter removes an explosives device from the exterior of a school bus and later returns an explosives charge to the villains who had planted it on the steps of a church. Richard Lynch makes an unforgettable impression as the notorious villain, and we actually get to see the fearless Norris tangle with an alligator. Zito lensed most of the action on real-life locations in Atlanta, Georgia, and he actually blew up genuine houses in a residential neighborhood. "Invasion, U.S.A" makes you cheer the hero and hiss at the villains even though you know it could never happen this way. Just about every scene is iconic as Chuck takes out the terrorists. Indeed, Rostov suffers gravely at the hands of our hero. Incidentally, Jamie Sanchez of "The Wild Bunch" has a cameo in the first scene.

Chuck Norris's second film with director Joseph Zito (the previous one being Missing In Action), Invasion USA sees the bearded karate champ playing one-man army Matt Hunter, tasked with stopping Russian terrorist Mikhail Rostov (Richard Lynch), who has invaded Miami with his personal army in order to somehow throw the whole of America into chaos. Outdoing even Bill Drago's baby-killing rapist drug-lord from Delta Force 2 in the evil stakes, Rostov massacres a boatload of defenceless Cuban refugees, kills Hunter's best buddy John Eagle (Dehl Berti), obliterates the residents of a peaceful suburban neighbourhood as they celebrate Christmas, and orders his soldiers to shoot kids at a community centre, blow up a church full of worshippers, and plant a bomb on a school bus.With a slightly bigger budget than normal for a Norris film ($12m), Zito is able to destroy lots of stuff and crash quite a few vehicles as his star goes in search of the despicable villain. Not that finding Rostov and his men is difficult for Hunter: Invasion USA proves unintentionally funny as Chuck conveniently turns up in his truck, twin Uzis at the ready, whenever and wherever the baddies are causing trouble. And the Chuck-les don't end there: giggles are to be had every time the wooden star solemnly spouts his truly awful one-liners, although for my money, the most amusing moments are when he dives behind office partitioning—the real flimsy stuff—to protect himself from enemy gun-fire, and uses his uncanny sixth sense to detect two gunmen hiding in another room (successfully killing them by blowing huge holes in the wall with his grenade launcher).Not a great film by any stretch of the imagination, Invasion USA is the epitome of cheezy 80s action—a brainless yet moderately entertaining 'Saturday night with beer' movie, with all that that entails.

Commies invade Florida led by ol' coke nose himself, Richard Lynch. Little do the Reds know, bearded former CIA agent Chuck Norris is here to defend the USA! Norris punches, kicks, shoots, and explodes his way through the enemy forces. He singlehandedly wards off an invasion of the United States. If that doesn't redefine badass, I don't know what does. Many classic scenes and lines. Loaded with testosterone. Super violent in the best Cannon tradition. Norris is excellent in what might be my favorite movie of his. Richard Lynch is a pretty scary individual that I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Billy Drago has a memorable scene. I don't think it's a huge spoiler to say he dies but HOW he dies you will have to watch to find out. You won't see it coming, trust me. Essential viewing for fans of Norris, Cannon, and action movie buffs.