This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

When a Midwest town learns that a corrupt railroad baron has captured the deeds to their homesteads without their knowledge, a group of young ranchers join forces to take back what is rightfully theirs. In the course of their vendetta, they become the object of the biggest manhunt in the history of the Old West and as their fame grows, so will the legend of their leader: a young outlaw by the name of Jesse James.

For thoughts on American Outlaws, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/tgmHjkh1298?si=HsQjL2P2tvrOGPS-&t=1973]

Video Quality

American Outlaws debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio from a dated master that looks mostly solid even without a refresh. The natural film grain is present and consistent while showcasing some fine detail in the period costumes and western environment. These elements stand out with pleasing clarity, especially in elements of the landscapes or interiors such as the banks that are being robbed. There is a nice variety when it comes to facial hair, and you can view a good amount of stubble alongside natural skin tones.

Despite the presence of some edge enhancement, this high definition upgrade is very welcome and serves this movie well enough. Colors are warm to suit the dusty environment as all the hues reach a fine level of precision. The palette is very particular in its presentation, but the aesthetic is captured favorably. Black levels are pretty solid without any noticeable blocking or compression artifacts. This Blu-Ray presentation is not flawless, but in terms of Sony MOD discs it serves the movie well.

Audio Quality

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings us this Blu-Ray with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that is not particularly nuanced, but it gets the job done for the time being. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear while rarely being overshadowed by the soundtrack, score or sound effects. The music provides some surprising anachronisms which tend to make an impression when they are flowing from the speaker. We wish there was a bit more complexity in the surround channel for a more deeply immersive experience. The environmental effects such as explosions and gunfire are somewhat robust, but they could open up nicely with a fresh pass. Sony has done a good enough job with this one. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

The Making Of American Outlaws: A nearly nine-minute archival piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the narrative, the casting of the film, the training that went into bringing the story to life and more.

Costuming The Cowboys: A five-minute featurette which takes a look at the care that went into crafting the look of these characters in a way that suited the tone of this narrative.

Creating The Old West: A six-minute look at the Texas location shooting, the crafting of the old western towns and more.

Behind The Scenes Train Rescue: A brief video that runs just under two minutes which gives some very basic background information on the filming of a key sequence.

Deleted Scenes: There are two unused scenes totaling nearly four minutes provided featuring moments at the saloon.

Trailers: This disc provides the Teaser Trailer (0:57) and the Theatrical Trailer (1:39).

Final Thoughts

American Outlaws is a rollicking western adventure which delivers popcorn fun if you embark upon the film looking for such things. Plenty of audiences will find the narrative to be a bit pedestrian or light to fill the dramatic desires of their hearts, but those who appreciate a polished adventure with a handsome ensemble will be sitting pretty. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a fine A/V presentation and a good number of special features. If you like western films or any member of the cast, this is worth checking out at some point. Recommended

American Outlaws can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.