Home Video Review: 'America: The Story of Us'

While perhaps July 4th would have been the best time to release America: The Story of Us on Blu-ray and DVD from History Channel and A&E Home Entertainment, this ambitious 12-part series stands on its own without the need of a national holiday tie-in.

Produced by the same team that created the compelling Planet Earth, this look at American history drew six million viewers for its premiere, record-setting for the channel.

In a time when our economy continues to falter and hope wanes, this is a reminder that if we look to the core of what built America, we can be great again as the series follows our small beginnings to the rise of industry, railways, skyscraper cities and our looking to the stars by first sending men to the moon. It’s not all sunshine and our darkest times and failures – slavery, the civil war and devastation of Native Americans are all here, too. From the Revolutionary War to the expansion of the West to both World Wars and the Great Depression in-between, this is a remarkable chronicle, a vital reminder of who we are, where we’ve been and also, where we might go.

The series includes a special introduction from President Barack Obama and is packaged with a 412-page book of historical images, information and facts. The CGI effects combined with genuine photos then footage as technology changed is stunning. America: The Story of Us is a must-have for anyone seeking a a contemporary perspective on American history that does not pander to politics right or left, instead seeking its own truth.