Uncle Sam

I rented this in the mood for a really bad movie that I could rip to shreds but to my surprise, and despite what everyone else seems to think of it, it was actually quite good!

Yes, there are all kinds of B movie slip-ups (like school being in session in the middle of summer, the crippled and deformed blind kid who somehow has been equipped with a sixth sense after a fireworks accident the previous July 4th, and the casket being dropped off and kept in the sister's living room as if it were a new TV set or piece of furniture) but I found myself ignoring all the flaws because the actors had so much conviction in their roles, and because Lustig's camerawork was so fluid and put me under its spell. The image of that Uncle Sam on enormous stilts first peeping into some bedroom, then hobbling away from some mysterious pursuer is one of the most effective, haunting visuals I've seen in a long while.

I was aware of his reputation for sleazy shlock but the surprise here is how much restraint and sensitivity Lustig shows in so many of the scenes (though admittedly not all). Working with a typically insightful/erratic/cliched/inspired/absorbing/impossible-to-pigeonhole script by the infamous Larry Cohen, you can tell that they really have something on their mind here other than just another slasher film ripoff. There are wonderful, quiet scenes like the one where Isaac Hayes' one-legged veteran takes the impressionable kid aside and explains that killing machines like his Uncle Sam aren't heroes at all, or the one where Timothy Bottoms' grade school teacher is forced to defend his pacifist stance during the Vietnam War to a class of skeptical students. And there are just clever, little tongue-in-cheek details throughout that clue you in (if you're paying attention) to the fact that the filmmakers put real thought and consideration into the exercise.

Whatever external flaws it may have, beneath its goofy premise there's real merit here. This is a movie that possesses something which many of its big budget counterparts wish they had: a pulse.

If you like campy horror/comedy flicks along the lines of "Jack Frost", you'll love "Uncle Sam". The story centers around a young boy, Cody, who is very proud of his Uncle Sam who was killed in Kuwait by 'friendly fire' from the US Government. Sam Harper's remains are flown back stateside for a burial. Cody, young and naive, wants to be just like his uncle Sam, but Sam wasn't a hero or good guy after all. Cody unknowingly opens the coffin with the remains of his uncle and then the fireworks start, and just in time for the 4th of July celebration. Tender moments are attempted but fail. Most notable is P.J. Soles of "Halloween" fame as a bitter mother whose son was blinded and burned by a freak fireworks accident. Issac Hayes livens up this film as a veteran and local military historian. There are laughs throughout and some unique deaths. Watch it late at night with a group of friends.

Talk about a disappointment. I know it's only Uncle Sam, but it's Bill Lustig and Larry Cohen. This dynamic duo should have had better results (see Maniac Cop). Uncle Sam is just so...I don't know, but it's not fun. And fun is exactly what it should have been. It's very goofy but I never once laughed with it, only at it. Perhaps the funniest aspect was the kid in the wheelchair. Where did he come from? He was never mentioned or shown and out of nowhere (and in the middle of the movie) he becomes a major character. Talk about bewildered. The best part is that he's always left behind. If someone goes into a house, the wheelchair kid stays outside. If someone leaves to get a cannon, the wheelchair kid just chills where he's at. It's accidentally hilarious. I can say some good about Uncle Sam. I can say it has one of the best casts to ever grace a slasher film. It's a 70's who's who that features Isaac Hayes, Bo Hopkins, William Smith, and Robert Forster. It's even got the guy who played the president on That's My Bush. I'm not sure how Lustig brought this cast together for this film, but it still doesn't compensate for the negative. If you're wanting to see a hokey horror flick with a killer who never runs out of quips, stick to the Nightmare on Elm Street sequels. If you're wanting to see a serious horror film with deep social commentary about war, watch Deathdream.

"Uncle Sam wants you...dead!"

I first heard about this from my good friend, who told me to rent it. So I did. Wow! What a waste of a good film. During the Desert Storm, Sam Harper shot down in a helicopter by "Friendly Fire". Sam really believed in and respected the American way. On the fourth of July, Sam rises from the dead, and kills anyone who doesn't respect America. Thats right, anyone from flag burners and people who mock the national Anthem. Uncle Sam effects were fake, and I don't know why they consider this "Horror". My rateing is 4 out of 10.

This movie should have been made 10 years earlier...it's a perfect '80s horror flick. It's a silly romp, which will have you laughing due to it being ridiculous. There's not much violence/gore, but a perfect B-movie. If you're gonna watch a horror movie, make sure it's a B-movie. Simple plot: a sadistic army soldier is shot down in his helicopter by 'friendly fire' by his fellow soldiers. I suppose due to revenge, he goes after anti-americans...flag burners, draft-dodgers, & his ex-wife. Did I mention that he dresses up as Uncle Sam while he does this? Isn't this alone worth watching it?