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.

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?

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.

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.

Between them William Lustig ('Maniac') and Larry Cohen ('It's Alive!) have been responsible for some of the best exploitation of the last thirty years. Together they had previously collaborated on the classic 'Maniac Cop' series. 'Uncle Sam' is an attempt to recreate the success of that partnership. It may not be as consistent as 'Maniac Cop', but it is a lot of fun, and much more entertaining than most of the b-grade horror mediocrities clogging up the video stores shelves. Lustig and Cohen know their stuff ( the movie is even dedicated to the late Lucio Fulci), and true connoisseurs of trash will eat this one up. A superior b-grade cast, some Lustig and/or Cohen veterans (William Smith, Robert Forster, Frank Pesce), and some who are not - Bo Hopkins ('The Wild Bunch'), Isaac Hayes ('Escape From New York') and P.J. Soles ('Halloween'), make this one worth the rental. 'Uncle Sam' gets my seal of approval!