sam harper be a marine who be kill by friendly fire in the war of kuwait . his body be bring back home around the time of the july 4th celebration to be bury along with his parent . to his nephew jody and he be somewhat of a hero and we want to grow up to be just like him . but he really the only one who see him a a hero and a his mum and aunty and friend where afraid of him . but not too long somehow a burned flag landing in his grave have sam suddenly rise from of his coffin . where he decide to knock off someone that dress up a uncle sam and borrow the costume . then he go on a murderous rampage kill those who be unpatriotic and that try to stop him . strange . yeah and uncle sam be rather peculiar to say the least . be a fan of larry cohen and enjoy everything he have be involve in . from be it and writer to director or both and i have yet to see a flick i haven not like of his . well and that me pretty much me be a one eyed fan . cohen team up again with his buddy director william lustig and who both bring u the terrific maniac cop film that be a real blast and but here i couldn not hide that i be slightly disappointed about this project . i have an okay time with this ham and but the horror element felt mishandle and unsure . the weird thing be the horror moments come across a something of a second thought . i wouldn not be surprise if youre thinking that youre watch an anti add campaign for the army to begin with . it take an eternity for anything to happen and cohen script take pot shot on the desert storm war and army and government official and and the shameless glory about it and how the word hero be loosely use in a very heavy manner . it show the fixation of these topic perfectly . the last point be a good one and a we do not really know these people we supposedly call hero . it also show u how kid can easily be influence in what they think be right . damn that market ploy by the army in use toy soldier in get kid interested while ) hell and i be a nut for plastic soldier figurine and create battle when i be young . cohen thoughtful ( though not perfect ) screenplay be pack with many tear satirical comment with a tongue in cheek approach and but the direction would have be better suit if it do not come to be so hard press in deliver these scene . there nothing subtle about it . that pretty much the first half of the story too and it do come across like a political drama and though at time it do feel and look like a tv soapy . the odd second half be when the 4th july parade start and exploitation come to boot with the killer be resurrect and knock off victim who disrespect the american way of life and not support the troop . it pick up the pace here and string some neat and inventive death . damn it particularly spiteful stuff and though not terribly gory and but it have it fair share of bloody moment . but still it feel like that they felt oh no and we get to add some bloody mayhem and so they pack it all in the latter half . sure it nonsensical and right o and but the wit we come expect from a cohen script seem absent . so it take itself rather seriously by fling about inspirational speech and critical symbol and message that be hard to overlook and since the actual context be absurd and it need a bit more humour to soften it . the fun factor felt rather short . i just couldn not shake the feeling it be more interested in preach than frighten . actually trickle of it work and but more often it pass me by . you could call the plot a slasher with a political opinion or just trash that will rot your teeth . i will move onto another subject and talk about the quality the production . low budget for sure and but actually the makeup and costume design for the killer be very well do . the bloodier moment be definitely up to scratch . the camera work too be a bright light in the feeble mix . by add enough showy angle that make certain scene stand out . though sadly that where the buck fall short . the atmosphere be non existent and the same for the score . the b cast be more then decent when you see the name involve . with the like issac hayes and bo hopkins and robert forster and david fralick and timothy bottom and p. j. sol . but even with these reliable name they all seem to be on cruise control and give rather soporific performance . the lead kid be a real doofus and the kid in the wheelchair seem to know so much about what go on and even though he doesn not appear until later in the story . how do that work out . that one of a few confusing thing that crop up in the story that make you go huh . the second rate direction by lustig be rather tosh in patch and kind of restrain . the pacing be awfully uneven and torrid to begin with and the petering tension doesn not cause an ounce of excitement . i would have prefer to see cohen behind the camera instead . there a visible blooper that plain abysmal towards the film climax and which be very hard to miss . i do not get much fun out of it like i hop i would and though i do not think it be a total mess and it something a bit different . but then again this be a larry cohen fan speaking here . i give it another try in the future and but i will make sure next time i be intoxicate . side note represent there also a blooper play at the end of the credit and nothing that great but worth a gander .