Text and Subtext 22: Uncle Sam

Unless a creator comes out and says, “I meant this when I created this piece of art,” it will always be up in the air as to whether or not there’s thematic intenion in a work of literature or cinema.

However, as Stephen King contends in the “Text and Subtext” section of Danse Macabe (hense the title of my Monday Morning Movie Reviews), any kind of story - no matter how shallow - will have some kind of subtext, especially if there’s even the slightest bit of character development. It’s not always intention; it’s often just by-product.

I’m not sure which is the case in Uncle Sam, but I was struck by how surprisingly relevant it was. That, and chock-full of 90s horror-cheese.

The plot of Uncle Sam is fairly simple: a macho soldier/abusive husband dies by friendly-fire in a Middle Eastern conflict (Desert Storm? Maybe; maybe not). When his body is shipped back to the states, because his son - who idolizes him as a war hero and a “real man” - wants him to come back so badly, he does. On 4th of July, no less. To take out every non-patriotic sissy he can.

The movie’s commentary on the sharp contrast between the glorfication of war and the reality of war, and what really makes a “man” is pretty on-the-nose. The iconic Issac Hayes shows us a solid counterpoint to “Uncle Sam’s” toxic masculinity (before the term become vogue) in a man who understands the grim realities of war, and knows that killing doesn’t make someone a hero.

Even more - touchingly? For like a minute, anyway - he admits that as a young soldier, he himself bought into the “glory of war” rhetoric, filling the heads of young and impressionable soldiers wit fancies of the same.

However, this is a schlocky 90s horror film, with all the schlocky trimmings. Regardless, it wasn’t hard to see the relevance of its themes to today’s world. Watch it on Tubi today.

Kevin Lucia is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.