Like most unspeakably bad
exploitation movies with elements of sex and violence, Another Son of Sam has its defenders among the psychotronic set,
some of whom wax poetic about the movie’s spellbinding incompetence. If that’s
your cinematic intoxicant of choice, imbibe freely and Another Son of Sam will likely take you where you want to go.
However, if you hope for something more closely resembling a coherent and purposeful
viewing experience, this one’s not for you. The sole directorial effort by one
Dave A. Adams—who also served as the picture’s writer, producer, casting
director, stunt coordinator, and editor—this grungy, zero-budget regional
production tells the dull story of an escaped lunatic and the policeman who is
determined to recapture him. In referencing David Berkowitz, the notorious “Son
of Sam” serial killer, the title of this flick is a shameless come-on
suggesting that innocents will get slaughtered in capricious ways. That more or
less happens, but because Another Son of
Sam is rated PG, it’s not as if the shock value hits high levels. The
closest Adams gets to real tension is when he lingers on grimy POV shots, but
even that device is underserved because Adams’ cutting is so bewilderingly
choppy. Scenes start and stop with no discernible reason, post-production audio
emerges from mysterious sources in discombobulating ways, and trainwreck
performances by nearly the entire cast add to a generalized air of people
stumbling around aimlessly while the camera rolls for arbitrarily chosen
periods of time.
Another Son of Sam: SQUARE
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