Where to watch Fleshburn
1 1/2 Stars
A soldier who deserted because of spiritual beliefs was tried and evaluated by four psychiatrists, and they all concluded that he was unable to distinguish right from wrong, so he was sentenced to a mental hospital. One day, he escapes and kidnaps them and leaves them all in the middle of the desert.
Fleshburn is an unsuccessful mixture of parts from First Blood, Halloween, and Cape Fear, to name the main sources of influence on the screenplay. Sonny Landham (Predator, 48 Hours) plays a homicidal Native American, and while he is a menacing presence, the film negates this appeal by dressing the actor in laughable costume choices. Steve Kanaly, featured in a rare starring role, is an effective hero; he’s like Sam Elliot’s more low-key older brother.
I instinctually responded to man vs. nature films. And I can easily forgive a film’s budget limitations if other elements are in place for an enjoyable experience. Fleshburn shows signs of creativity interspersed with scenes that are present only to expand the film’s length to an acceptable feature-length running time. This is a movie that plays out like a dramatized version of the Boy’s Scouts Survival Guide, coupled with touches of John Carpenter and Sam Peckinpah.
Directed by: George Gage
Written by: George Gage, Beth Gage, Brian Garfield
Starring: Steve Kanaly, Karen Carlson, Macon McCalman