Buddy Giovinazzo's Combat Shock, an unsettling cross between Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant (1992) and David Lynch's Eraserhead (1977) as far from the tone of your typical Troma movie in the offering. The film follows Ricky who is afflicted with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder trying to make ends meet for his family. He lives in an unsafe apartment along with his wife and their deformed baby (a consequence of Ricky being subjected to the poison Agent Orange during the war. Ricky is also plagued by nightmares from the war, where few scenes reminds you of classic Jacob's Ladder (1990) eventually causing him to lose his grip on his existence.
Combat Shock (or, if you prefer, American Nightmares in its director's cut) , is somewhat unsatisfactory for the gore hounds , but it's a very bleak film driven by nihilism that captures depressing slice of life with music ques from Rick Giovinazzo who performs a haunting synth score.
It's a must watch for fans of the genre, a lo-fi borderline horror film with a mutant baby that tops even the baby in Eraserhead for sheer creepiness.
Review of Combat Shock
