Director Mark Lester's follow-up to Class of 1984 takes place fifteen years in the future. In the previous film, the focus was on a teacher fighting back against the violent students at his high school. This time, the schools have become so overrun by (predominately white) gangs that the city of Seattle decides to try a new tactic -- using humanoid military robots as teachers. They place three android teachers in the school and they certainly do a good job of controlling the violence. That is, until their disciplinary efforts start going too far and they declare war on the gangs.
A cheesy gem made at the end of the '80s; one of the many wonderful "B" movies that decade produced. It's all pretty silly stuff. From Stacy Keach's ridiculous appearance to the laughable idea that diminutive whitebread Bradley Gregg could be a tough gangbanger, the movie never really has a chance to be taken seriously (though it seems like it wants to be). The android teachers are played by the great Pam Grier, Patrick Kilpatrick, and John P Ryan. They're the best part of this, having a lot of fun hamming it up as the villains. Malcolm McDowell is the ineffectual principal. One of moviedom's all-time weirdos, Joshua John Miller, plays Gregg's buddy. Another unlikely gangbanger. All of the computer stuff, like the sound effects and the way the words are typed across the screen word processor-style, is dated greatness. The loud clothes and "futuristic" cars are goofy fun, as well. The special effects are...less than special.
The movie's ultimate message is confusing. We're expected to sympathize with the teenagers but I really didn't, even though I was closer to their age when I first saw this. The best teens here are recklessly irresponsible lawbreakers and the worst are shown to be murderers and rapists. I had to laugh when the principal complained the students were being beaten for "mild infractions at best." Yeah, like when the one that was high pointed a loaded gun at a teacher or when another tried to rape your daughter? So mild. The movie starts with a premise that the reason this school had to resort to using these robots was because things had gotten so bad there was no other alternative, then expects us to feel bad that the criminal youth are being dealt with. It doesn't work. As a social commentary, it's a dud. But as a cheeseball B sci-fi action thriller it's pretty entertaining.
A cheesy gem made at the end of the '80s; one of the many wonderful "B" movies that decade produced. It's all pretty silly stuff. From Stacy Keach's ridiculous appearance to the laughable idea that diminutive whitebread Bradley Gregg could be a tough gangbanger, the movie never really has a chance to be taken seriously (though it seems like it wants to be). The android teachers are played by the great Pam Grier, Patrick Kilpatrick, and John P Ryan. They're the best part of this, having a lot of fun hamming it up as the villains. Malcolm McDowell is the ineffectual principal. One of moviedom's all-time weirdos, Joshua John Miller, plays Gregg's buddy. Another unlikely gangbanger. All of the computer stuff, like the sound effects and the way the words are typed across the screen word processor-style, is dated greatness. The loud clothes and "futuristic" cars are goofy fun, as well. The special effects are...less than special.
The movie's ultimate message is confusing. We're expected to sympathize with the teenagers but I really didn't, even though I was closer to their age when I first saw this. The best teens here are recklessly irresponsible lawbreakers and the worst are shown to be murderers and rapists. I had to laugh when the principal complained the students were being beaten for "mild infractions at best." Yeah, like when the one that was high pointed a loaded gun at a teacher or when another tried to rape your daughter? So mild. The movie starts with a premise that the reason this school had to resort to using these robots was because things had gotten so bad there was no other alternative, then expects us to feel bad that the criminal youth are being dealt with. It doesn't work. As a social commentary, it's a dud. But as a cheeseball B sci-fi action thriller it's pretty entertaining.