Bad Kids Go to Hell (2012) User Reviews

trying something

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 26 December 2018]

It's Saturday at the elite private school Crestview Academy. Six students are serving detention. The school is rumored to be haunted and the kids are locked in the library. Eight hours later, it's a scene of utter carnage as the SWAT team breaks in.

The 'kids' are old twenty-somethings. The girls are dressed like soft porn actresses and one actually does a striptease. At least, it's trying something. I wouldn't say it's successful. I don't know how the Rorschach test would work on the kids. There is an unreality that works against the story. It's not quite funny enough to be fun. I get what it's trying to do. It would be nice to actually care about a protagonist or laugh at a joke or enjoy a reference. This fails to do that but I do like the attempt.

a promising idea that is never properly communicated

[DisturbedPixie · 5/10 · 15 May 2013]

The good things about this movie:

-some of the shots were very stylized which results in some moments worthy of screen shots. -It had some funny moments, and the acting wasn't half bad. -It did at times remind me of other films in that satirical way, which was amusing.

The bad parts:

-The explanation of how the events went down doesn't make sense and felt forced as if the writer had ideas for how the story would go, but couldn't really make it fit together in a realistic or intelligent way. -The ending half haphazardly tries to put all the ducks in a row, and didn't match the pace of the rest of the film. -The ghost scares were completely ridiculous in a 70s cartoony sorta way, that once again felt out of nowhere in how absurd they were. -There were poorly done CGI cockroaches all through out the film, which are never explained, which could have helped explain some of the unbelievable moments if they were.

I'd typically give a film like this a 5/10, but since I spent so much time analyzing it, I feel like I should give it a 6. But then again, a 6 means I can recommended it to at least some people for a one time watch, and I'm unsure if I could go that far since it's such a sloppy teen film. I guess I recommend it to people who don't require a cohesive storyline.

Just don't expect anything of value besides something to argue over with your easily amused friends who loved it. And some tits... don't forgot stereotypical straight male horror fans, there are tits. I know you don't think it's a good horror film without some girl degrading herself for your amusement. I suggest porn, but hey, the film industry keeps giving you guys what you want. Hope you're happy, because even as someone who is attracted to women, I don't require "whores to be punished" in all my horror film favorites, as films like Cabin in The Woods satires.

I have also posted an explanation of the ending for people who couldn't follow the jumbled wrap up, in the forum thread "Ending Spoilers Wanted." I try to explain it as best I can, but in the end, much is left for the audience to try to figure-out/argue-over until it's sequel is released. And who knows if that will give a decent explanation for what happened or if it will just make it even more absurd.

What a mess this movie is... could had been way better

[destroyerwod · 5/10 · 1 September 2014]

Its really disappointing when you see a movie with such potential turning up to be such a high disappointment. The premise was good, and it could had made up for a very nice ambient horror movie with the ghost subject and all. Maybe had some nice gruesome kills on top of that, but i would had mainly see it as ambient horror. But sadly it turned out to be just a confusing mess. The characters for a start are so unbelievable. The situation shown in the flashbacks are totally out of nowhere and you are just thinking "did i just saw that?". The core of the story about the kids killing the Indian dude is also completely weird. Then how they behave in the day the movie is happening is also completely off the roof stupid.

The only 2 characters that are slightly interesting are Veronica and Matt, but even there at some point they got me loss. The ambiance is not scary at all. The ghost effects look cheap and fake(they turn out to be in the story but still...) so it does not make for a scary movie at all. The kills are mostly done off screen or in ways that are not satisfying either. The only time the movie score points is because it always make you guess on what is happening but sadly the way they reveal the story is not nicely done at all.

At the end it turn out the bad guys are Veronica(for what reason... i am still thinking about it) and the teacher who put them in detention in the first place. Again not really understanding why they did that, and why he kill his sidekick either. Oh yeah because she made him sick... ahem.

Then there is some kind of final twist which show Max the janitor pretty much being the relative of the Indian dude(even tough he does not look Indian at all) and putting the blame of the killing on Matt... just because Matt "could be" a descendant of the general who massacred some Indians in the old time. Yeah confusing right? So was he with the teacher or not? Did he just seized the occasion? In any case even the ending is not remotely satisfying.

Oh and i almost forgot to mention the music... ouch. Its truly amazingly bad and irritating. The sound effects on the other hand where OK.

So well sadly this movie turn out to be just another cheap horror slasher with a bad twist and you won't remember it in T-minus 1 day...yup already forgot.

More like "The Breakfast Club" meets "Detention". Below average!

[Michael-Hallows-Eve · 2/10 · 18 January 2013]

This movie is toted as "The Breakfast Club" meets "The Grudge". Thats not what this is. Its more like "The Breakfast Club" meets "Detention". In my opinion this movie is quite below average. Although the plot is revealed over the course of the film it left me feeling that they could have done more. The performances were average I guess (I've seen worse) and the effects were not that bad, but again I've seen better. It was your typical teen "horror" film with the gratuitous boob shot, it has a lot of clichés, but I do have to admit there were a couple of comedic moments in it too. I didn't go in to watching this movie with high hopes, and I'm glad I didn't as it was (as I said earlier) below average. For me it was something to have on in the background because there was nothing on TV. So all I can give this movie is a 2 out of 10.

One of the worst movies I ever saw in my life

[deloudelouvain · 1/10 · 10 February 2015]

It's too bad that IMDb doesn't allow us too give this movie a zero so I guess I'll have to give it one star. It's a shame that somebody gets money to produce a piece of crap like that. From now on I will be sure watching everything Matthew Spradlin makes to be certain I'll never lose a second of my life watching his garbage again. Life must be really bad for Judd Nelson if he has to take a role in such a awful movie as that. If you feel like wasting your time then this is the perfect movie for it. It goes beyond my comprehension that this movie still gets 4 stars on average. There was absolutely no humor, no mystery, no thrilling at all. Worst plot ever...

I still like Ben Browder, but hope never to see the other actors again.

[suite92 · 1/10 · 7 October 2013]

Crestview Academy is a private school for upper crust brats. The film starts with the beginning of an eight-hour detention for six very entitled scumbag teenagers. Dr. Day locks them in, but not before Veronica poisons him (ongoing vomiting, perhaps not death). Within twenty minutes I was ready for all these useless bastards to be slaughtered. That's what I call successful writing.

Megan dies first from the inability to find her ventilator while under the stress of a séance.

They try to escape; they try to explain the recurrence of large roaches. They end up in round upon round of recriminations against one another, anti-enforced by flashbacks.

The adults are clueless; why don't they pull the plug on the bad behavior? Why not have the perpetrators arrested? Turn off the electricity to the sound system at events? There are ways to assert control non-violently. Even good old expulsion comes to mind.

After firing bullets at the bookcases to soothe his conscience, Craig Cook gets a nice piece of steel through his thorax. Nice.

Tricia assaults Matt Clark with a nail gun, but does not kill him.

Someone kills Veronica with a shard of glass, only it was a fake out. She was in alliance with Dr. Day, or so she thought.

In a last reversal of expectations, only Matt is left standing, and the cops pick that instant to enter the detention room. The cops immediately taser him, then muzzle him. Max explains what really happened, knowing Matt will never be able to credibly repeat it.

------Scores------

Cinematography: 7/10 OK, but little was done to disguise the bad casting.

Sound: 2/10 Unforgivable. Whoever mixed the sound did a bad job. The rotten music was set down much louder than the conversational tracks. To hear the conversations, I have to crank up to 50; to avoid blowing out my ears while the useless, irritating 'music' is on, I need to drop it down to 10. Ridiculously bad. The incompetence extends into the credits.

Acting: 0/10 Bad, except for Ben Browder. Judd Nelson might as well have phoned in his performance. You'd think actors in their twenties could do better jobs at playing teenagers. Amanda Alch (23), Mark Donato (24), Roger Edwards (32), and Ali Faulkner (over 22, probably by a lot) were the actors for whom I could find ages. Those may be their stated ages, but they look even older. Augie Duke looked about 40 in a closeup; searching on the net suggested she's 27. I think real teenagers could do a better job than this crew of non-actors. The extras were uniformly terrible.

Screenplay: 4/10 The rotten non-teenagers do get good and dead. On the other hand, the sequencing of current time versus endless flashbacks was poor. On the whole, this was a muddled piece of nonsense.

Scooby Doo

[jimmerw · 1/10 · 2 June 2014]

I don't know enough about the person who made this to determine if they are an actual film maker. But, as I watched this, I found a movie that didn't know what it wanted to be.

This was a complete mess. It tried to be suspense, then, in the end, it tried for horror movie gore. If you watched this, think really hard about the end. It made no sense at all. Timelines were messed up, no resolution to the story, just a garbled mess.

I will refrain from the so obvious comparisons to BREAKFAST CLUB, and focus on SCOOBY DOO.

It looked like a very very weak version of a BREAKFAST CLUB knockoff with some suspense. It ended up looking like an episode of SCOOBY DOO.

There was a good concept hidden in this movie, but the maker appeared to work very very hard at burying that concept.

I don't know who made this movie. If it was a high school film class project, it was OK. If it was meant to be a real movie...........it was truly horrible. I didn't even mention the terribly weak attempts at slapstick humour.

This movie had no business being made.

Okay at best

[SanteeFats · 5/10 · 29 September 2013]

It is not that bad a movie but it is not that good either. Six kids stuck in detention at an elite school. One by one they start to die. Who is responsible? The ghost of the Indian whose house was taken over by eminent domain so the school could expand? The last student standing, the one with the axe? Seems like all the students have a dark something to hide. Dr. Day, the school shrink, is really weird, well outside the usual standards for such a character. Then again this is not that good a movie so who cares. Where do all the bugs come from in such an expensive school, the ghost? A little racism shows up when the juvie kid tells the black kid he would have been hung if he had been in the same place. It turns out that juvie kid actually seems to try to keep things together but of course he can't keep the privileged over pampered kids of the rich and powerful from doing stupid egotistical stuff. As their numbers decline the paranoia and fear increases. When it turns out that the perpetrators are the school shrink and his doxy I admit I was surprised. What I don't understand is why Rainwater's heir sets up the juvie kid, he was innocent.

An OK funny movie

[dawulf · 7/10 · 18 January 2013]

Watched this the other night and played a fun game while doing it. It's called " find all the Breakfast club references". First one is free and that's Judd Nelson. This is not a horror movie to scare you but it is funny...the incredible bad luck of the one kid is hilarious and sad! The athlete's death is rather funny. A good portion of the movie, mainly the characters' personality quirks, and the motivation behind it all are predictable..after about 15 minutes I was already calling out keys points to the plot. It was that obvious. But overall the movie is fun.I wouldn't watch it again but wasn't unhappy that I saw it once either. Last five minutes are interesting.

Misrepresented!

[realvedmak · 1/10 · 1 February 2013]

I decided to write this small review in hopes of saving somebody from wasting 90 minutes of their life.

First of all, I did NOT finish this movie. I watched about 30 minutes, then skipped through the rest at 8-16x speed fast forward. The only reason I bothered with even 30 minutes was because Judd Nelson is a Legend and usually I consider time watching his older movies time well spent. However, very little of this movie has to do with his performance, and I am not even blaming actors, the script is simply horrible.

This movie really should not be compared to Breakfast Club at all, unless one is trying to say how badly that movie could have been if we did complete 180 on it. This movie is so bad, there is no point in even trying to dissect it, it is so bad, year from now most people who saw it will not even remember they saw it. The only possible explanation for reviews that gave this movie thumbs up is that people are either trolling or reviews are fake, I cannot imagine anybody enjoying (or willingly) watching this movie.

Wow

[dinosaur_man2002 · 8/10 · 6 August 2012]

Such an homage to the breakfast club and its great that Judd Nelson plays the principal. The acting is great you can't help but hate the kids. I really could not stand Amanda Alch's and Marc Donato's character by the end which is great acting on his part. I felt bad for Ali Faulkner's and Cameron Stewart's characters. It reminded me about high school and the school I teach at specifically some of the teachers I have to work with. It is always about cliques. Overall it is a great movie, I would have recommended seeing it. The acting from the young stars is fantastic, and all have a bright future. Adding Judd Nelson to the cast is sheer irony and added to the movie. I can't wait until it is wide release.

"Last Student Standing"

[Kamurai25 · 6/10 · 3 February 2021]

Decent watch, could watch again, but can't really recommend.

I'll openly admit that they way I remember this movie is the lovely Amanda Alch has a(n unnecessary) striptease scene, so take that as you will: it might only be suitable for a Bad Movie Night.

This really is "Breakfast Club" as a survival horror.

The idea that the library is cursed and trying to kill them is interesting on its own, mixed with a conspiracy cover up is good, but there is a third element that almost pushes it too far. That they're all uber rich snots actually takes it too far for me, now that I think of it.

The cast is actually pretty good, but the lines and writing are so extra ridiculous that the movie is definitely hard to take seriously at points.

Ultimately the movie is a lot of chaotic fun with a last man standing vibe (spoiled by the introductory scene) even before it becomes apparent, intro aside.

It's a dumb movie, but it's a fun movie, whether or not you're turning your brain off for the night.

What a straight up hot mess looks like.

[hannahbelleh · 3/10 · 19 June 2013]

Let me give you a few words of advice. When you've got a first time director who has only even acted as an extra before, you're in trouble. Not to say all directors need to be actors, but a little experience is beneficial. No production work? No crew credits? We're in trouble here, and it shows. What we end up here is a brand spankin' new director thinking he can make the next Breakfast Club, but horror style. What we end up with is poor old now Z-list actor Judd Nelson trying to manage a bunch of poorly acting 28 year olds trying to play teenagers, and spitting out your typical B-movie horror crap. I use horror lightly here, as this movie isn't scary in the slightest. It's stereotypes, done without any sense of understanding. When your actors have credits like "hooker" in movies no one has ever watched... you get exactly what you would expect. I pity the director for thinking he has talent, and I pity poor Mr. Nelson for what he has become. Avoid this one at all costs.

Oh where to begin....movie is Terribad.

[bradleyjames53 · 1/10 · 9 May 2013]

I really wanted to like this movie...I have read the graphic novels, and have friends that were involved with promoting the movie and have been talking it up a lot. But I can't, it was awful. There was a weird mix of good/decent production effects mixed in with stuff right out of a high school tape mixing session. The acting ranged from sub par at best, to painful to watch/migraine inducing at worst. Stereotypes and clichés were thrown out with wreckless abandon. I didn't give a sh*t about any of the characters, their backstories, their deaths, nothing. The whole movie just felt thrown together and uninspired...Mr. Spradlin and Mr. Wernick should definitely stick to writing comic books.

More Entertaining Than I Expected

[gavin6942 · 5/10 · 22 May 2013]

On a stormy Saturday afternoon, six students from Crestview Academy begin to meet horrible fates as they serve out their detentions. Is a fellow student to blame, or perhaps Crestview's alleged ghosts are behind the terrible acts?

The best thing about this film is probably Judd Nelson and his awesome beard. Since they were sort of starting with the "Breakfast Club" as inspiration and going from there, it makes sense to get a nice cameo from Nelson -- well played.

I have some complaints, such as this film having some old high school kids -- one girl being particularly wrinkled. But there are also some awesome brief moments, such as the wheelchair incident that make the film as a whole decent. And the music is not bad, either.

Nothing amazing but it is pretty entertaining. A basic cookie cutter teen horror but I have seen much worse. I say B.

[cosmo_tiger · 7/10 · 1 March 2013]

"We could find out if this place is cursed if you really wanted to." Six kids at a prep school are in detention when they wonder if the school is really haunted. What starts off as a joke turns deadly as one by the the kids meet violent deaths. At the same time as the deaths more and more truths are revealed. Can they find out who is behind it all before it is too late? To start with the movie is not that bad. It does have a lot of pretty people and some brutal deaths but there is also some really funny moments in it. One of the easiest ways to describe this is the Breakfast Club with a horror twist. The movie is geared toward the Urban Legend or Final Destination fans but for a cookie cutter teenage horror movie this isn't that bad and is entertaining. I did enjoy it but don't think I'd watch it again. Overall, nothing amazing but it is kind of fun to watch and if you are looking for a movie to just put in and watch you could do worse. I give it a B.

Thriller that had me on edge of seat until the end. Great acting and Really Funny.

[nicholascarlton2 · 8/10 · 28 October 2012]

I saw the movie at a special exclusive "Hell Night" screening on October 27 at one of the Studio Movie Grill locations that must have signed a deal to get an exclusive to show it in advance of the theatrical release date of December 7. I knew Judd Nelson was in it and I also knew that it had a really cool title. I'm not a comic book fan, but knew it was based on a really popular comic book series. I really didn't know what to expect. But, I'm so glad I went. It had my friends and me on the edge of our seats until the very unexpected ending (stay for credits). The acting was superb and not just from Judd Nelson and Ben Browder. The "Bad Kids" were cast exceptionally well. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of them in the future. And one of the most surprising talents was Jeffrey Schmidt, who played Dr. Day and until I saw the movie, I hadn't heard anything about him. His quirky character was hilarious, as were any of the unexpected music video style flashback scenes that had the whole audience laughing out loud. This is definitely one of those movies that you'll want to see with others. My friends and I left the movie not just quoting some funny memorable lines, but also asking questions about how some of the issues the movie addresses are really relevant to society today, especially in respect to young kids and their sense of entitlement. This movie is rated R. But I'd recommend it for teenagers and their parents. Go see this movie!

Very good dark comedy

[unsafefilms · 7/10 · 10 December 2012]

I saw this on opening weekend and found it to be quite entertaining. The acting was above average, and the story reminded me of "Heathers". It was funny, and had some pretty nice eye candy. However, it was not perfect, (very few are), and if I had a major complaint, it would be that the sexy Chanel Ryan was totally underutilized. I thought her character could have, and should have been fleshed out a little more. Hopefully if there is a sequel, she will have a bigger role. Also, the Megan character was killed off too soon. I would have preferred that the the jock character had been killed off sooner. He was not a very strong character. That is really about all I can say, I just want to reiterate that I did however enjoy the film.

Surprisingly Good

[jimenezmathew · 7/10 · 10 May 2013]

I was up late with nothing to do so I picked a random movie on Netflix.

The name and the summary led me to believe it wasn't going to be anything special. I was very mistaken.

It really is a Breakfast Club(Halloween Version). Very tricky. Every other part a secret was revealed. Some easy to guess, others had me baffled.

Acting was great! Filming was good!

Ending is CRAZY! Didn't see it coming. Be ready to be shocked. =) Some parts are sad, funny, scary, and cool. It has it all wrapped in one. Just no love! But what's love go to do with it. ;)

-Mattie Nyte-

Enjoyed More Than I Thought I Would

[iblyth07-592-671592 · 8/10 · 26 January 2013]

Having read the novels (of the graphic variety), I felt obliged to give the film a try. The trailers are not entirely representative of what the film or the original story was, I will warn you. I will also confess, I know the 8 out of 10 to be generous, but I do it to balance out a few of the more critical reviews. This film is what it is; comedy horror done in a very stylized manner. The acting leaves a bit to be desired. Judd Nelson, I will say, puts in a decent performance for the material he was given - his inclusion being a nod to the original "club" imagined differently.

In short, it won't kill you to give this a try if you have the chance. Should make you smile more than once, which is more than I can say for some horror comedy I've seen.

Where do mediocre movies go?

[movieman_kev · 7/10 · 12 May 2013]

A group of pretentious rich kids serve detention at a privileged prep school where they must contend with a series of 'accidents' that may or may not be the work of an Indian ghost in this fairly competent horror version of The Breakfast Club.

Fairly well-acted and I rarely found my thoughts wandering, truth be told the film did become kid of ploddy during the middle, but I found it enjoyable nonetheless. Also in the interest of full disclosure, I've never read the graphic novel that this film is based on but now I'm interested in doing just that. My main gripe would be that Judd Nelson didn't get nearly enough screen time for my liking.

Eye Candy: Amanda Alch gets topless

Lets stay with Augie Duke who played Veronica in this film as the link to the next instant streaming Netflix review "a lure"

Green Light on the red yellow green for this movie

[tanmanmighty2 · 10/10 · 13 April 2013]

This one is a must see for horror movie enthusiasts. If you like those witty funny creep cult flicks this is for you. Just really well done. Listen its a tricky combo when you're trying to add funny with creepy, if one element, the cast, the editing, the effects the directing even the timing is off its all just crap this movie nailed it . . . really in the genre of 'Heathers', 'Jawbreaker', 'Ginger Snaps', 'Jennifer's Body' they have just the right amount of hah to the boo, the cast was excellent and Im sure we will be seeing more of them hopefully in the same genre Some of the plot is formula, but it does have a few surprises, what really makes this a must see is the great way it appeals to current times and types, much like how 'Heathers' was so '80s this film is destined to be a cult classic for the post millennium, adding it to my own personal collection

Great Movie!

[porkchopis2 · 9/10 · 11 February 2022]

This was a great little movie and I had a lot of fun watching it.

The storyline is strong with several twists and turns that you may not see coming! The acting is good and the sets were nicely done.

Throw yourself in there and enjoy it! Perfect way to spend an afternoon!

My Review Of "Bad Kids Go To Hell" 2012

[ASouthernHorrorFan · 8/10 · 20 April 2013]

"Bad Kids Go To Hell" is Director Matthew Spradlin's dark, twisted homage to 80's teen movies, as only Americana contemporary film can. Co- written with Barry Wernick, the story follows a group of teens from the complete color wheel of personality mind-f**ked. It is an obvious sinister retelling, or new vision, on Hughes "Breakfast Club" where teens personal, and social turmoil's are exposed and forced into resolution. Only in "Bad Kids Go To Hell" the forced realization comes at the hands of one hell of a twisted, sinister story. The plot follows this group of elitist offspring serving detention for, well-you know- being a teen with too much privilege, without supervision, just trying to deal with school and life sh*t! Cause hey, that sh*t is hard-we all have been there! The film stars Amanda Alch, Chanel Ryan, Marc Donato, Augie Duke, Roger Edwards, Ali Faulkner, Cameron Deane Stewart, Ben Browder and Judd Nelson. The official plot goes like this: Six prep school kids from Crestview Academy, home to the spoiled offspring of society's elite, find themselves stuck in detention on a frightfully dark and stormy Saturday afternoon. During their 8-hour detention, each of the six kids falls victim to a horrible "accident" until only one of them remains. I am not going into detail as to the depth of how or why they fall victim as to not give away any spoilers. Just my review and thoughts on the movie.

Everything about "Bad Kids Go To Hell" is almost perfect in it's utilization of nostalgia it tries to capture, with all the tribute images and backdrops that so epically scream "John Hughes". From the library, the character traits of the kids, (only more modern and less wholesome), who make up the cast, right down to the awesome Judd Nelson cameo as Head Master. The flaw (which is minor) is that it seemed to go hardcore in referencing the 80's high school flick but sadly no real dialogue reverb from the movie, what - not one kid could have found a way to declare "I wanna be just like you. I figure all I need, is a lobotomy and some tights". Okay, I know new decade , new social commentary. The film does have some very awesome quotable moments that I loved, my fave "I don't worship the devil, I just promote him". The cast where killer in their role and all had more than enough back story and depth of personality to bring the characters to life. I did want a bit more bravado, overt-expression from a couple of the characters. I thought they where more subdued than they should have been, but still the acting was stellar. Plus a hot cast can hardly ever go wrong.

The movie's "spooky" element was a nice premise to keep the plot stimulated, (remember I am not giving any details away here), which seemed to put the kid's paranoia in overdrive, and the ending twist was cool. Although it almost came off as lame, thank god it was the ending, and not revealed earlier or the film would have failed, much like "Cry Wolf". The effects and gore are there but not really allowed to be the focal point of the moment which is kind of a bummer but still it didn't detract from the movie. "Bad Kids Go To Hell" is a fun, dark satire on High School life as well as basic social discourse that we all have to endure. Plus the subtext of how, based on generation gap and over extended lives, adults tend to view life and young people with a very distorted view outside of the reality that teens or young people in general experience (and vice versa). All in all this film is pretty excellent and a great addition for fans of 80's throwbacks or contemporary American movies, although technically it isn't a horror film it does have some pretty thrilling moments in true Draconian fashion. The real meat of the story lies with the way they reveal how each kid got sent into detention. The flashback is totally 90's "here is how…" stylization. Plus for some reason I got an early Rodriquez vibe from the film.

Powerful and Profoundly Revealing Film

[jlthornb51 · 10/10 · 1 June 2015]

A worthy homage to the classic film from a more innocent time, The Breakfast Club, realized by gifted director Matthew Spradlin. Beautifully illustrating the consequences of cliques, bullying, and the mysterious teenage aversion to basic human decency, this is a powerfully relevant film for our time. With growing neurological evidence that the teenage brain is radically different from the mature mind, i.e., lacking compassion, empathy, and the capacity to respect others, such a film as this was long overdue. Starring an exciting cast of fresh young faces and featuring a most welcome Judd Nelson as the principal, the acting is uniformly superb. Director Spradlin creates an atmosphere of disturbing dread in which the brilliant script allows the characters to develop and the tightly woven plot to play out. While there are shocks and thrills, it is much more than a conventional horror film. The overwhelming terror is found in the intractability of these young people and the unholy hatred they have for authority. Self-destructive in their rejection of civilized society and common sense, these are young people enslaved to peer pressure that simply reflects their own intense immaturity. The insights into the developing human psyche and the danger of indulging young people during a time when they most need strict discipline are extraordinary. The film successfully blends horror, wit, and a profound understanding of immature humanity while at the same time being very entertaining. An ambitious and ultimately enlightening bit of cinema that should be seen by every parent and authority figure who must navigate safely the dark jungle of primitive emotion, undeveloped intelligence, and defiant opposition known as adolescence.