The Substitute

Rating:
Summary: "The Substitute" Review
Review: Tom Berenger is the head of a top-secret team of mercernaries, who decides to infiltrate a Miami high school after his girlfriend is beaten up, Nancy Kerrigan style, by one of the students. As it turns out, the school is being run by drug dealers and gang goons who answer to the principal, a former cop who runs a high-grade drug lab out of the basement in the gym. Any movie with Ernie Hudson as an evil high school principal, a wacked-out William Forsythe, and Latin singer Marc Anthony as the juvenile leader of a gang creatively titled the "Kings Of Destruction" can't be all bad, can it? Think of it as "Dangerous Minds" written for Steven Seagal.

Rating:
Summary: Solid, Outstanding action/drama you'll want to see again.
Review: We rented this movie with a only a single recommendation from a friend, and with every apprehension that The Substitute was going to be just another stereotypical formula-film loaded with the '90s political correctness that has all but taken over the film industry. To our surprise, this movie told its story honestly, and without pretension. The Substitute did not have to use stereotypical characters, nor was it formulated to please the masses. Most importantly, The Substitute does not offend the intellect of the movie goer. Tom Berenger is excellent, as always. But surprisingly, there isn't a bad performance by any cast member. This is a well made, well thought out, well acted movie. Rent it once and you'll be adding it to your videos to own list.