Columbia
Home Video | Review by Dan Taylor
I
love exploitation films that start off with
shots of a wonderful family basking in the
joy of living. Glowing at the fact that
life is grand. Just sickeningly happy that
they'll always have each other, no matter
what might happen. You know why this makes
me happy? Because it's a tell-tale sign
that somebody in the cast is buying the
farm in a few short minutes. However, THE
NEW KIDS disappoints me. Not because family
members don't die. Nah, it's just that one
of the family members is Tom Atkins...and
ever since NIGHT OF THE CREEPS he's been
a god in my book.
So, because Mom & Pop
die, the kids get shipped off to Florida
to live with their Uncle Charlie. At this
point, the TV-movie of the week premise
gets a little jolt from the presence of
James Spader and we're taken for a little
joyride into "Exploitation Land."
Hip, hip hooray!
The plot (new kids at the
high school don't want to run with the white
trash and end up getting seriously hassled
for their trouble) is nothing new. Take
any five juvenile delinquent films from
the 50s and four of them will feature some
variation on this plot. THE NEW KIDS stands
out, (like CLASS OF 1984, another fav),
because of really slimy characters and a
fun air about the whole thing. Come on,
we know that the "bad guys" are
going to pay their dues at the end, but
we all enjoy seeing these little white-bread
Army brats get abused just for existing
on this or any planet. Admit it...
THE NEW KIDS also benefits
from an effectively sleazy performance from
James Spader, a guy who should play nothing
but slimy villains that leer alot. Here
Spader shows his true ability as the leader
of the high school hooligans, described
by Eric Stoltz's character as someone who
"gives new meaning to the word unpleasant."
Yes, Eric Stoltz – he
of SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL and THE FLY 2
– plays the nice, sensitive guy who
doesn't run with the local trash and also
falls in love with the female "New
Kid." It just so happens that the sheriff's
daughter falls for the male "New Kid."
How utterly convenient.
While the flick certainly
has its stupid points (the girl who walks
the deserted school halls alone after receiving
death threats and the throwaway shock ending),
director Sean "FRIDAY THE 13TH"
Cunningham shows his ability to create an
effective, tense little thriller with a
good pitbull-to-the-jugular death and a
funny rollercoaster decapitation. Miles
more suspenseful than any of his F13 work.
