Themes: Hostage Situations, Terrorism, Boarding School Life
Main Cast: Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, Keith Coogan, Andrew Divoff, Louis Gossett, Jr.
Release Year: 1991
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Dead Poets Society and Die Hard bash heads in this action drama set in a Northeastern prep school. The film opens as a crazed Central American terrorist, Luis Cali (Andrew Divoff), goes on a shooting spree, attempting to gain his drug baron father's release from extradition to the United States. The following sequence introduces some malcontented rich kids from the prep school --Joey Trotta (Wil Wheaton), the son of a New Jersey mob leader; Billy Tepper (Sean Astin), a reprobate who has been to four boarding schools in as many years; Snuffy Bradbury (Keith Coogan), whose rich banker father is the chairman of the Republican Party; Ricardo Montoya (George Perez), the son of a big-shot lawyer; and Hank Giles (T.E. Russell), whose father is the head of the House Armed Services Committee. The boys disregard their studies and spend their waking hours giving Dean Parker (Louis Gossett Jr.) a hard time. The two storylines collide when Luis, with a group of terrorist goons, make their way across the U.S. border and invade the boarding school, planning to take hostage the son of his father's judge. But the authorities have already removed the boy from danger, so Luis and the terrorists decide to hold the entire student body hostage until their demands are met. Working with the FBI and the special government forces, the rebellious groups of boys have to devise a plan to short-circuit the hostage situation. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Denholm Elliott - Headmaster; T.E. Russell - Hank Giles; George Perez - Ricardo Montoya; Mason Adams - Deputy Director Brown; Michael Champion - Jack Thorpe; R. Lee Ermey - General Kramer; Jerry Orbach - Joey's Father (uncredited); Joe Banks - Brown's Aide; D. Adam Bonifant - Nicholas Josephson; Todd Bonifant - Student; Roy Borden - Deputy Sheriff; Mark Brutsche - Angry Parent; Jeremy Caplan - Deputy Sheriff; Michael Costello - Angry Parent; Nick Dimitri - Border Patrol Officer; Jess Doran - Enrique Cali; Mimi Eisman - Angry Parent; Darrell Elmore - Sniper; Russell C. Gagnon - Guard; Rene Gatica - Colombian Judge; Denise Gordy - Angry Parent; Cynthia Hayden - Angry Parent; Dennis Hunsinger - Sniper; Joe Inscoe - Agent Grimes; Knowl Johnson - "Phil" Donoghue; Stan Kelly - Sheriff; Jerry Lyden - Ben; Max Maxwell - HRT Commander; Cliff McLaughlin - Commando; Jeremiah McLerran - Ted; Christopher Northup - Camouflaged Soldier; Janet Orcutt - Woman in Pink; Shawn Phelan - Derek; Jeff Ramsey - Border Patrol Officer; Mark Retz - Guber; Rafael Robledo - Carlos; Mike Rogerson - Student; John Shaw - Cali's Lawyer; Carol Shoemaker - Press Secretary; Paul Sincoff - Brave Student; Sarah Stavrou - Agent at Console; Lenny Steinline - Angry Parent; Tracy Brooks Swope - Jennifer; Thomas R. Trigo - Ruiz; Jerry Valdez - Jorge; Rick Warner - FBI SAC; Grady Weatherford - Student; Brian Williams - Commando; Lloyd Williams - Major; Julie Mossberg; Caro Jones; Brian Chavanne; David Norris - Concerned Student; Richard Travis - Frank the Guard
Credit
Marc Dabe - Art Director, Doug Metzger - Associate Producer, Caro Jones - Casting, Nicholas Hassitt - Co-producer, Donald C. Klune - Co-producer, Betsy Cox - Costume Designer, Daniel Petrie, Jr. - Director, Michael Kahn - Editor, Mark Burg - Executive Producer, Chris Zarpas - Executive Producer, Robert Folk - Composer (Music Score), Chester Kaczenski - Production Designer, Donald C. Klune - Production Designer, Thomas Burstyn - Cinematographer, Jack E. Freedman - Producer, Patricia Herskovic - Producer, Wayne S. Williams - Producer, Judi Sandin - Set Designer, Chuck Waters - Stunts, David Koepp - Screenwriter, Daniel Petrie, Jr. - Screenwriter, William P. Kennedy - Book Author
