"The Substitute" is a pure 90's Action Thriller with a dangerous urban setting like alot of Thriller films had back in the 90's, as there was abit of a sub-genre about Urban dangers, films like Judgment Night, Falling Down, Dangerous Minds, Trespass, Unlawful Entry, Out For Justice, Marked For Death amongst others, the fear of the street gangs & the thugs & the drug dealers was everywhere during the 90's & fed into the movies!!!
"The Substitute" is about a tough lawless School where gangs rule & teachers are threatened until a new kind of "Substitute" teacher comes to the tough Miami School to sort out the Drugs & the Gangs. Tom Berenger plays tough mercenary Jonathan Shale who comes to the violent inner-city Miami School when his girlfriend & teacher there Jane (Diane Venora) is injured by the local thugs & the corrupted head of the school, played very slimy by Ernie Hudson doesn't seem to want to help.
Now what really surprised me about this little B-movie Gem was the excellent cast & the gritty urban setting, i love these Action Thriller's set in the decaying Urban settings as there's a sense of realism & an atmosphere of fear because it can happen & does. Tom Berenger's Shale is a mercenary with a Cool team of Awesome actors such as the excellent William Forsythe as Hollan, the great Raymond Cruz as Joey Six, the funny Luis Guzman as Rem & the Cool Richard Brooks as Wellman, now this Awesome team come more into the film later on as Shale calls on his old team for help as he uncovers a big Drugs operation within the School & each Cool member of Mercenary team gets to do some great Action with shootouts & fighting & it's Awesome!!! The sequence where the School becomes under siege is just excellent & full of great Action, i was so impressed & i loved the team of mercenaries against the local Drugs gang. "The Principle" may be a typical B-movie action film like many that came out during the 90's but it's Excellent Cast of B-movie faves & gritty exciting action scenes make this a great one from the glory days of straight to video Action films!!! Raymond Cruz & William Forsythe are the best Characters here & i always have loved these guys in movies, both underrated but great.
"The Substitute" is about a tough lawless School where gangs rule & teachers are threatened until a new kind of "Substitute" teacher comes to the tough Miami School to sort out the Drugs & the Gangs. Tom Berenger plays tough mercenary Jonathan Shale who comes to the violent inner-city Miami School when his girlfriend & teacher there Jane (Diane Venora) is injured by the local thugs & the corrupted head of the school, played very slimy by Ernie Hudson doesn't seem to want to help.
Now what really surprised me about this little B-movie Gem was the excellent cast & the gritty urban setting, i love these Action Thriller's set in the decaying Urban settings as there's a sense of realism & an atmosphere of fear because it can happen & does. Tom Berenger's Shale is a mercenary with a Cool team of Awesome actors such as the excellent William Forsythe as Hollan, the great Raymond Cruz as Joey Six, the funny Luis Guzman as Rem & the Cool Richard Brooks as Wellman, now this Awesome team come more into the film later on as Shale calls on his old team for help as he uncovers a big Drugs operation within the School & each Cool member of Mercenary team gets to do some great Action with shootouts & fighting & it's Awesome!!! The sequence where the School becomes under siege is just excellent & full of great Action, i was so impressed & i loved the team of mercenaries against the local Drugs gang. "The Principle" may be a typical B-movie action film like many that came out during the 90's but it's Excellent Cast of B-movie faves & gritty exciting action scenes make this a great one from the glory days of straight to video Action films!!! Raymond Cruz & William Forsythe are the best Characters here & i always have loved these guys in movies, both underrated but great.