Class of 1999

Class of 1999 (1990) Vestron Home Video

Director: Mark Lester

Tagline: Hired to Teach. Programmed to Kill.

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 4 Pentagrams 

Reviewed by: Jeff Deth

Adults where fearful of a few things in the 80’s. One thing was the Cold-War and another was that MTV and Atari was going to turn their kids into murderous drug fiends. Well, this film would prove the second fear to be fully justified. Although Class of 1999 was released in 1990 I would have bet big money it was 1985. It carries with it all the trappings of that era of straight to VHS shlocksploitation.

I watched this film with a grin on my face the whole time.

This film is pure teen violence exploitation. I have to assume the filmmakers where taking a piss with this thing but even if they where trying to make a serious film it works just as well. Clearly though, its best to approach the viewing with the understanding that we’re just north of Tromaville territory.

In what was then the future of 1999, teenage gang violence has risen to catastrophic levels. Major cities have been quarantined off from society much like the case in Escape From New York, where the criminals are allowed to go ballistic, free of police intervention.

Inside what is known as the “Free-Fire Zone”, there is an actual high school still trying to function with Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) as it’s principle. Amongst his student body every kid snorts vile after vile of “edge”, Dresses in punk-rock leather and chains and carries a machine gun. The film tries to honor much of the gang-banger ethos, with two main gangs who fight over territory, etc.

In order to regain control of the educational system, McDowell brings in Department of Educational Defense head Played by Stacey Keach. Keach who is always the same kind of hard-ass, is so again this time with a bleach blond rat-tail. Awesome. The problem is the teachers he brings in are actually military androids being tested by the government to prep them for warfare. Well if it’s war they want its war they get. Most of this film is one kill to the next from kids killing kids to cyborg teachers killing kids. Then in the end eventually the kids kill the cyborgs. If you took The Principal and mashed it together with The Terminator and Class of Nuk’em High you get Class of 1999. Also keep in mind this is a sequel to Class of 1984.

The sub-plot to all this violence is good old-fashioned bad boy meets good girl on campus. Our main character, Cody (Bradley Gregg) has just been released from prison is trying to go straight and falls for the only non-psychotic character in the film, the principles daughter, Christy. Don't you just love the name 'Christy'? But like the Godfather, just when he tries to pull out, they pull him right back in. Gangs are like that. But after all there’s not much for a person to do in 1999 other then snort drugs and beat the fuck out of people.

This is just outrageously over the top low-budget fun. There’s some great kills and special FX towards the finale when we finally get to see the droids in robot form. There’s no time wasted here just front to back action and laughs. And like I said, whether director Mark Lester wanted us to laugh or not is beside the point, he should be fucking happy his film is so enjoyable all these years later.

If you like violence, you will enjoy this film. If you hate authority, you will love this film. If you love costume design based on early 80’s street punks and junkies, you will love this film. I loved this film.