Class of 1999, The Faculty Meets The Warriors

Here's the quote of the film, "These things are like a bad f***ed up George Jetson nightmare." Yep, today we have a brutal one in which deaths by machine-guns, flame-throwers, drugs, and impalement will be in the several dozens...at least. Made in 1990, "Class of 1999" may only be a slight exaggeration of the the state of our public schools. 1999 has come and gone and the plot of this film has remained science fiction, at least in a literal sense.

Inner city public schools are out of control. Our government has merged the Department of Defense and Department of Education and teamed up with defense contractor Megatech, headed by Dr. Forrest (Stacy Keach). Looking like a space alien, the albino Forrest has supplied Kennedy High School with three battledroids, unbeknownst to the students. These terminator-like things teach history, Physical Education, and Chemistry. The robotic teachers are played by Pam Grier, John P. Ryan, and Patrick Kilpatrick. The mechanical teachers are on the look-out for known gang members including our anti-hero, Cody (Bradley Gregg). Soon the trio begin enforcing discipline which leads to the murder of several students.

Meanwhile, on parole, Cody's attempt to go clean suffers set backs as his buddies are killed by the teachers. As the teachers help ignite a gang war, Cody figures out what is going on. Now Cody must unite two deadly gangs which hate each other in order to fight the mechanized educators. This won't go well as the deaths mount up and Pam Grier eventually sprouts a mean flame-thrower (Yes!). Oh yes...did I mention Malcolm McDowell...he's the school principal. It doesn't get any better.

Will the national teachers' unions be upset that our dear educators are portrayed as homicidal, mechanized beasts? Are modern audiences likely to sympathize with the gang members portrayed as protagonists in this film? Is the 1990 portrayal of American public schools in this film a fair one? Plenty of social commentary abounds in this violent kill-fest. For some carnage filled entertainment before the next PTA meeting, see "Class of 1999," directed by Mark L. Lester.