good film but with many flaws

Amateur movie with Big budget

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

(No spoilers) I first saw this film in the theater when I was 10 years old. It was pretty graphic for someone my age, and it stuck with me enough to watch it again a few more times as I got older, and to show it to my adult children. All of the actors do a fantastic job, to the point you cannot tell they are acting. Even the over dramatization and stereotypical acting of the Southern Florida redneck friends of James Spader's character are completely believable (I've actually known people who could have been cast as these characters and wouldn't even have to act, just be themselves. For real). Lori Loughlin is as beautiful as ever in this film (She was 18-19 at the time, and three years after this release she was cast on Full House. She still looks great eh? Forever young and beautiful. Fans of her's should absolutely watch this film.) Everything about this movie is believable and interesting. It's filmed in Homestead, Florida and captures a time that is long gone and a place that has changed dramatically. James Spader really shines, maybe this is the best and most underrated performance of his career. The main character Loren (played by Shannon Presby who's acting career was short lived, as he went on to be a prominent attorney and prosecutor in Los Angeles) is likable and easy to relate to. This movie is a combination of teen drama, family drama and horror. There are some moments with elements of dark comedy, but not many. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. A definitey underrated and lesser known dark horse. Check it out for sure.

"The New Kids" is about average for this kind of film: competently if not stylishly made, routinely written, reasonably rousing for its big finish, and full of characters whom you can either like or loathe. And the sides are pretty well delineated: there are the good guys and there are the bad guys. And the bad guys do their able best to show you how much they deserve to die. Director Sean S. Cunningham, who despite efforts like this will always be best known as the original "Friday the 13th" guy, does a decent job, working from a script by future director Stephen Gyllenhaal (who also happens to be the father of Jake and Maggie G.). This is mostly a showcase for the younger crowd, with most of the adult cast relegated to minor roles. Certainly there is some capable production design present here, as well as a good music score by the always reliable Lalo Schifrin.Lori Loughlin ('Full House') and Shannon Presby (making his only feature film appearance here) play Abby and Loren MacWilliams, two nice, ordinary teens who end up living with their uncle Charlie (Eddie Jones, 'Lois & Clark') and Aunt Fay (Lucy Martin, "Cops and Robbers") in Florida. They become the targets of degenerate prick Eddie Dutra (James Spader, 'The Blacklist') and his gang of repulsive redneck flunkies. Things escalate until a bloody showdown at the amusement park that uncle Charlie operates.Cunningham does work with a pretty good cast here, also including Eric Stoltz as nice guy Mark, John Philbin ("The Return of the Living Dead"), the great (and too briefly seen) Tom Atkins ("Night of the Creeps") as Abby and Lorens' dad, Brad Sullivan ("The Untouchables") as Colonel Jenkins, and John D. LeMay, future star of the 'Friday the 13th' TV series, in a bit part. Loughlin and Presby do make their characters likable enough that you root for them, and Spader, Philbin and others are just so disagreeable that one just can't wait for them to get their comeuppance. Jones is engaging as a man who's a bit of a dreamer. There is a degree of 1980s style cheese to these proceedings (we get to hear the ditty "Stand Up" three times before this is over), but it's all pretty absorbing up to and including that climax. The final death is fitting and effective.If you're an animal lover, though, you may be taken aback by the actions of Dutra & gang.Seven out of 10.

After making this film and Tuff Turf in 1985, its a wonder James Spader ever had a long career in the business. Somewhere out there, there is a guy named "Shannon Presby" who can tell his family and friends that he was top-billed over Spader in a movie. I guess there are worse things to be remembered for. The New Kids is the story of a couple of army brats who have to move in with relatives in rural Florida after their parents are killed in the first couple minutes of the film. Its too bad it happens so quick, because the always reliable Tom Atkins plays the father. His role is so brief, you wonder if he even got time to sample the catering. Anyway, the two kids quickly draw the ire of a local redneck gang of teenagers after the pretty girl rebuffs their advances. The bulk of the film is just the rednecks vandalizing the amusement park run by the kids' uncle, and the kids overcoming the odds to fight back. Overall, its unspectacular.The film is directed by Sean S. Cunningham who never achieved the level of success he got with the original Friday the 13th ever again. Spader is a hoot as the local gang leader. His hair is bleached almost white, and he struggles dearly with a southern accent. Lori Laughlin is pretty, and gives a decent performance as the new girl. Shannon Presby as her brother is in good physical shape, but he has no screen presence at all. Its no wonder he never did much else. Eddie Jones as their uncle is quite colorful, and does a fine job as the proprietor of this tiny amusement park/gas station in the middle of the Florida wilderness. The amusement park is used as the location for the final showdown between the gang and the new kids, but it just isn't utilized all that well. It seems the deaths scenes are not graphic enough, or just not blocked very well. The film also loses points for multiple scenes of animal cruelty. Overall this is just a curiosity piece. Its a brainless exploitation vehicle, and its a wonder that Spader ever got serious work again. 4 of 10 stars.The Hound.

There are some 80s movies out there that just have that feel to it. That 80s feel that is just so damn likable. Fright Night has it, The Stuff has it, The Blob...the list goes on and on. And that list definitely has The New Kids in there somewhere.The story revolves around a brother and sister who are trying to live their lives with their Uncle in Florida after the tragic deaths of their parents. All seems pretty good until the school jerks take an interest in the sister. Who's played by Becky from Full House. Well, being well-raised kids, they know bad apples when they see one. So they try to keep their distance and tell these ruffians that they don't want any trouble. Well, too bad for our bro and sis, they've got loads of trouble coming. Let's hope they're up for the battle.Like I said above, The New Kids shares that special charm and energy that most of the classic from the 80s held. It's lively, it's interesting, the characters are fun and over-the-top, and it had some pretty sweet scenes. Shame though you don't get to see Becky strip. Ya get so close too! Even though there's no skin, the flick is still a fun ride and should definitely be seen by fans of the 80s, especially fans of revenge thrillers.