
As crime runs rampant around gang-plagued high schools in late-1990s America, Seattle's Kennedy High School has become a free-fire zone: an independent area where the police don't even dare to enter. As a result, bent on bringing order and discipline back to his crime-ridden school, the new principal, Dr Miles Langford, agrees to take part in an ambitious government initiative by having three former military cyborgs as undercover android educators. For the fresh-out-of-prison... (Full plot summary below)
Enjoy FREE movies and series with your Prime (USA) subscription or when you start a 30-day free trial!
Links compiled using automated software. Availability of offers subject to change / might be region specific / out of date.
As crime runs rampant around gang-plagued high schools in late-1990s America, Seattle's Kennedy High School has become a free-fire zone: an independent area where the police don't even dare to enter. As a result, bent on bringing order and discipline back to his crime-ridden school, the new principal, Dr Miles Langford, agrees to take part in an ambitious government initiative by having three former military cyborgs as undercover android educators. For the fresh-out-of-prison ex-gang member, Cody Culp, this is a golden opportunity to start afresh and get his life back on track; however, his zero-tolerance cybernetic instructors only believe in punishment. Back in 1984, the teachers were afraid of the pupils, in Class of 1984 (1982). Now, in 1999, it's the other way round. Is this the future of education?
Leave your thoughts about Class of 1999.
| San Francisco ChronicleJudy StoneGrounded in a good cause but never puffed up or preachy, the father-daughter drama transcends the issues. |
| The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jay ScottWinning performances by Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and potent direction by Michael Apted pump life into the sturdy courtroom drama formula once again. |
| Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertThe screenplay by Carolyn Shelby, Christopher Ames and Samantha Shad contains dialogue scenes so well-heard and written it's hard to believe this is a Hollywood movie, with Hollywood's tendency to have characters underline every emotion so the audience won't have to listen so carefully. |
| Los Angeles TimesSheila BensonApted gives this smarter-than-average script a slick look and expertly develops suspense. |
| Orlando SentinelJoe Bob BriggsA trashy teen derivative of The Road Warrior, Blade Runner, RoboCop, and every other retro-future fantasy that director Mark L. Lester could cram into the compactor. |
| Austin ChronicleMarc SavlovDirector Apted has somehow managed to take one of the most contrived plots I've ever seen and make it seem, if not original, then at least way above average. |
| Washington PostRichard HarringtonClass of 1999 gets a D for dumb, dull and derivative, and so what if director Mark Lester, who made "Class of 1984" eight years ago, is borrowing from himself? The latter was just a punked-up version of the original rock-and-roll high school film, "Blackboard Jungle." For this new venture, Lester has simply tacked on elements of "Westworld," "RoboCop" and "Terminator" in a blatant attempt to enroll the action faction. |
| The New York TimesVincent CanbyClass of 1999 is the paranoid student's dream movie, full of absurd battle scenes and failed attempts at dark humor. |
| Baltimore SunStephen HunterGene Hackman is excellent when he isn't overdoing his patented nice-guy routine. |
| San Francisco ChronicleLeah GarchikThis SCI-FI swill is the brain-child of director Mark L. Lester (Class of 1984), who says it’s really about “kids and the future of urban public education.” No, it’s not. It’s about kids and teachers kicking ass for two benumbing hours. What a waste. |