Bad Kids Of Crestview Academy (2017)

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Bad Kids of Crestview AcademyStarring Sammi Hanratty, Colby Arps, Sophia Taylor Ali

Directed by Ben Browder


Directed by Ben Browder, Bad Kids Of Crestview Academy acts as a follow-up to 2012’s Bad Kids Go To Hell – both graphic novels, both incredibly off-the wall with subject matter, but this particular presentation just didn’t hit the mark for this reviewer.

The timeline jumps four years since the last display, where seemingly all of the kids from the last film were wiped out, leaving only one survivor named Matt (Cameron Dean Stewart) confined to his own “relaxation room” in the looney bin. This time around, the focus is on budding bombshell Siouxie (Hanratty), and her dogged attempt to find out who was responsible for the gruesome death of her big sis, a news reporter that met her maker (in this case, a car hood) far too early. So we stick this small collection of overly wealthy and incredibly malcontented youths in detention (think of a much more demented Breakfast Club), and let them loose on the powers-that-be in an all-out blitz of blood, bullets and brutality…unfortunately, the other “B” to speak of here at times is BOREDOM. Sean Astin in his role of a Headmaster is straight-up fun, but sadly even the former Samwise can’t snag the golden ring and save this one from a stagnant doom.

The movie takes off in rather rapid fashion, and you truly get the feel like the walls will rattle and all hell will break loose, but midway through the pic, something happens…and progression feels like a forgotten aspect. CGI also acts as a negative here, with blood sprays coming off too hokey, cheapening what (at least in some spots) tries to present itself as a full-on comic book exhibition. Not to fret, campers – there are still some bright spots to this film, as the cameo of Gina Gershon (still mind-numbingly attractive to this day) as a seedy Senator will make you smile and cringe all at the same time, and the performances of Drake Bell and Ali Astin (Sean’s daughter) are well-utilized and spruce up the dark spaces. Overall, these Kids definitely aren’t alright, and the film won’t bowl anyone over by a long shot, but for some it will at least make you glad that you’re not back in high school.

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User Rating 3 (10 votes)
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