A forgotten 90s movie. Part 74 Interestingly, this film was played on TV once or twice as hard (at least I don’t remember that it was a regular on a television program like “Climb climber” or “Faceless”) and the film was known mainly due to the publication on video. Although the cast seems to be saying otherwise. If Raymond Cruz at the time of the release of “Replacement” was not so well known, then the name of Luis Guzman flashed in major projects. About Ernie Hudson, Tom Berenger and Diane Venor to talk and not necessary.
Former CIA operative Shale (Berenger) is secretly hired as a teacher at the school where his girlfriend Jane (Venora) works. The fact that she was attacked and she was on sick leave. Thus, in the school, known for its gangster fights, there was a teacher Jonathan Sheil, who immediately realized that in this educational institution, much more terrible things are happening than simple fights around the corner. Having installed hidden cameras, he confirmed his assumptions and decided to bring in his army friends to clean the school of dirt once and for all.
Oh, there was time. William Forsyth (he played one of Sheil's friends) starred in seven films in a year and was in sight, Tom Berenger also regularly appeared in interesting projects, Mark Anthony tried himself not only as a singer, but also in the acting field tried to realize himself. Golden 90s!
Often in American films, the school is shown as a place that can not be called a garden. In the sense that there is a place for “adequate” plants (that is, good students), and weeds (that is, juvenile criminals). If the school is involved in the film as one of the main locations for the development of the plot or even if the main characters are still learning, you can be sure that the viewer in such a school will see all its beauty and juiciness. Downtrodden diligent guys, guys who are raised in poverty, but want to get out into people, partygoers, figs and of course novice gangsters. And also the humiliation of teachers, painted walls and, of course, the presence of a gym, which will necessarily appear in the frame during the film. In general, here they are, the main factors of the film with the school in the plot.
Before the release of Replacement, I had never seen a film that featured another school ("Class 1984" didn't see it, so I can't say anything about it). Not where they teach, but where they kill. The film about teachers and their students has always been filmed enough. There is, for example, "Dead Poets Society" with Robin Williams, there is "Director" with James Belushi, but they relate to drama and comedy respectively. “Replacement” was shot in the genre of an action movie and it marked the beginning of the series of films “Replacement”, where the main role was played by Trit Williams (and he played not Jonathan Sheil, but a completely different character). Although the creators of "Replacement" probably got the idea partly from "Class 1984", as well as from the fantastic film "Class 1999" about cyborg teachers.
It is funny that in the “Replacement” as the main “field of battle” selected the territory of the school. It seems that children should be taught there, but on the example of this educational institution it is clear that the inhabitants there have long been taught everything. On this score, by the way, there is one funny episode associated with the blackboard and the inscription on it. By the way, the title of the film can be interpreted not only as a replacement of one teacher by another, but also as a replacement of youth priorities, which is very clearly and in detail prescribed by the plot.
Without a large amount of funds, the creators of “Replacement” managed to shoot a good action movie, in which the dynamics winds up on the increasing and closer to the final reaches a critical point. Since the main character is a CIA operative who previously conducted covert operations in other countries, you can feel the director’s allegory for Sheil’s opponents. The large number of criminal gangs that flocked to the school towards the end personify the overwhelming superiority of the enemy on the battlefield, which Sheil had to face repeatedly.
If you compare, for example, with "The Rock" Michael Bay, "The Washer" with Arnie or with "Ordered to Destroy" with Kurt Russell, "Replacement" simply has a negligible budget, not even up to 15 million (the Executive Decision has 4 times more, and the rest even higher). But this did not prevent Robert Mandel from shooting a rather colorful and watchable action movie.
Tom Berenger was in his place - the role of a teacher and part-time specialist from the CIA he succeeded in fame (possibly a favorable way affected the experience in "Sniper" 1992). Although according to the script “charter” he should be cool macho, ironic episodes (such as an episode in the library), he also turned out great.
It is clear that such films as “Replacement” or the same “Nothing to Lose” are already a thing of the past. From the movies of the 90s on TV often play “Bad guys” or “air prison”. But if you dig into the filmography of actors or directors. You can draw for yourself a layer of suitable cinema, which is not a sin to review once again for an adult head.
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
Enjoy your visit.
7 out of 10