Customer Reviews

The Substitute 2: School's Out [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Treat Williams steps into the role of mercenary-turned-vigilante in Substitiute 2. He plays a guy who's worked with Tom Berenger's character before(or at least has mutual friends). I've always liked Treat Williams. He's one of those actors that's actually very good, yet seems to get thrown into these movies all the time. You'll catch him once in awhile in major motion pictures as a supporting character, but in B flicks he's the star! He seems a little too nice to play the cold hearted mercenary type, but does it well. The plot's similar to the first film in the sense that he goes undercover at a New York high school to find out who killed his brother, get revenge, and take care of his niece. Along the way he brings a fellow merc, teams up with the half crazed Vietnam vet janitor and discovers a chop shop operation going on in the school. Nothing terribly groundbreaking, but it's fun to see Williams slapping up the gang banger students who think he's just some pushover teacher. Good mindless action fun if you like that sort of thing.

As a big fan of The Substitute I was surprised that I hadn't seen the three sequels to the movie - so I watched one each day for three days. All three are worthwhile entertainment, much better than most of the "B" movies out there (I rent so many B movies that turn out to be unwatchable). However, this first sequel is the best. Treat Williams is a good replacement for Tom Berenger. He has that almost-too-old-but-still-can-kick-butt feel like Berenger. The reason this movie works better than the other two sequels is that it actually takes place in a high school and kind of mimics the first movie with the gangs, etc.. I love these movies because in every one the Substitute beats up some kid in the classroom to prove a point. There's good action like the first movie, I love it when the Substitute is going to get shot in a drive-by and actually runs to the car, does a flip, and breaks the guy's arm which is sticking out of the window! There are no suprises, as usual there is always a teacher/administrator that is "in" with the thugs who are terrorizing the school and the substitute. And everyone gets their due in the end.

Don't take it too seriously. Prepare to be entertained with shoot 'em ups and industrial arts room brawls a-plenty. If you're ready for a no-brainer, you'll be more than satisfied that you took part in the purely entertaining viewing feast that is Substitute 2.

This is one of those movies that was supposed to be in the style of Dangerous Minds. The script is not the best, but Treat Williams and B.D. Wong do a good job with what they have to work with. If you like violent, campy films this might be your thing. Lionsgate Films has the entire movie posted on their channel at YouTube if you want to check it out before buying this DVD.

As is the case in just about every straight-to-video sequel, the original star is out and a newer somewhat lesser known star is in. Treat Williams does the series justice as a mercenary who fills for his slain brother's history class in a mean Brooklyn high school. It wouldn't be a "Substitute" film if he wasn't kicking and punching his students through the halls with the help of a few unlikely faculty members. Good straight-to-video fare with a decent cast featuring B.D. Wong, Michael Michelle, Eugene Byrd, and a few others but Angel David taking over Raymond Cruz's "Joey Six" role is about easy to believe as Tommy Lee Jones filling in for Billy Dee Williams. Oh wait! Anyways, you get what you pay for.

I had every intention of giving this film a chance -- I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment with Tom Berenger, and was eager to see Treat Williams do a great job in the sequel. I did like that they made at least some tenuous reference to the first film at the beginning of this one -- we are told that Berenger's Shale character is teaching in S. America with his Peace Corps girlfriend. Nice touch, that. Glad to know that they're doing OK. (Yeesh! I care about the welfare of fictional characters!)

I like Treat Williams (great hair) and BD Wong, and I thought they did fine in their roles. One other highlight was the guy who played the janitor. He was probably my favorite character in this film -- very fiesty and amusing. But even the presence of all these great actors could not redeem this dismal film. The plot holes are gaping wide; there are plausability problems all over the place, and then there's the story. What story? Yikes.

If you want nothing more than to see a few gratifying scenes where Williams amazes the surly kids with his awesome Green Beret skills, then you won't be disappointed. But if you are expecting anything close to the campy goodness of the first film, forget it.

I cant believe how poorly done this sequel was. Bad acting from "nobody" actors. Dont bother with it.

Okay, so the movie has a terrible plot, script, and acting (with the exception of Treat Williams and B.D. Wong0. Despite all that, it is one of the most entertaining movies I've seen in years. The movie is hysterical when viewed from the proper perspective. If you are able to laugh at this movie because it is sooooo bad, you will thoroughly enjoy it.

ordered this used dvd, entitled "Substitute 2", I like the movie, saw it once on Netflix, so I decided to get it for myself, oh, and how surprised I was to find it in my mail so soon,I AM A HAPPY SHOPPER, thank you so much for being there for me when I need it, again thank you so much, ok bye now.

SUBSTITUTE 2 moves the action from Miami FL to NYC. Treat Williams (DEEP RISING) takes over for Tom Berenger, going undercover as a HS sub in order to solve his brother's murder. Once again, we get a classroom full of thuggish psychopaths, out to do anything they can to keep from learning. Of course, the time comes when Williams' character must bring the major discipline! While not as fantastically fun as the original, S2 still has enough gun-play, karate, and sneering punks in it to make me watch it a few times...