RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Substitute
The Substitute

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

The Substitute (1996)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
38 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 21

Fresh: 8

Rotten:13

Average Rating: 4.6/10

Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: When a teacher is assaulted by gang members at school, her boyfriend, a soldier of fortune named Shale, decides to take matters into his own hands. He becomes the new substitute teacher, and goes... When a teacher is assaulted by gang members at school, her boyfriend, a soldier of fortune named Shale, decides to take matters into his own hands. He becomes the new substitute teacher, and goes undercover to investigate the lethal street gang. Shale discovers that the thugs are heavily involved with drug dealing, and that the principal himself "assigns" their illegal activities. Shale, aided by his crew of mercenaries, sets out to clean up the school -- and teach the kids -- before his cover is blown. [More]

Starring: Tom Berenger, Marc Anthony, Ernie Hudson, Diane Venora

Starring: Tom Berenger, Marc Anthony, Ernie Hudson, Diane Venora, William Forsythe, Glenn Plummer

Director: Robert Mandel

Director: Robert Mandel

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jun 17, 1997

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for The Substitute

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Leonard Klady
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/18/08
Andrew Pulver
Guardian [UK]
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

What begins as watchable quickly degenerates into a no-brain action flick that produces a ton of derisive laughter.

comment Comment
10/09/05
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

No review available.

comment Comment
08/14/05
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

comment Comment
03/26/04
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

Really fun movie. Twist on the "Dangerous Minds" scenario.

comment Comment
07/22/03
Fred Topel
About.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
05/23/03
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Mediocre action flick with an ex-marine teacher taking his gang-banging students to task. Don't bother.

comment Comment
03/21/03
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

No review available.

comment Comment
02/17/03
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
03/13/02
Susan Stark
Detroit News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There's a sense of shrewd observation throughout The Substitute that makes it come alive and seem quite a few cuts above such usual genre fare.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
02/13/01
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This movie is a lot more entertaining than the Michelle Pfeiffer showcase Dangerous Minds.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
01/01/00
Barbara Shulgasser
San Francisco Examiner

The silliness of The Substitute escalates as the film progresses, so that by the end there have been plenty of laughs during 'serious' scenes.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Philadelphia City Paper | comment Comment
01/01/00
Cynthia Fuchs
Philadelphia City Paper

Aside from a lot of only moderately-satisfying violence, The Substitute comes across as rather lame.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Joey O'Bryan
Austin Chronicle

There's a certain amount of camp value to this over-the-top thriller, which might as well be called Rambo Goes to High School.

comment Comment
01/01/00
John Hartl
Film.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An angry, white, mercenary movie out to spill blood and beat its manly chest.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Keith Simanton
Film.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See More Topics...

Related Forums for The Substitute

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
79%
79%
 Gran Torino
30%
30%
 12 Rounds
23%
23%
 Confessions of a Shopa…
—
 The Code
39%
39%
 Inkheart

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
22%
22%
 Push
12%
12%
 The Unborn

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

5 Favorite Films

5 Favorite Films

Director Kathryn Bigelow on Hurt Locker, more

Revisiting Hogwarts

Revisiting Hogwarts

Day 2: The Chamber of Secrets

Humpday Clip

Humpday Clip

An exclusive peek at the indie comedy!

RT on Current TV!

RT on Current TV!

Check out the RT Show this Thursday!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Warners Shortens Green Lantern Wishlist Source: Hollywood Reporter
 0
  • Harold Ramis Talks Ghostbusters 3 Source: MakingOf.com
 4
  • Spider-Man 4 Gets Its Third Writer Source: Latino Review
 52
  • Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Source: Variety
 16
  • Remo Williams Rides Again Source: Risky Biz
 10
  • Mortal Kombat 3 Filming in September? Source: Slashfilm
 82
  • MacGruber Gets a Director Source: Variety
 39
  • PG-13 Turns 25 Source: VideoETA
 8
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
 92
  • Brandon Routh Talks Superman's Future Source: Moviehole
 98
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
 66
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot
 59
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
 46
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow
 39
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh
 29
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock
 28
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
 26
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 24
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone
 18
  • Watch RT on Current TV
 6
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
 0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
 10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
 2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
 5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
 10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
 24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
 5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
 11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
 7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
 7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Substitute at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno External Link

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles
Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles External Link

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

A Baywatch Comedy?
A Baywatch Comedy? External Link

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.