Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer
Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified.
Fandango

AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
How did you buy your ticket?
- Fandango
- AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew
  
  Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info
- Cinemark Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Regal Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You haven’t finished your review yet, want to submit as-is?

You can always edit your review after.
Are you sure?

Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers.
Want to submit changes to your review before closing?

Pump Up the Volume Photos

View All Photos (11)

Movie Info

In Arizona, an introverted and insightful teenager, Mark Hunter (Christian Slater), finds an outlet for his viewpoints through a shortwave radio. Broadcasting as "Hard Harry," Hunter uses his pirate radio show to rant against the injustices and hypocrisies taking place in the area, and in society in general. Hunter conceals his off-air identity, but a determined student (Samantha Mathis) discovers the truth, while Principal Creswood (Annie Ross) seeks to shut down Hunter once and for all.

Rating:

R
Genre:

drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

Allan Moyle
Producer:

Sandy Stern, Rupert Harvey
Release Date (Theaters):

Aug 22, 1990 wide
Release Date (Streaming):

Aug 15, 2000
Box Office (Gross USA):

$11.5M
Runtime:

1h 45m
Production Co:

New Line Cinema, SC Entertainment
Sound Mix:

Surround, Dolby

Cast & Crew

Christian Slater
Mark Hunter (Hard Harry)

Samantha Mathis
Nora Diniro

Ellen Greene
Jan Emerson

Scott Paulin
Brian Hunter

Cheryl Pollak
Paige Woodward

Andy Romano
Murdock

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Pump Up the Volume

Three of the "Ocean’s Thirteen" Show Up

Speedman & Bentley Head Off to "Weirdsville"

View All

Critic Reviews for Pump Up the Volume

All Critics (36) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (7)

As a movie, 'Pump Up the Volume' is a lot like a teenager: at times unbearably self-important and pretentious (Nora's poems, good lord), yet undeniably, and admirably, earnest.

May 27, 2016 | Full Review…

Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
Quote not available.

September 7, 2011 | Rating: C- | Full Review…

Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
The perfectly cast Slater effectively propels the film, his intensity and dry delivery giving it a definite edge, as does a soundtrack which includes Ice T, Concrete Blonde and the Cowboy Junkies.

February 9, 2006 | Full Review…

Time Out
Fast paced with a satisfyingly unhappy ending.

November 3, 2005 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Lloyd Bradley
Empire Magazine
Quote not available.

June 4, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

James Berardinelli
ReelViews
It's a howl from the heart, a relentlessly involving movie that gives a kid every reason to believe that he or she can come of age.

January 1, 2000 | Full Review…

Rita Kempley
Washington Post
If you don't mind (or even like) the standard teen fare that is the stuff such movies are made of, there are a couple of good reasons to see this one.

May 21, 2020 | Full Review…

Monica Dorenkamp
OutWeek
Call it Rebel With a Cause, and listen good, because it's the most frank, startling and radically opinionated movie ever made for young viewers.

April 1, 2020 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…

Hal Lipper
Tampa Bay Times
'Pump Up The Volume' Still Shines In Its Exploration of Depression and Trauma

November 5, 2019 | Full Review…

Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central
Sharply uneven, this teen-angst feature begins exgremely well with some relevant social commentary; it also put on the map Christian Slater as a talent to watch.

January 8, 2012 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Slater is Moyle's generator, powering the film through some sludgy melodramatics, and while his separation of Mark and Hard Harry is practically Kabuki theater, the effort is just wonderful.

August 30, 2010 | Rating: A | Full Review…

Brian Orndorf
BrianOrndorf.com
Much more than a teen movie....an experience, and one you'll never forget. TURN IT UP LOUD!

March 3, 2006 | Rating: 4/5

Caffeinated Clint
Mediasharx

View All Critic Reviews (36)

Audience Reviews for Pump Up the Volume

Feb 28, 2012

Slater does it again, this catapults straight into my top 10 alongside 'Heathers' another Slater movie that I watche and while back and have been repeatedly watching since. This movie really speaks to me and I think what it has to say about youth still stands today: We're not ourselves, we live by other peoles standards, can't we just be free?

Cameron S Super Reviewer
Feb 24, 2012

A silly little Christian Slater movie. Actually I think the successful Christian Slater movies were the ones that kept him off the screen for most of the time. Christian is sad because his little pirate radio station was busted. Boo hoo.

John B Super Reviewer
May 29, 2011

Christian Slater then: raspy-voiced star of rebellious teen movies that were adored by adolescents and greeted indifferently by critics. Christian Slater now: raspy-voiced star of direct-to-video thrillers that have a shorter shelf life than the TV series he makes. On the plus side, teens and critics now agree with a shared indifference.

Doctor S Super Reviewer
Sep 06, 2010

Slater is so hot in this movie! This rebellious teen drama is full of both angst and celebration of being a teenager at the turn of the decade. I really loved it when I was a teen, and I highly recommend it.

Aj V Super Reviewer

See all Audience reviews

Pump Up the Volume Quotes

Murdock:

Creswood's a maggot pusswad.

Mark Hunter:

I like the idea that a voice can just go somewhere, uninvited, and just kinda hang out like a dirty thought in a nice clean mind. Maybe a though is like a virus, you know, it can... it can... kill all the healthy thoughts and just take over. That would be serious.

Mark Hunter:

Ok, this is really me now. No more hiding. Listen, we're all worried, we're all in pain. That just comes with having eyes and with having ears. But just remember one thing, it can't get any worse, it can only get better. I mean High School is the bottom. Being a teenager sucks! But that's the point, surviving it is the whole point! Quitting is not going to make you strong, living will. So just hang on and hang in there. You know, I know all about the hating and the sneering. I'm a member of the "why bother" generation myself. But why did I bother to come out here tonight, and why did you? I mean, It's time. It's begins with us, not with politicians, the experts or the teachers but with us. With you and with me. The ones who need it most. I gotta believe, with everything in me, the whole world is longing for healing. Even the trees, the earth itself are crying out for it. You can hear it everywhere. Same kinda healing I desperately needed and I finally feel has begun, with you.

Nora Diniro:

I'm the "Eat me, beat me" lady.

View All Quotes