Military cadets take extreme measures to ensure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers.
Acting
Hutton's unraveling, Penn's simmering rage, Cruise's unhinged zeal.
Direction
Becker tightens the screws until the academy itself feels claustrophobic.
Director
Harold Becker
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Tom Cruise's first major role—he reportedly improvised his character's unhinged intensity.
Released months after Reagan's election, the film eerily predicted America's militarized youth culture and school violence epidemic.
US
