The New Kids starts off in teen drama mode, with brother and sister Loren and Abby (Shannon Presby and Lori Loughlin) going to stay with their uncle and aunt in Florida after both of their parents are killed in a car crash. At their new school, the siblings run into trouble with a gang of redneck thugs led by drug dealing sociopath Dutra (James Spader at his most loathsome), but hold their own having been brought up to be tough as nails by their army colonel father (Tom Atkins). Pretty blonde Karen (Paige Lyn Price) and ginger nice guy Mark (Eric Stoltz) are suitably impressed.
Unfortunately for the kids, matters slowly escalate, until Dutra and his cronies eventually abduct Abby and hold her and her uncle captive at his ramshackle amusement park. At this point, director Sean S. Cunningham switches to full-on exploitation mode, delivering a satisfyingly violent final act in which Loren must use lethal force in order to rescue his sister. This part of the film makes great use of its fun-land setting, with Loren sending one gang member to his death from a ferris wheel, electrocuting another on the dodgems, and crushing one guy's head with a roller-coaster car. Spader gets his comeuppance by having his face set on fire with a flaming gas-pump hose.
6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for the eye candy—lovely Lori Loughlin and pretty Paige Lyn Price—and for including a montage set to a cheesy '80s rock tune.
Unfortunately for the kids, matters slowly escalate, until Dutra and his cronies eventually abduct Abby and hold her and her uncle captive at his ramshackle amusement park. At this point, director Sean S. Cunningham switches to full-on exploitation mode, delivering a satisfyingly violent final act in which Loren must use lethal force in order to rescue his sister. This part of the film makes great use of its fun-land setting, with Loren sending one gang member to his death from a ferris wheel, electrocuting another on the dodgems, and crushing one guy's head with a roller-coaster car. Spader gets his comeuppance by having his face set on fire with a flaming gas-pump hose.
6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for the eye candy—lovely Lori Loughlin and pretty Paige Lyn Price—and for including a montage set to a cheesy '80s rock tune.