Review of Massacre at Central High

All I can say is, "Massacre at Central High," in all its grainy, distinctly-1970's glory, makes "Carrie" look like a sugarcoated After-School Special. The plot deals with a lanky, odd-looking kid who's transferred to a new school where a former friend (Andrew Stevens, of "The Fury") happens to be attending; he's disgusted with the way a gang of bullies prey on the weak, and starts eliminating the gang, one person at a time. Yet after he kills the last thug, the geeks become power-hungry and, in a sadly ironic twist, wind up being just as brutal and reprehensible as their deceased tormentors. "Massacre at Central High" is a highly engrossing revenge flick that actually rises above the standards of the genre, combining the horror of the teenage years with a strong political subtext. The movie is indeed an adolescent nightmare where adults aren't even featured until the final scene--instead of focusing on the tired "the-parents-have-lost-control" theme, writer-director Renee Daadler opts to filter everything--rape, violence, class war--through the eyes of vulnerable youth, thus making the film that much more horrifying and convincing. Kudos. 3.5 stars out of 5.