dale a
One of my favorite movies growing up as a A teenager
It was hard to find up until DVDs came out.
I’ve met so many people that love that movie and talk about seeing it when they’re 15 or 16 and falling in love with it
I’d love the characters, and the soundtrack
Can’t believe some of the actors that were in it how big they are today
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/08/25
Full Review
Jimmy F
A Wild Ride of 80s Excess That's So Bad It's Good
Band of the Hand (1986) is a quintessential example of 80s cinema at its most gloriously over-the-top. With its blend of crime, action, and unintentional camp, the film becomes an entertaining, if not entirely coherent, ride that's impossible to take too seriously. It's a chaotic mash-up of gritty street drama and outlandish vigilante justice that feels like a fever dream of neon-lit Miami and synth-heavy soundtracks.
The story follows a group of juvenile delinquents who are sent to the Florida Everglades for rehabilitation under the stern yet enigmatic direction of Stephen Lang in his first major film role. Lang's performance as Joe, a survivalist and disciplinarian, is both commanding and unintentionally hilarious. He's the kind of leader who makes you believe that these unruly teens could actually band together to take down a Miami drug lord.
Lauren Holly, also in her first major role, plays Nikki, bringing a mix of charm and melodrama to the film. While the script doesn't give her much to work with, Holly still manages to leave an impression amidst the testosterone-fueled chaos.
The real joy of Band of the Hand lies in its sheer audacity. From the overblown violence to the bizarre plot twists, the film constantly teeters on the edge of absurdity. The climactic showdown against a drug cartel, set in a heavily fortified mansion, is pure 80s action gold, complete with explosions, cheesy one-liners, and an unforgettable Michael Mann-produced soundtrack.
While it's clear the filmmakers intended Band of the Hand to be a gritty and serious tale of redemption and justice, the result is an unintentional comedy that's endlessly entertaining. The mismatched cast, ludicrous dialogue, and larger-than-life action sequences make it the kind of movie you'd watch with friends just to revel in its campy glory.
Final Thoughts: Band of the Hand may not be a cinematic masterpiece, but its mix of earnest performances from rising stars like Stephen Lang and Lauren Holly, combined with its over-the-top action and 80s aesthetic, makes it a cult favorite. It's a so-bad-it's-good gem that deserves a spot in any fan's collection of guilty pleasures.
A wild, campy blast of 80s excess that's equal parts ridiculous and entertaining. It's not a great movie, but it sure is a fun one.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
12/31/24
Full Review
Audience Member
Great movie, very enjoyable
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/13/24
Full Review
Steve D
A complete and total mess.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
03/05/23
Full Review
Audience Member
For years, Band of the Hand had me fooled with its "From the maker of Miami Vice" poster line. I always thought this was a Michael Mann directed movie and not one by one of the directors of several episodes of that show, Paul Michael Glaser, who also played Starsky. That said, Mann is one of th executive producers.
Even knowing that, I kinda love this movie. It's all rather dumb — five teenage criminals get rehabilitated by Vietnam vet and Native American Joe Tegra (Stephen Lang, who is also in Mann's Manhunter, so maybe that's another reason I was confused): rival gang leaders Ruben Pacheco (Michael Carmine, who sadly died of AIDS when he was thirty) and Moss Roosevelt (Leon, Derice in Cool Runnings), as well as drug dealer Carlos Aragon (Danny Quinn, who was married at one time to co-star Lauren Holly, who plays Nikki), James Lee "J.L." MacEwen (John Cameron Mitchell — yes, the writer, director and star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch is in this movie and fights evil drug lords) who killed his father and car thief Dorcey Bridger (Al Shannon).
After surviving training in the swamps and cleaning up their neighborhood, Joe is killed by gangsters who include Laurence Fishburne and James Remar as the big bad Nestor. Of course the Band of the Hand comes together and makes a plan that I am in amazed by as someone who loves wacky revenge plots.
Wrter Leo Garren also directed and wrote the early 70s occult weirdness Hex, while co-writer Jack Baran wrote Great Balls of Fire!
The craziest thing about this movie is that it has a Bob Dylan song written for it and he's backed by Tom Petty (who produced) and the Heartbreakers with backing vocals by Stevie Nicks.
"We're gonna blow up your home of Voodoo
And watch it burn without any regret
We got the power, we're the new government
You just don't know it yet"
Let me say that again: Bob Dylan wrote a song for Band of the Hand.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
delysid d
how much did i hate this movie? words cannot express that much hating
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
12/17/21
Full Review
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