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Detention

Play trailer Poster for Detention R Released Apr 13, 2012 1h 29m Horror Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
44% Tomatometer 45 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A teenage outcast (Shanley Caswell), her friend (Josh Hutcherson), a nerd (Aaron David Johnson), and other students face terror from a serial killer who targets high-school students.
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Detention

Detention

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Critics Consensus

Director Joseph Kahn's relentlessly kinetic style gives Detention a rebellious kick, but the overload of ideas keeps this genre mashup from ever cohering into a satisfying whole.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Howell Toronto Star Neither good enough to impress as a meta mashup of horror and comedy, nor bad enough to hoot and throw popcorn at, it slides into a gray area of unfocused ideas and unrealized potential. Rated: 2/4 Apr 26, 2012 Full Review Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com It breaks the mold and burns the roadmap, fearlessly pushing boundaries and going into nonsensical corners most films and filmmakers wouldn't even dare of traipsing through. Rated: 2.5/4 Apr 14, 2012 Full Review Peter Hartlaub San Francisco Chronicle There will be young moviegoers who proclaim this genius, and more stodgy audience members who find it torturous. If you're not tweeting and texting a combined 50 times or more per day, you're probably in the latter camp. Rated: 2/4 Apr 13, 2012 Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Somehow manages to be both obnoxious and abrasive, yet in an endearing way that feels like we're being introduced to an entirely new generation of filmmaker, thanks to its frenzied and frenetic execution. Rated: 3/5 Sep 22, 2023 Full Review Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast Kahn exploits his music video expertise in this overwhelming, joke-a-minute genre explosion. Featuring cute as a button Josh Hutcherson, the editing alone guarantees this unconventional horror comedy won't be for everyone. If it is, though, it's A+ Rated: 4/5 Apr 26, 2022 Full Review Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast If a movie was able to do several lines of cocaine before you hit play, Joseph Kahn's Detention would be that movie. It's wild, kinetic and all over the place in the best possible way. Rated: 5/5 Apr 13, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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vincent f Breakfast fast Club, no? Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/27/25 Full Review Chocolate G THE ONLY REASON IM GIVING IT MORE THAN 3 STARS IS CUS OF JOSH HUTCHERSON OKAY. If you have a huge crush on josh hutcherson and hes everything to you, then yes watch this cus hes fine asf in every single scene. The movie itself is silly, makes so many references i don't get, but it gives 90s vibes and its fun to watch while you're doing something. But Josh is just good in every movie and i love him and if he wasn't in this movie this movie would be so ahh so only watch if you wanna see josh hutch in his PRIMEEEE Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/01/25 Full Review kate w this movie is so weird and i had no idea what was going on the whole time josh hutcherson so fine i love it solid 8/10 Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/10/24 Full Review Melissa L This was more comedy than horror, and starts out slow, but I really liked it once it got interesting. Great soundtrack, and great ending. I recommend! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/26/24 Full Review Raeesa R You people are boring this movie was funny and so unserious but in a good way. Perfect to watch if I wanna turn my brain off and have a laugh. It's only bad if you take it seriously. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/06/24 Full Review charlotte v **SPOILERS ALERT** (I recommend watching it though, it is very good!) Me and my friend loved this movie so much! It was stupid in a way that we like, and it's very very funny. There are so many funny and iconic scenes and we absolutely LOVED Josh Hutcherson in this. Clapton Davis is the best, he is so funny and goofy. Ione, or should I say SLOAN was also very funny and iconic. "Clapton! You're my Ralph Macchio! Do the crane thing!", "You're not hot enough to be stalked.", I love when the guy in detention talked about her extensions, she started to lift up a V hand gesture, me and my friend does NOT know what that means, but I guess it's some sort of insult? Clapton was so funny in that movie, he was so confused whether he won the fight or not. I loved Riley too, she is so relatable. Honestly, this movie is not that bad at all it's just weird and goofy and funny. It was so goofy that me and my friend had to have matching profile pictures of Clapton and Riley. It was so silly that me and my friend used the stuff in the movie as inside jokes and then our other friends would look at us weird. I honestly want those Josh Hutcherson converse shoes, it looks so cool. I would recommend this movie if you want some bit of sillyness in your life, but other than that, it's a pretty weird movie. Have a nice day watching the movie! WE ALSO LEARNT THE GOOFY MOVE THAT CLAPTON DAVIS DID AT THE BOWLING SCENE! IT WAS SO FUNNY LOL! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Detention

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Cast & Crew

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Joseph Kahn

Director

Josh Hutcherson

Clapton Davis

Shanley Caswell

Riley Jones

Dane Cook

Principal Verge

Spencer Locke

Ione

Aaron David Johnson

Sander Sanderson

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Detention

Dane Cook as Principal Verge in "Detention." A scene from "Detention." A scene from "Detention." Dane Cook as Principal Verge in "Detention." Shanley Caswell as Riley Jones in "Detention." Josh Hutcherson as Clapton Davis in "Detention." Spencer Locke as Ione in "Detention." Spencer Locke as Ione and Josh Hutcherson as Clapton Davis in "Detention." Dane Cook as Principal Verge in "Detention." A scene from "Detention." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A teenage outcast (Shanley Caswell), her friend (Josh Hutcherson), a nerd (Aaron David Johnson), and other students face terror from a serial killer who targets high-school students.
Director
Joseph Kahn
Producer
Mary Ann Tanedo, Richard Weager
Screenwriter
Joseph Kahn, Mark Palermo
Distributor
Samuel Goldwyn Company
Production Co
Detention Films
Rating
R (Crude and Sexual Content|Bloody Violence|Some Teen Drinking|Drug Use|Language|Nudity)
Genre
Horror, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 13, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 31, 2012
Runtime
1h 29m
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