☰
Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Pump Up the Volume

Play trailer Poster for Pump Up the Volume R 1990 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
80% Tomatometer 41 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
In Arizona, an introverted and insightful teenager, Mark Hunter (Christian Slater), finds an outlet for his viewpoints through a shortwave radio. Broadcasting as Hard Harry, Hunter uses his pirate radio show to rant against the injustices and hypocrisies taking place in the area, and in society in general. Hunter conceals his off-air identity, but a determined student (Samantha Mathis) discovers the truth, while Principal Creswood (Annie Ross) seeks to shut down Hunter once and for all.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Pump Up the Volume

Pump Up the Volume

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Pump Up the Volume can be a bit overbearing, but this is one teen drama with the courage of its convictions -- and a killer soundtrack.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More (41)
Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times Trying to find a middle ground between Oliver Stone and John Hughes, it misses both. Jul 16, 2025 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader The fact that it does this simply and unabashedly gives the critic little to work with; it's all there, right on the surface, with nothing to decode–just a dream, and a dream of an idea, that it asks us to share and celebrate. And better yet, emulate. Rated: 4/4 May 12, 2022 Full Review Jason Bailey Flavorwire As a movie, 'Pump Up the Volume' is a lot like a teenager: at times unbearably self-important and pretentious (Nora's poems, good lord), yet undeniably, and admirably, earnest. May 27, 2016 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a solid teen drama that benefits from its trenchant dialogue and first-class performances... Rated: 3/4 Aug 29, 2025 Full Review Ian Thomas Malone ianthomasmalone.com Despite a lackluster screenplay, Pump Up The Volume stands out from its contemporaries through its earnest sincerity. Disaffected youth don’t want to hear that it gets better. Slater found a way to reach them anyway. Aug 5, 2025 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) The film could have been much better...or not because its intrinsic falsehood condemns it from the start. [Full review in Spanish] Nov 3, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More (1000+)
Sara S Fresh score. The perfectly cast Slater effectively propels the film, his intensity and dry delivery giving it a definite edge, as does a soundtrack which includes Ice T, Concrete Blonde and the Cowboy Junkies. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/07/25 Full Review Stephen C Success in 1.75 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $11,500,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/30/25 Full Review K W Call it Rebel With a Cause, and listen good, because it's the most frank, startling and radically opinionated movie ever made for young viewers. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/25/25 Full Review chris h Generational movie about coming of age and the struggles of youth at a crooked highschool.one of my favorite dramas when i was a teen and love to this day.Very underrated,and delivers a war cry from teens struggling to not fall out of line in a school of shady teachers and principle. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/05/25 Full Review Alex R Forgotten 90s gem. Prophetical and still relevant today Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/25 Full Review Wayne P I loved this movie when it came out. I enjoyed watching Christian Slater's character broadcast his thoughts and notions and the fact he took down a corrupt high school principal was the icing on the cake. I still want my own short wave rig. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Pump Up the Volume

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Allan Moyle

Director

Christian Slater

Mark Hunter (Hard Harry)

Samantha Mathis

Nora Diniro

Ellen Greene

Jan Emerson

Scott Paulin

Brian Hunter

Cheryl Pollak

Paige Woodward

More Like This

View All
The Rapture 66% 61% The Rapture Watchlist Menace II Society 84% 93% Menace II Society Watchlist TRAILER for Menace II Society Poison Ivy 38% 36% Poison Ivy Watchlist American History X 84% 96% American History X Watchlist Glengarry Glen Ross 95% 88% Glengarry Glen Ross Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Pump Up the Volume

Pump Up the Volume (1990) Pump Up the Volume (1990) Pump Up the Volume (1990) Pump Up the Volume (1990) Pump Up the Volume (1990) Pump Up the Volume (1990) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In Arizona, an introverted and insightful teenager, Mark Hunter (Christian Slater), finds an outlet for his viewpoints through a shortwave radio. Broadcasting as Hard Harry, Hunter uses his pirate radio show to rant against the injustices and hypocrisies taking place in the area, and in society in general. Hunter conceals his off-air identity, but a determined student (Samantha Mathis) discovers the truth, while Principal Creswood (Annie Ross) seeks to shut down Hunter once and for all.
Director
Allan Moyle
Producer
Sandy Stern, Rupert Harvey
Screenwriter
Allan Moyle
Distributor
New Line Cinema
Production Co
New Line Cinema, SC Entertainment
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 22, 1990, Wide
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 15, 2000
Box Office (Gross USA)
$11.5M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby
Most Popular at Home Now