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Taps

Play trailer Poster for Taps PG Released Dec 9, 1981 2h 6m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Bunker Hill Military Academy has been targeted by real estate developers for demolition. The students, outraged at the thought of their school being turned into condominiums, vow to fight back. Led by Cadet Maj. Brian Moreland (Timothy Hutton), they stage a school-wide rebellion that ends with them in charge of the campus. After winning over the headmaster (George C. Scott), Brian and his fellow cadets, Alex (Sean Penn) and David (Tom Cruise), face their toughest battle yet -- with the Army.
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Taps

Critics Reviews

View All (25) Critics Reviews
David Pirie Time Out A fascinating first hour is drowned in the clichés of siege cinema. Dec 4, 2018 Full Review Bob Thomas Associated Press Taps is a well crafted and original film about the perils of false heroes and uncontrolled militarism. Oct 22, 2018 Full Review Variety Staff Variety A heavy dramatic portrait of military school education with a disturbing shoot 'em up climax, Taps labors at an unbearably slow pace to an inevitable, depressing conclusion. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Larry Vitacco Philadelphia Gay News An ideal script well played out makes Taps one of the more intriguing movies of the season. Rated: 3/4 May 27, 2020 Full Review Bernard Drew Gannett News Service A reactionary movie in which the old jingoistic values appear to be nostalgically glorified. Oct 4, 2019 Full Review Diego Galán El Pais (Spain) The director takes the movie to a melodramatic terrain that lacks any meaning. [Full Review in Spanish] Aug 23, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (321) audience reviews
Reza S One of the most repulsive movies I have ever seen. No logic, no sense of empathy for any of the boneheaded juvenile idiots. Interestingly 3 big young names started their careers in such garbage production. I had never wanted a movie character to be eliminated as much as Tim Hutton’s. Not even the possessed girl in The Exorcist or Hanibal Lecter!!! Rated 1 out of 5 stars 11/26/24 Full Review Horror fan 4 What a great movie. Lead by a great cast this was very entertaining and had great memories for me. Tim Treakle Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review Aidan B This is a really solid drama that's carried by some fantastic performances. Timothy Hutton, Tom Cruise and Sean Penn lead the cast and give excellent performances. The immensely talented George C. Scott also does a very good job. There's also a surprise performance from a very young Giancarlo Esposito. The direction is really tight and the script is fantastic. It doesn't necessarily reinvent the wheel but the characters all feel so genuinely human. There's no clear hero or villain because every character is so morally grey and you can see what their intentions are and it's up to the audience to decide who's right or wrong. A really enjoyable drama with some great performances. I'd recommend it to anyone. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/22/24 Full Review Mike P Interesting variation on Lord of the Flies; and other troubled youth/ or youth-in-revolt movies; like Kids, Rivers Edge, Over the Edge; If; Children of the Corn, etc. This time the proceedings are set at a military school, Bunker Hill Academy, (aptly named!) Cadets Sean Penn, Tom Cruise and Timothy Hutton are trying to stop their beloved Bunker Hill Academy from being taken over by local authorities and shut down. This is after their General (George C Scott) is detained in the investigation of the shooting of a local boy protesting the school. When the local authorities move in to take over the school; the kids all grab machine guns and other artillery and refuse their entry; going into a standoff with local police and government swat teams. Really this is about extreme, radical, right wing military types refusing to bow to mainstream norms and regulations; escalating to Tom Cruise's psychotic break at the ending. His David Shaun starts shooting randomly and indiscriminately into the crowds all around the school; shouting "It's beautiful! it's beautiful"! And the movie was released in tandem with Reagan's wave of Born in the USA arch conservativism that swept the nation in the early 80s. Witness the fetishized military uniforms and weapons on our young heroes on all the movie's posters; this kind of thing would reach a fervor just two years later with Rambo: First Blood Part 2 in 85. Shaun is psychotic. And while the movie clearly disapproves of him; he's only arguably slightly more unhinged than the other boys in the movie. Regardless of the movie's politics; it is well-acted, (you can't do much better than Tom Cruise, Sean Penn, Timothy Hutton and George C Scott in a movie like this!) And it's also gripping, if also a little melodramatic and manipulative at times. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/08/22 Full Review Audience Member A film from childhood. A group of Military Academy youth create more drama when their school is sold & their General falls victim to the society outside the walls. The pace eventually starts picking up, ultimately in a pretty devastating climax that is all too relevant by todays standards. The majority of this cast went on to have really stellar careers. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/11/22 Full Review joel h At first, I thought Taps was going to be a dramatic version of Animal House, where the cadets would try to save their school with honor and valor. However, I soon realized that this movie was more like Lord of the Flies, and that interested me. It's a slow-moving, soft-talking film, but there are genuine moments of tension along with some good performances from such a young cast, including some very familiar faces. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Taps

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Bunker Hill Military Academy has been targeted by real estate developers for demolition. The students, outraged at the thought of their school being turned into condominiums, vow to fight back. Led by Cadet Maj. Brian Moreland (Timothy Hutton), they stage a school-wide rebellion that ends with them in charge of the campus. After winning over the headmaster (George C. Scott), Brian and his fellow cadets, Alex (Sean Penn) and David (Tom Cruise), face their toughest battle yet -- with the Army.
Director
Harold Becker
Producer
Howard B. Jaffe, Stanley R. Jaffe
Screenwriter
Darryl Ponicsan, Robert Mark Kamen
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 9, 1981, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 29, 2014
Runtime
2h 6m
Sound Mix
Surround
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