Taps

PG

Released Dec 9, 1981

2h 6m

Drama

List

68%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

67%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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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

Audience Member

A very strained plot that has a difficult time bringing credibility to the actions of the characters. It is entertaining to watch the work of some talented actors at the threshold of their careers, but that novelty wears thin after awhile. Very predictable in the momentum of the movie and the conclusion.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

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

Audience Member

I had seen this when it first came out back all those many, many moons ago. It was a very taut and well developed production. From the very beginning when George C. Scott's General Harlan Bache reads from "The Book of Remembrance" the movie is rife with a palatable tension. Jaffe directs everyone here with aplomb and gets the most out of the young actors, particularly the trio that is Tom Cruise, Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn. There are a couple of others who play Plebes in the roles of Bug and Charlie that stand out and the always reliable Ronny Cox deliver solid performances. A young Giancarlo Esposito plays J.C. Pierce and delivers a solid performance as well. There are some stereotypical roles in here too, but they seem to be there more for a slight comedic relief however slight the humour could be in such a heavy movie. There are some tropes that have used before obviously, but they don't detract from the overarching premise of the film. The original source material, 'Father Sky', is adapted into a screenplay that strays from the original story here and there, but overall 'Taps' is done in such a competent manner as to make it one of those movies from the early '80s that actually could be considered a classic from that era. I liked the overall story and I thought it was very well done. I watched it this evening and it holds up pretty well. There are central themes that are fleshed out and the acting from most everyone. I do recommend it. Highly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

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Harold Becker

Director

Timothy Hutton

Cadet Major Brian Moreland

George C. Scott

General Harlan Bache

Ronny Cox

Colonel Kerby

Sean Penn

Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer

Tom Cruise

Cadet Captain David Shawn

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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

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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
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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