Taps

Devery Freeman's novel -Father Sky was the inspiration for the far-fetched but convincingly acted and directed Taps. When an exclusive military school is threatened with demolition by a rapacious real-estate company, the students, headed by Timothy Hutton, take drastic action. Utilizing every bit of ...more

Probably more notable for its sterling young cast than its contribution to the language of cinema, Taps' study of the code of honor that joins the young cadets is mildly engaging, but burdened by a predictable climax. In a reversal of subsequent career moves, Sean Penn's feature film debut as the group's conscience is impressively intense, while a very young Tom Cruise also makes a strong impression as the corp's psychopath. However, the film belongs to the sensitive and angst-ridden Timothy ...more