3:15 - Die Stunde der Cobras

This title was banned in Queensland, so it must be good! 3:15 (rated R in Australia) is a tense little pot-boiler set at a typical American high-school. The characters and acting help to pull the cliched story line together, which is also true of its cinematic cousin SAVAGE STREETS (cut heavily in this country). There are also some unintentionally funny 1980s dialogue, fashions and attitudes as well. The violence is not as brutal as I expected, but it fits with the tone of the piece. Try to spot Dean Devlin and Gina Gershon. Definitely worth a rental. I wish there was a DVD release.

Sick of fighting the most feared member of The Cobras, Jeff Hannah, leaves the gang for good. However, a year later the leader of The Cobras is due to be released from prison and threatens to kill Hanna and those around him for his disloyalty.

Opening with a fight on the street it begins as a gang film in the vein Savage Streets, The Warriors and Band of the Hand, however, it quickly becomes a typical 80's trend high school gang film reminiscent of Class of 1984, but without much teacher involvement.

Larry Gross' offering oozes 80s grime, with its real locations and Gary Chang's music and score; but Sam Bernard and Michael Jacobs' basic High Noon story is quite plodding to a well deserved climatic showdown. Also while it has a gritty inner-city look, in contrast it sometimes has a visual suburban John Hughes feel. Casting director Valorie Massalas deserves a nod, with the leads played by 20 somethings in truth 80s fashion, something I genuinely love about these films made at the time.

Adam Baldwin's performance stops it falling into forgettable obscurity as he tries to forget his gang past but learns he has to confront it put it behind him. Baldwin is a solid lead in what is a heavy handed violent teen film from Gross with rape, fights, knife slashing and a shooting as strict Rene Auberjonois and nonchalant Ed Lauter as Moran talk Baldwin's Jeff Hannah into cleaning up the school. The cast is chockfull of familiar faces including, Danny De La Paz whose Cinco character pushes the Highnoon-like narrative, Dean Devlin, Deborah Foreman, stunning Wendy Barry, Lori Eastside, Deborah Foreman, Mario Van Peebles and also Gina Gershon pops up.

Overall, it's interesting 80s nostalgia and at times hard hitting, but only held together by Baldwin.

This is a great school outta control flick from the glorious 80's that's right along the lines of SAVAGE STREETS and CLASS OF 1984. it's got all the necessary goods that those type of flicks require to kick ass: plenty of violence, criminal punks, and even some nudity. i'd much rather see a gang movie with the gangsters rockin studs and chains than todays b-rated fake ass rapper bling bling movies. being a punk rocker myself i was stoked to see one of the kids had the Misfits skull on the back of his jacket. one of the girlies has a Motorhead shirt too! Anyway it's got the typical plot (kinda like CLASS OF 1999 minus the killer cyborgs) where gangs and crime rule the streets and the schools and one of the gang members wants out causing a war with his gang. sure it's way cheesy but that's whats so fun about it. Highly recommended along with CLASS OF 1984, SAVAGE STREETS, CLASS OF 1999, and maybe even SUBURBIA(the one from 1983 of course)

3:15 (1986) was one of the many 80's "teenage" gangster/ school violence films (the teenagers are usually in there mid to late 20's). Like most of them they're highly entertaining and are filled with the mandatory hardcore violence and the IL' T & A. This one promises an all out mano y mano, hand to hand combat film and guess what? It delivers. No lame cop out story or phony situations that would later destroy this genre. They promise and the filmmakers deliver. Fun stuff, not to be taken serious. Watch out for Adam Baldwin, Mario Van Peebles and Gina Gershon.

Highly recommended (if you can find a copy).

8 ( as a film)

10 (for it's genre)

I put this one right next to other take place in crime ridden LA 80's Grindhouse flicks such as Tuff Turf, The Principal, Savage Streets, Angel, Hollywood Vice Squad, Avenging Angel, Vice Squad, etc