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When I was a kid, I used to watch BAND OF THE HAND all the time because it always came on HBO. I know it's a cheesie movie, but there's something about it that makes it cool. Is it the fact that Bob Dylan sings the theme song? Is it future star Laurence Fishburne in an embarrassing pre-fame role as a drug lord? Or is it the cool shootout's on the playground and the drug factory? Whatever the case, it's a neat nostalgic piece from the Reagan-era anti-drug Zeitgeist, and it just equals cool.

"Band of the Hand" has no trouble standing on its own; it's jammed with plot, the cast is colorful, and the very notion of using society's rejects to clean up the streets somehow fits right in with the time. That sort of DIY community- outreach angle mixed with coming-of-age urban drama . . . and "Lord of the Flies"? How the hell do you pull that off? I enjoyed this because it does pull it off, and you'd be surprised at how well that's done. Also, that's one hell of a soundtrack.

But the best way I can describe this movie is "Miami Vice-adjacent", which suits me perfectly. This has the feeling of an episode from the show's first couple of seasons. Most of the cast are carry-overs from the series (as well as the filmmakers), and it captures the gritty style, whether you're sweating to death in the 'glades or staying alive on the neon streets. All of it's seedy, and none of it's especially light - even though we're talking about a teen movie. In its own way, this is a treasure.

7/10

This is one of those movies that you had to see when it first came out. It also helps I think if you were the same age as the kids in the movie. The locations were magnificent. And some of the performances were not too shabby either I might add. This was an atypical 80's movie, set in Florida (do you think that a Miami Vice relation was intentional?). When I was a kid I loved this movie, and upon watching it again recently, I didn't even remember how cheesy it was. I just remembered these 5 deadbeat kids, forced to work as a group to survive, and everyone thinking that it would never work. Even now that I've seen it and know how cheesy it is, I still just remember it the way I used too.

I remember when this movie came out. Seeing the music video on MTV of Bob Dylan singing away about the street life made me incredibly excited. I pictured a movie that would be like THE WARRIORS -- all gang fights, sexy chicks, and endless pounding rock music.

Years later, I rented the film, and it was really like that -- for about two minutes during the opening credits. After that it becomes almost a Saturday Night Live sketch of a comedy, showing Eighties teens with silly hair dragging their sorry behinds through the swamp whining like toddlers while a stereotypical Indian brave keeps grunting stuff like "Teamwork!" and "Survive!" A CLOCKWORK ORANGE this ain't, folks. It's more like ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, mixed with THE BREAKFAST CLUB, mixed with LORD OF THE FLIES.

The film makers apparently couldn't decide what they were going for. The teen angst clashes with the gun battles, and the adult level crimes (including a creepy Harvey Weinstein style rape) just get shrugged off in a hail of bullets. The Indian is supposed to be the hero they all look up to, but he's never more than a cardboard cutout of stoic Injun virtue. He's really Injun Joe from TOM SAWYER, only played as a good guy.

They even work a spin on the famous scene of Tom getting all his old buddies to take turns painting the fence!

Trashy, brainless, and oh-so-80s action melodrama stars Stephen Lang ("Avatar", "Don't Breathe") as Joe, an American Indian & Vietnam veteran who runs a program to reform troubled youth. Five punks - Ruben (Michael Carmine), J.L. (John Cameron Mitchell), Carlos (Danny Quinn), Moss (Leon), and Dorcey (Al Shannon) - are dragged out to the Everglades and deposited there, where Joe teaches them survival instincts and teamwork. Once back in Miami, the gang is *somewhat* more mature, and they go up against vicious drug runners including Cream (Laurence Fishburne) and Nestor (James Remar).

To be honest, "Band of the Hand" is a hard slog for a while, since it's hard to give a damn about our protagonists for an extended amount of time. (This IS an overlong movie.) But things improve as "Band of the Hand" progresses, and debuting feature director Paul Michael "Starsky" Glaser gives this production a certain amusing amount of 80s excess. It bears the mark of its executive producer, 'Miami Vice' creator Michael Mann. It's noisy, it's silly, it's violent in a sometimes cartoonish way, and it's got a hip soundtrack. The centerpiece of said soundtrack is a priceless, catchy rock ditty written and sung by Bob Dylan, with Tom Petty's band The Heartbreakers backing him up.

The acting suits the material. Top billed Lang is fine in a low key portrayal. The young cast is lively, with a cute Lauren Holly playing Carlos' love interest. Remar is okay as our primary villain, and other familiar character actors like Paul Calderon, Bill Smitrovich, Michael Gregory, and an unbilled Martin Ferrero all turn up as well.

This is a decent, fun movie overall, even if the script ain't so hot. As was said before, it goes on a bit too long, but for the most part, it's *not* boring.

Seven out of 10.

I found this movie in a video store shelf when I was 14. At the time, this movie was phenomenal. This movie gives you a very nostalgic feel of what the 1980's would be like in Miami. I am a very big 80's buff so this was a definite for my collection. I am very pleased to see they released it on DVD. What really makes this movie neat is that at the time, almost all of the actors were unknown, with the exception of James Remar. This movie is based upon the many programs that were employed to straighten up troubled minors and make them realize the value of life. Unfortunately, many of those programs were cut because of mismanagement, lack of funding, or were bogus boot camps run by abusive individuals. I do believe with the right people, a program like this can work, and that is what this movie portrays. Although this plot is fictional, it still leaves you with that feeling of "Wouldn't it be great if this actually worked". This movie was one of the first '80's films I can recall to touch racism, drug trafficking, assault weapons, gang warfare, and the effect it had on the youth at the time and put a positive spin on the outcome. One more thing, Bob Dylan and the Heartbreaker's (from Tom Petty) recorded a song for this movie specifically that cannot be found anywhere else. It is called "Hell Time" and it is pretty awesome. The rest of the soundtrack could use some work as they did not include Mr. Mister or Prince. If you enjoyed the Miami Vice series or if your a big action packed '80's buff, I highly recommend this movie whether you rent it once or add it to your collection as I did.

A Wild Ride of 80s Excess That's So Bad It's Good

Band of the Hand (1986) is a quintessential example of 80s cinema at its most gloriously over-the-top. With its blend of crime, action, and unintentional camp, the film becomes an entertaining, if not entirely coherent, ride that's impossible to take too seriously. It's a chaotic mash-up of gritty street drama and outlandish vigilante justice that feels like a fever dream of neon-lit Miami and synth-heavy soundtracks.

The story follows a group of juvenile delinquents who are sent to the Florida Everglades for rehabilitation under the stern yet enigmatic direction of Stephen Lang in his first major film role. Lang's performance as Joe, a survivalist and disciplinarian, is both commanding and unintentionally hilarious. He's the kind of leader who makes you believe that these unruly teens could actually band together to take down a Miami drug lord.

Lauren Holly, also in her first major role, plays Nikki, bringing a mix of charm and melodrama to the film. While the script doesn't give her much to work with, Holly still manages to leave an impression amidst the testosterone-fueled chaos.

The real joy of Band of the Hand lies in its sheer audacity. From the overblown violence to the bizarre plot twists, the film constantly teeters on the edge of absurdity. The climactic showdown against a drug cartel, set in a heavily fortified mansion, is pure 80s action gold, complete with explosions, cheesy one-liners, and an unforgettable Michael Mann-produced soundtrack.

While it's clear the filmmakers intended Band of the Hand to be a gritty and serious tale of redemption and justice, the result is an unintentional comedy that's endlessly entertaining. The mismatched cast, ludicrous dialogue, and larger-than-life action sequences make it the kind of movie you'd watch with friends just to revel in its campy glory.

Final Thoughts: Band of the Hand may not be a cinematic masterpiece, but its mix of earnest performances from rising stars like Stephen Lang and Lauren Holly, combined with its over-the-top action and 80s aesthetic, makes it a cult favorite. It's a so-bad-it's-good gem that deserves a spot in any fan's collection of guilty pleasures.

Rating: 6.5/10 A wild, campy blast of 80s excess that's equal parts ridiculous and entertaining. It's not a great movie, but it sure is a fun one.

This has to be one of the stupidest premises ever... Maybe this is a decent movie later on, but I wouldn't know. After about 15 minutes I had to change the channel because the entire concept of dropping five hardened juvenile delinquents off in the middle of the Everglades with only one guy to watch them is stupid beyond words! This wouldn't be legal for adult prisoners, much less teenagers. Also, they give the kids a knife! Since if any of the kids got so much as a snake bite they'd be sued for millions (even in the eighties), this just doesn't work. Cheesy B-movie horror flicks are more believable. If you can swallow the stupid premise, this one might be worth a look. Me, I give it a zero out of ten. Pure stupidity... not worth the waste of time.

Good story, good acting, good music. Oh, and it's freakin' hilarious. I first saw this movie as a kid with friends and we loved it for the hilarious lines and characters. Now as i watch it at age 24 i still love it. Its one of those movies that has so much unintentional comedy that its such a pleasure to watch.

And the cast isn't to shabby either. You can even find Lawrence Fishburn, credited as Larry Fishburn, playing a coke peddling pimp. I highly recommend this film.

And if for nothing else, watch this movie to see Lauren Holly attempt to pronounce "brujeria."

"I keep askin', where's the facility?" - Ruben Pacheco

I'm fairly shocked that, being as much a fan of Michael Mann as I am, that I had never even heard of this innocuous little gem he produced while directing his far-superior, though less action-packed MANHUNTER the same year. My eyes must have always glided right past it before owing to how corny the title is, making it sound like some kind of music-themed movie akin to an Electric Booglaoo or whatnot. I would imagine that is why this movie remains very little-discussed even today in this era of 80's nostalgia and reappraisal.

With a mostly great cast, this film at least keeps things elevated in the performance department and never gets too predictable. It doesn't make the plot line or theme too apparent for the first hour or so, seeming to split its attention on a group of juvenile criminals getting whipped into shape by Steven Lang (unconvincingly made up to look Native American!!!) while the girlfriend of one of them begs a local drug lord (who may also be into voodoo!!!) to help spring him. How she expects the drug lord to do this is anyone's guess, especially as the boys are being rehabilitated completely off-grid somewhere in the swamp. Eventually this movie settles down on the main conflict, as well as on a main character, and that would be in the form of Danny Quinn, who looks handsome but doesn't exactly give the most electric of a performance.

Whatever small sense of realism the film maintained in its first hour gets lost quickly when the boys get their hands on some guns and become a vigilante squad just as deadly as a squad of navy seals after what seems like just a couple weeks of training. Also James Remar, though an excellent actor (especially at playing scum bags) feels laughably young to be some well-connected drug baron. Lang comes off better though we never really get to know his personal life or how he's able to get the system to cooperate with his schemes to bring delinquents back into society.

As far-fetched as this movie is (and as dumb as the title sounds), it actually moves at a good clip and has enough 80's nostalgia and music to bring a tear to the eye of anyone who witnessed the decade. It also provides an interesting window to what life was like in Miami prior to the modern era of heavy gentrification and channels a lot of what the show "Miami Vice" brought us on a weekly basis, only lacking in the show's style or sense of humor. Supposedly this was originally meant to be a pilot for a TV show of teenage vigilantes but I doubt such a show would have been too good. We already had "The A-Team" and RED DAWN and watching a bunch of kids wipe out heavily armed soldiers and mercenaries was already getting a bit stale. At least it manages to keep you guessing with its fun unpredictability, but only up to a certain point.

The people who rag on BAND were probably the same who bought Don Johnson sport coats in the 80s and are now ashamed. You trendy-then now-pretentious fools, it's not supposed to be freakin' Shakespeare! BAND is a stylish 80s flick with plenty of heart, action and coolness. It's the ultimate fantasy for 15-year-olds. Five troubled 'yoots' are sent to an experimental last-chance program in the Everglades run by Joe, a mysterious Miccosukee Indian/Nam Era elite commando. (See? Already off to a good start)! Joes lays it down: learn to live in this wilderness or die. The 2nd half of the movie (and 'program') takes place in a Miami ghetto run by local drug lord LARRY Fishburne, replete with cute lil' lines buzzed in the sides of his high-top fade. (There's also an underaged Lauren Holly to consider, long before that drooling idiot Carey came and went).

War ensues in the hood as Joe trains the yoots to fight. Purists and prudes can shove it...when Dorcey's machine gun lights up the street from the roof of the feel-good 80s pastel renovated crackhouse it's a spinal moment. The characters don't have to be 'deep' cause they're all the way likable and automatic gold star for the guest appearance of a vulcan cannon (aka "that's a goddam minigun!") If you don't dig this flick, YOU'RE OUT OF MIAMI!

I recently watched Band of the Hand (1986) on Tubi. The storyline follows a group of juvenile delinquents repeatedly rejected by society and shuffled between schools. Their last chance involves a program where they're taken to the Everglades to live off the land, learn survival skills, and forge teamwork. Returning to society after the experiment, they apply what they've learned to their former surroundings.

Directed by Paul Michael Glaser (The Running Man), the film stars Stephen Lang (Don't Breathe), James Remar (The Warriors), Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Leon (Cool Runnings), and Lauren Holly (Dumb and Dumber).

This movie is a fun watch and reminded me of Lord of the Flies. The introduction to characters in the opening credits is well-executed, and the acting and diverse characters with their unique backgrounds and perspectives feel realistic and authentic. Remar and Fishburne shine as fantastic villains. The Everglades scenes are solid, there's an excellent fight against Fishburne and a thrilling final shootout.

In conclusion, Band of the Hand is an underrated 80s gem, capturing the classic characters and circumstances of the era with nostalgic charm. I'd give it a score of 6/10 and recommend a viewing it once.

Ladies and gentlemen, afficionados of the '80s, fans of Michael Mann, allow me to introduce a movie most of you probably have never heard of.

"Band of the Hand" came and went in 1986 like the millions of other movies of the '80s, some with more plot and less style, others vice versa. But what makes this any different than the rest of its ilk?

Well, for starters, it was produced by Michael "Miami Vice" Mann (which accounts for the Miami setting and the Don Johnson clothing styles), it was directed by Hutch from TV's "Startsky and Hutch" (Glaser), a LOT of familiar faces are featured in the cast (Holly, Fishburne, Remar, Graham and Ferrero and Smitrovich from "Vice") and has that old "hey-let's-get-the-kids-together-and-clean-up-the-neighborhood" plot transplanted into Reaganomic drug-enforcement sensibility.

On the down side, there is little to nothing in the ways of personality in the characters; they act just about the way you'd expect TV characters to act. Thing is - THIS IS A MOVIE! And while there are a lot of stretches where people say nothing and just do their thing while music plays on the sound-track for "emotional emphasis", there are a few dozen of these scenes too many for my taste (hey guys, a little dialogue so we'll know what people are thinking would be nice...you know, once in a while?). And WHY, in the name of every holy being you could possibly think of, did Mann think he had to ape EVERY SINGLE nuance from "Miami Vice"??? You know, Michael, you are allowed to do something different every once in a while.

Thank god he learned his lesson later on and actually did better movies like "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Heat". Even 1981's "Thief" with James Caan was done better in style as well as story. Of course, "Miami Vice" wasn't on TV yet, either.

As it is, just a reminder of everything that was pastel in the '80s. Other than that, this is a "Hand" that should be banned.

Four stars, mostly for the look. Maybe "Band of the Hand" would be better if you watched it with the sound turned off? I'll have to try that sometime.

Every 13 yo I knew loved this movie (like yours truly!)

Is it cheesy? Totally. Is it 80's music cheesy? Definitely. It is STILL an amazing movie. As a young latchkey kid with HBO (like one movie per month!) it was epic.

Don't go in to this movie and expect any insights into the human psyche. That ain't happening.

Go in for laughs; be a kid again; with boundless dreams and a great imagination.

It's appropriately inappropriate. Rated PG by todays standards. The kids today have access to all things.

Some good; most bad.

I recommend this movie; with the above stated expectations.

ENJOY!

~Your humble viewer.

I made a list the other night of my top 5 worst movies ever seen. This was #1, so I thought I'd give it the honor of a post here. I have even given it credit for its validated 80's "cheese", and it still comes out bad. Actually, "cheesy" would be a gift for this train wreck...it was just BAD. Lauren Holly...it's a good thing she didn't use this for her resume entry into Hollywood! They woulda put her promptly into XXX for all her acting ability. But a very shrewd career move was made here-she married her co-star, Anthony Quinn's son, which explains why she was able to get her foot in ANY producer's door after this disaster. In case you are wondering, Showgirls is my # 2 worst movie of all time and this one, Band of the Hand, blows Showgirls away for pure, unadulterated, stink.

When I first viewed Band of the Hand in the 80's it had a profound impact on me. At first I thought that the treatment of the youth was too much. But the movie showed the positive impact of uniting to overcome societal ills and personal weaknesses. This movie is a good model to use in similar communities with similar situations. Although things may not seem the way they do in the movie, people who have experienced personal challenges may agree that Band of the Hand showed how certain strategies can have successful results. Band of the Hand can be summed up as: Unity is the key to success. I am planning to rent the movie again to compare it to today's problems in effort to find possible solutions.

The Miami Vice influence is heavy in this silly cheesy film. Michael Mann is the producer. Director Paul Michael Glaser also directed several episodes of Miami Vice and you will spot several Mann regulars in this movie such as Martin Ferrero and Stephen Lang.

Lang plays a military survival expert and former Vietnam veteran in the Florida everglades, an improbable native Indian. He has created a program to rehabilitate a small bunch of juvenile delinquents in this hostile environment, one of them even gets bitten by a snake. However the group of youths after some complaining soon bond in the Everglades.

After that the youths move to a house in Miami, however they fall foul of the local drug lords who rule the area. The group led by Lang wage war against the violent gangs.

There is a lot of mid 1980s music here as well as the title track sung by Bob Dylan. The film is uneven in pace, I could never buy these bunch being somehow rehabilitated and united in the Everglades, never mind becoming a fighting force in the streets of Miami.

For my brother, "Billy Jack" was the film that was low budget, cheezy and darn good when it came to telling a story you really WANTED to hear. For me, it was "Band of the Hand."

Though I was in the ultimate conservative environment (1st school after Marine Boot Camp), I couldn't help but love the melding of "the establishment" and a bunch of kids who were definitely from the "wrong side of the tracks." Most important, it let someone show some teens that they could make a difference, even if the method might have been a bit much.

One more thing: Lauran Holly may have been "eye candy" for the movie but she DID have a powerful albeit limited role, and that impression has positively affected my opinion of her in later roles. James Remar (you ladies know him from Sex and the City) did a good psycho role as well.

Dylan's song was called "band of the Hand" not hell time or it's hell time now. which are lines out of the song but not the songs title. The song was recorded in sydney Australia in 1986 with the heartbreakers whilst they were on tour together. it was released as a single on 45, through mca which was the label the heartbreakers were with at the time. it was also on mtv with a video.

that was a pretty good tour and it's a shame Dylan's video of that tour "hard to handle" didn't include petty & heartbreakers who were the opening act before bob took stage and became his band when he was onstage.