The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All

The Substitute trilogy adopts a noble cause. All three films endeavour to teach their audience the great value of violence. The technique is very subtle. The films begin with a school where it seems that humourless criminal thugs have taken control. They bully students and even the teachers, to the point of making their lives a living hell.

Substitute 3 sticks to the formula. That's where Treat Wiliams steps in, fresh from serving as an honourable mercenary on the good side, of course, in some war. (His salary is never mentioned. Perhaps he just does it for the satisfaction of knowing that he is killing bad people. I always feel satisfied when I kill bad people, so it would make sense.)

His problem is not the bad thugs in the school. He can smash them to a pulp with very little effort, and he takes every opportunity to do so. The trouble is that the pretty blond English professor isn't yet convinced that the solution to violence is more brutal violence. It's probably all those arty books she's read. Therefore Treat has to demonstrate by punching, kicking, knifing and shooting as many of the bad guys as possible.

I won't spoil the ending. You'll have to watch the film yourself to find out whether the prof sees how misguided she was.

Being a Treat Williams (The Deep End of the Ocean, Deep Rising) fan, I was very disappointed to see him do a direct to HBO sequel to The Substitute (starring Tom Berenger). After seeing The Substitute 2 I was even more disappointed it was a boring action film saved only by Williams who pretty much walked through the role anyways. Now once again Williams is doing a direct to HBO sequel. And although I'm still disappointed, at least The Substitute 3 is a decent action film. Williams once again goes undercover as a teacher this time at a nice college where the football players are given almost free rein (including beating up teachers). When undercover Williams discovers a whole conspiracy involving the football team. The film is nothing great, but does provide solid entertainment and Williams is very good in the lead, this time not just walking through the role, but giving some energy.

Having enjoyed the first two and recognizing the director of the great BEST OF THE BEST II at the helm (along with fight choreographer, Simon Rhee who played De Han in THE BEST OF THE BEST series), I had high expectations going into this. WOW were they met. Treat Williams returns in the title role this time substituting as a college English professor replacing the daughter of an old mercenary buddy beaten up by some steroid crazed college football players. I won't give it away but the the villains go far deeper than the corrupt football program and the action moves at a brisk pace. Treat Williams, teaming with some old military buddies, take on the baddies in ultra violent fashion. Following in the same style as THE SUBSTITUTE I and II, this film continues to provide great gunplay and fight sequences(the fight between Treat and "BO" in the classroom is a classic). Treat is especially fun to watch as an even more refined teacher and 'bad ass' pursuing "truth, justice and the American way." (Is his character really that educated?) "Sub" fans and action fans will not be disappointed. Catch this on video tonight. And ARTISAN FILMS, please keep this series alive and entertaining.

I'm a fan of Substitute and Substitute 2, but this one left me a little lukewarm. I hope they keep the series going, because this installment needs some redeeming. I felt that the ending was too quick and sudden, and there wasn't really enough establishing of all the characters to give us a feeling of if we should care.

It's always a slippery slope with sequels especially after they've gone dtv. 'The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All' is a step down from previous entries. It keeps the same basic formula up until a point. Still has the series brand of action, but takes a wrong turn in the latter half. If you enjoy dtv sequels with low expectations and appreciate Treat Williams there's still fun tidbits here.

Karl Thomasson (Williams) loses a friend and fellow mercenary while on a mission in Kosovo. Asked to bring a medal back to his daughter who's a college professor. After she's targeted by the winning football team and put in the hospital, Karl goes undercover as a substitute once more again. He & some new associates go to work getting to the bottom of things and dispensing justice.

This entry isn't badly shot, but the premise doesn't deliver the same impact. In the last one, there was a bond with his niece and feelings because it was his brother. Also the football team could have been decent villains all on their own. The film opts to shift gears and the focus becomes some routine gangsters.

Treat gets to handout another lecture and display smarts in a few hand-to-hand fights. The heavy gunplay is left until the finale in your typical warehouse shootout. One of Karl's fellow mercenaries Andy (Claudia Christian) supplies laughs & good acting posing undercover as a ditzy waitress in a titty bar. Gracious enough to supply two bits of gratuitous female nudity, 'Winner Takes All' at least knows it's audience.