The Substitute: Failure Is Not an Option

Okay, when I saw it in the video, I just couldn't believe it...after a first boring film, they made a second one, and after the very bad second one, they made an awful third one, and after the third one, here goes the forth one...Well, let's just say it is worse than the first and second ones, but better than the third. But it still sucks a lot. Some gratuitous nudity scenes, some cheap action sequences, and when I say SOME, it doesn't mean a lot...nothing happens during the whole movie, until the very predictable ending...One important point is the one liners...they are so awful it's terrible...the problem is that it is SOOOO evident that it's a mechanical and not natural sentence that comes out of Treat Williams' mouth...the acting isn't so bad, especially in William's case, but the way he says his one liners makes it a bad performance, and another factor to approve this fact is the stupid and pointless character that they offered him...and why is this called The Substitute??? The guy's just a mercenary, and he's in a military school, he's more a soldier than a teacher, he always beats up one student...with teachers like that, don't ask yourself why there are so many high school drop-outs...I mean, in the first and second films, the agent was a substitute, but in this one he isn't...There's an error in the script because they kill young boys in Panama, and one of them has the Werewolves' sign in his face (The Werewolves are a clan of nazi students at the Military College, and they are only 5 or 6 of them, so none of these folks could be in Panama...). This film has a very conventional script, with even less flavor, some below average acting, and boring directing. I guess we should wait for the fifth one, then the sixth one, and then the "Substitute Gift Box"...bad film. 4/10

Treat Williams is at his best in this, the fourth installment of the famous Substitute series. The plot twists are delectable, and the fight scenes are horrifyingly realistic yet perfectly intriguing. Fans of cerebral cinema will appreciate the undertones of racial tension and personal identity struggles, while the action buffs will enjoy the numerous explosions and gunfire. Yes, there is a little something for everyone in The Substitute IV- we can only hope and pray that Treat will sign on for the fifth and final installment of the series- Substitute V.

This movie is one of those movies you try to watch when nothing else is on, and you have absolutely nothing else to do.

I tried, and I failed. I tried again, and I failed again.

I'm not much of a Treat Williams fan, but he occasionally, if only by accident, turns up in some pretty decent B movies. This isn't one of them.

The high point of the movie is a ridiculous scene with a group of cadets in a circle clanging hatchets (yes, you read that right) and yelling "Kill! Burn! Bomb! Wolverine Power!!" or some such nonsense. I actually laughed out loud. Hysterically - I couldn't stop. I ended up with the hiccups.

This movie only rates a 99 cents rental. Anything more would be overpriced.

Why Treat Williams keeps coming back to this series is beyond me, even better why I keep returning to this series is beyond me, but actually this one is pretty good. Again it has nothing to do with the past 3 (ironic isn't it?). Any logic that exsisted in the series has been totally thrown out thw window this time around as Williams is hired by a friend to take a teaching job to check up on his nephew. What he uncovers is a training camp thats is making terrorists out of a group of neo-nazis. Not as good as the second Sub. but far surpasses 1 and 3 due to its heathly does of action.

I dont get it. We have a very good movie, with a good sequel, a fair second sequel but Substitute 4: Failure Is Not An Option is just plain stupid. The only thing good in this movie is Treat Williams because he is an awesome actor and knows his role very well. Basically this storyline is just like any other action movie, white suprimicists taking over a military base or whatever and the hero comes in to whipe the whole mess free. Like I said, Treat Williams is the only thing in this movie that actually makes this movie worth watching. Well I guess I give this movie some credit since how the acting isn't so bad... five out of ten stars.