The Crusades

I did not know what to expect of this film since I haven't seen any marketing. Stumbled across it and decided to give a watch and honestly was shocked ive never heard of it. Some really funny moments with a really solid young up and coming cast not to mention a couple veterans. This feels like a completely fresh take on the high school genre. Was not excepting the amount of violence in the film but really made it feel realistic. By the end of the movie there is a perfect balance of heart that makes you feel for these characters while still being ridiculous in the best way. Rarely have I been pleasantly surprised when clicking on a random film but The Crusades is definitely worth the watch!

In Leo Milano's THE CRUSADES we experience a semi-autobiographically tale, told through the director's personal and artistic lens of what it was like to come of age at private all boys school in Chicago.

Those with similar backgrounds and experiences will surely resonate on a deeper level, while all audiences will take joy in seeing such a unique and personal perspective of high school brought to life in uncompromising style.

As a female viewer, I appreciate getting a ticket to ride a male coming-of-age rollercoaster that's chock full of the usual jokes and hijinks, but also emotional depth. While the film is set in all-male spaces and perspectives, it refreshingly avoids "male fantasy" tropes and offers more complex, authentic, and bittersweet takes on coming-of-age milestones.

Rather than paint over his past with happy endings and easy triumphs, Milano offers up the insecurities, neuroses, mistakes that are the true tenants of adolescence. Any confidence, personal growth, or female adoration that protagonist Leo (an irresistible Rudy Pankow) is able to cultivate for himself, is true to life: messy and hard-earned. It's a testament to the beauty of indie film and this team in particular, that THE CRUSADES brilliantly avoids the sense of entitlement and self-indulgence that oozes from so many films in this category.

Even more commendable is the fact that the filmmakers seem to genuinely care about including all audiences along for the ride. The movie manages to hit high-stakes antics and big comedic swings while also using the storytelling to give us thorough understandings of the characters and their journeys. Fans of Superbad, Everybody Wants Some!! And Ferris Bueller's Day Off will all be satisfied by this artfully told, unapologetically fun, coming-of-age chronicle and refreshed by a narrative that properly honors the rough patches of growing up.

This was a wild fun time! Well shot and edited. I had a blast throughout. The score was excellent. Strong messages underlying. Twists and turns with wonderful storytelling. Felt very much like a modern Warriors while also doing its own thing.

I related with Sean from past experiences. But Coach Krieger was quite the character. Took you back to the good ole days as a high Schooler teen. The casting was pretty spot on.

So much can can happen in a short period of time and this film captures that perfectly. This film deserves a wide release on Physical Media. The cinematography at the end with the sunrise is absolutely beautiful and perfect!

Having gone to an all boys private high school, this hit close to home. So many little nuances that brought me back to my youth. First off the film looked amazing. I think it's an indie? But would not be able to tell based on the production value. Was shot very cinematic with a classic Hollywood feel to it. All this makes it hard to tell what year you his story exactly takes place but that makes me kinda like it even more. Feels timeless and relatable no matter your age. Very strong performances and some genuine laugh out loud moments. The second half of the film is wild and well worth the build up. Was pretty shocked how far the filmmakers took the action. Overall very fun and nostalgic, will definitely keep this in the rotation.

This is just a PSA not to waste your money on this. I was fooled into it by this supposed 8.8 rating which was more obviously stacked by people involved in the movie. The acting is so so bad, there is zero storyline, and it's a giant waste of an hour and forty minutes.

There's zero laughs and there's not a single character in the movie that is likable. They all come off as completely whiny and entitled. You're supposed to root for them but at the end you actually hope they all get their asses kicked. It's the worst high school hi jinx movie I've ever seen.

If I come across a movie with any of the main guys acting in it, I'll know to immediately pass on it. They were really that bad. And if the writer is involved in another movie, I'll know there's really no storyline.