The Brotherhood of Justice (1986)

When vandals damage the Santa Lucia High School, the principal Bob Grootemat (Joe Spano) joins the classes and presents a lecture to the students about the problems with vandals, drug dealers and other bad elements. Six friends - the students and football players Derek (Keanu Reeves), Scottie (Darren Dalton), Mule (Evan Mirand), Collin (Don Michael Paul), Barnwell (Gary Riley) and Les (Billy Zane) - decide to form a group of vigilantes to punish the delinquents and they call themselves "The Brotherhood of Justice". But the problem is when they decide to use their power for personal issues with other mates and lose control. "The Brotherhood of Justice" is a film based on true event, with a story of a group of vigilante teenagers. The cast has many names of actors in the beginning of career and it is worthwhile watching to see them in their early work. The conclusion could have been better developed. My vote is six. Title (Brazil): "A irmandade da Justiça" ("The Brotherhood of Justice")

First off when I heard about this movie I decided to watch it because of it's 1980s teenager story, and Keanu reeves in his younger years, a well executed plot as any Charles Braverman film. I give it 10/10 for its 1980s atmosphere and realistic view of vigilantism during that time period,not to forget: it's lesson to all youth that sometimes standing up to crime your own way doesn't necessarily mean it can turn into a good thing when it finally turns tables on you in the long run. Another factor that I like about the film is its climax when Derek's friends use the brotherhood for their own greedy deeds and with all the trouble started Derek's girlfriend Christie persuades him to leave but a helpless Derek is left with only one choice in the matter: to turn himself in to the authorities along with his friends, thus ending the brotherhood once and for all.

The obvious selling point for The Brotherhood of Justice these days is that it showcases Keanu Reeves, Billy Zane and Keifer Sutherland before they were famous. In the cases of Reeves and Sutherland, they would in fact become Hollywood A-Listers not long after this was released. It's a teen movie set in California about a gang of high school vigilantes who wish to teach a lesson to local criminals and fellow classmates they dislike. What starts out as fairly playful increasingly becomes quite dark as the gang gain confidence in their activities, their actions become more criminal themselves.This was seemingly a pilot for a series that never was. It's also based on real events that happened a year earlier in a Texas school. It actually makes for quite an entertaining and interesting enough TV movie. The gang and their actions are presented in shades of grey, with the audience only meant to sympathise with them up to a point. It means there is some melodrama generated, while at the same time having a fairly suspenseful parallel narrative to compliment this. It's made for TV, so it does have certain limitations but, mainly, this works pretty well and will especially be of interest to those interested in the young soon-to-be film stars. It also ends in a quite abrupt and surprising way that I personally thought was quite good.

Picked up this movie for €3. Had never heard of it before. Read the plot outline on the back and thought, 'Hey, this sounds pretty good'..Bad mistake.Dialog is frightfully bad. Had to chuckle at some of the more serious moments. The theme of a vigilante setting out to deliver justice is good. This film was not. Interested in "street justice"?; Boondock Saints is much better. Overall, I gave the film 2 stars. I watched the first hour of the film, then switched it off. Tip: Watch the film at 6 times the normal viewing speed. You'll get the point of the film and you wont have to listen to really bad dialog!