Watch The Principal

The Principal, released in 1987, is a movie about a high school principal who tries to clean up an inner-city school riddled with crime and gang activity. The movie stars Jim Belushi as Rick Latimer, a former Marine who has been forced to take a job at a tough high school after being fired from his position as a successful high school coach due to a scandal.

The movie opens with a scene where Rick goes to a bar and gets into a fight with a man who tries to pick a fight. The scene establishes Rick as a tough guy who can handle himself in a fight.

Rick is initially reluctant to take on the job at the inner-city school, but he eventually agrees to take it on after being convinced by his friend and former colleague Jake (played by Louis Gossett Jr.). Rick quickly discovers that the school is a war zone. The school is filled with students who are involved in drugs and gang activity, and the teachers and staff are powerless to do anything about it.

Rick soon realizes that the problem is not just with the students but also with the school staff. Many of the teachers are apathetic and disinterested in their jobs, and the school principal, Ms. Elliott (played by Rae Dawn Chong), is ineffective and unwilling to confront the problems head-on.

Rick takes matters into his own hands, using his military training and his experience as a coach to take control of the school. He sets out to rid the school of the drug dealers and the gang members that are causing chaos and violence on campus.

The movie is full of action scenes where Rick takes on the gangs, both inside and outside of the school. He is often outnumbered, but he always manages to come out on top. The scenes are filmed with a gritty realism that makes them feel authentic, and the action is intense and exciting.

Despite the action scenes, the heart of the movie is the relationship between Rick and the students. Although he is tough with them, he also cares about them and wants to see them succeed. He is able to connect with them in a way that their other teachers cannot, and he becomes a mentor to many of the students.

The Principal is not just an action movie; it is also a commentary on the education system and the challenges that many inner-city schools face. The movie highlights the problems that come with a lack of resources, apathetic teachers, and a culture of violence and crime.

The movie is well-acted, with a standout performance by Jim Belushi in the lead role. Belushi is able to convey both toughness and vulnerability in his performance, and he is able to connect with both the action scenes and the emotional moments. Louis Gossett Jr. is also strong as Jake, the loyal friend who helps Rick navigate the challenges of the school.

Rae Dawn Chong, as the ineffectual principal Ms. Elliott, is a standout as well. She is able to convey the frustration and helplessness that many educators feel in the face of the challenges that inner-city schools face.

Overall, The Principal is an engaging and entertaining movie that tackles important themes and issues. It is an action-packed movie that also manages to have heart, and it is well worth a watch for anyone who is interested in the challenges and complexities of the education system.

The Principal is a 1987 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 37.