Chuck Norstadt (Nick Stahl) is the middle child of his widower mother. He is desperate to go to the military academy that his father attended after failing the entrance test. He spaces out from time to time and everybody looks at him as a little slow. He often fights with his half-sisters Gloria and Megan. Their mother has a new boyfriend in anti-war Prof. Carl Hartley. Justin McLeod (Mel Gibson) is the local bogeyman. All the kids are afraid of his half-burnt face and his dog. The adults gossip about the numerous rumors about the recluse. He's a former teacher and Chuck convinces him to prepare him for the exam.
Chuck starts off as an unlikeable brat. Stabbing the tire is too much. On the other hand, it does give a connection between Chuck and McLeod. It bugged me for the first half of the movie that every other word coming out of Chuck is a lie. The mentor relationship does build into something interesting. This is Mel Gibson's directorial debut and he shows a nice confidence. The movie does threaten to be overwrought in the last act but he is able to rein it in just enough.
Chuck starts off as an unlikeable brat. Stabbing the tire is too much. On the other hand, it does give a connection between Chuck and McLeod. It bugged me for the first half of the movie that every other word coming out of Chuck is a lie. The mentor relationship does build into something interesting. This is Mel Gibson's directorial debut and he shows a nice confidence. The movie does threaten to be overwrought in the last act but he is able to rein it in just enough.