Disturbing Behavior MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 Content: -3

Something's weird at Cradle Bay High School. Besides the typical groups of nerds, druggies, and shy loners, there are the elite high achievers called the Blue Ribbons. On Steve Clark's (James Marsden) first day in his new high school, Gavin (Nick Stahl) befriends Steve and warns him that the Blue Ribbons are evil. Although they sponsor bake sales, make top grades and play varsity sports, the members become violent if anyone disagrees with them. Gavin witnesses one Blue Ribbon football star killing a classmate and knows the police are covering up the murder. The school psychiatrist urges aloof Steve to become more social by joining the Blue Ribbons. After a few brutal confrontations with the school "role models," Steve believes Gavin. They discover the Blue Ribbon members are victims of an evil scientist's mind control experiments. This teenage thriller will no doubt draw the same big crowds that made "I Know What You Did Last Summer" a box office hit.

The first eerie scene shows a couple parked in the woods steaming up the windows with passionate kissing, which leads to implied unconventional sex. The boy then calmly breaks the girl's neck with his hands. Two police officers approach the car and when one sees the girl's body, his partner blasts him with his gun. Brutal gang assaults by the irreproachable Blue Ribbons include head bashings, bloody noses and kicks and hits to the stomach while law enforcement, school officials and parents look the other way. A seemingly stupid janitor observes the evil activities and cleverly devises a scheme that ultimately saves Steve. A massive explosion sends the "bad guys" off the side of a mountain to their death. One of the female Blue Ribbon members tries to seduce Steve, opening her blouse and exposing her breast, then becomes enraged when he rejects her. She then bashes her head into a mirror, severely injuring herself. Along with the gore is an abundance of obscenities, including 16 s-words and 17 f-words. DISTURBING BEHAVIOR is well named and describes the filmmakers as well as these teenagers. Unfortunately, the ending hints that there's more Disturbing Behavior in our future.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: MGM/UA Dist., 2500 Broadway St., Santa Monica CA 90404-3061