The New Kids (1985) ***

The New Kids (1985) is a cool little revenge thriller with a nasty streak and plenty of redneck scumbaggery. Sean S. Cunningham uses his horror chops from Friday The 13th (1980), which combined with a taut score by the legendary Lalo Schifrin, create some solidly tense scenes. There's also some great fist-pumping, toe-tapping 80s hard rock jams to appreciate. James Spader is a suitably creepy baddie in one of his earliest roles. In my opinion there is not enough Tom Atkins though (fortunately this was remedied the following year with Night Of The Creeps (review)).