Taps

Taps (1981)

  • 80% of critics liked it
    (15 reviews)

  • 63% of users liked it
    (9,148 ratings)

When an exclusive military school is threatened with demolition by a rapacious real-estate company, the students, headed by Brian Moreland (Timothy Hutton), take drastic action. Utilizing every bit of military know-how at their disposal, the boys take over the school, arm themselves to the teeth,… More

PG,
Directed By
Written By
Devery Freeman, Robert Mark Kamen
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Dec 9, 1981 Wide

Critic Reviews

  • Heather Boerner, Common Sense Media

    A complex, violent movie for older teens only.

  • Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

    This proudly apolitical drama can probably be embraced by people on either side of the ideological fence.

  • Ryan Cracknell, Calgary Movies

    Twenty-five years later, Taps still has a way of resonating. A lot has changed in the world since it was released in 1981 but the ideals of honour and loyalty are two timeless themes.

  • Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

    It examines the danger of power without leadership, and it also reveals what can happen when your home is threatened.

  • Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com

    An absorbing, tension-filled and intelligently-written drama...Taps has aged like fine wine.

Read all 10 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Melvin W


    Taps is a decent movie but nothing spectacular. The plot is full of holes but still is entertaining. The thing that makes the movie worth the watch is the performances by Hutton, Penn, and Cruise. This is the movie that launched Penn's career and allowed him to go onto bigger and… More

  • AJ V


    So totally boring, I couldn't watch the whole thing. I may give it another chance one day if I hear anything good about it. There is a good cast, but other than that, it's not worth watching.

  • Dann M


    A smart and well-crafted military drama, Taps is a daring and controversial film. When a group of cadets at a military academy barricade themselves inside their citadel a standoff with the local law enforcement and National Guard ensues. The cast includes Timothy Hutton, Tom Cruise,… More

  • Mike T


    Despite uniformly strong performances from a superb cast, this film fell short of my expectations. Conceptually speaking, it's perhaps a little far-fetched but I am willing to suspend my disbelief at times. Unfortunately, the screenplay takes the story to preposterous lengths and… More

  • Stephen E


    Not even solid performances from Timothy Hutton and George C. Scott can save "Taps," which is a generic teen drama that's often melodramatic to the point of being unintentionally comedic. Aside from Hutton and Scott, the acting is pretty weak, which might have something… More

Read all 8 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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