Critic Reviews

• Joshua Katzman, Chicago Reader

  This is geared toward the preteen set, but director Marcos Siega proves inept at executing the most basic dramatic and comedic setups, and Cannon's mugging and preening quickly grow tiresome.

• Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

  This is one of those movies where at the end of the year you'll say, 'Underclassman, what was that about? I don't even remember it.'

• Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle

  Less an original product than a shoddy tribute to other mediocre cop movies.

• Tom Keogh, Seattle Times

  Hu, Marin and a very fine British actor, Hugh Bonneville (Iris) playing the school's headmaster, bring some desperately needed authenticity and texture to this Miramax film.

• Peter Howell, Toronto Star

  If it weren't for the racist and puerile humour and the general laziness of the production, you could almost understand a movie like Underclassman. And maybe even forgive it.

• Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger

  The film is of little use to anyone except casting directors, fixed on selling a performer rather than telling a story.

• Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

  Even the chase scenes sag as debut director Marcos Siega disappoints audiences at every turn.

• Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media

  Even charming Nick Cannon can't save this awful movie.

• Kam Williams, Upstage Magazine

  It's mind-boggling that such relentlessly offensive trash ever finds financial backing from a major Hollywood studio.

• David Noh, Film Journal International

  The premise of The Underclassman is so familiar as to be groan-inducing, but the happy surprise is that it goes down very easily, and makes for agreeable summer light entertainment.

• Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review

  The smart-mouth-maverick-cop genre never looked more shopworn and played-out than in this halfhearted, half-baked mess.

• Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

  It seems that the filmmakers behind Underclassman think that Nick Cannon is the second coming of comedy genius. The sad fact is that he ain't.

• John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

  In Drumline we saw that Cannon could, indeed, be charming; but here his character is mostly annoying, with nothing funny to say or do and no personality to build on.

• John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

  Underclassman is primarily a string of clichés looking for a story.

• Stina Chyn, Film Threat

  However unfortunate or sad it is that people enjoy experiencing mediocre quality cinema, if you have nothing more stimulating to do on a Friday night, Underclassman could provide the entertainment -- not enlightenment -- you seek.

• Gary Brown, Gateway Times

  ...a low rent Beverly Hills Cop wannabe.

• Nathan Rabin, AV Club

  Almost comically unambitious, Underclassman seldom tries to be funny, and never even attempts to be original.

• Jeffrey M. Anderson, SPLICEDWire

  Here we have a definite candidate for the year's worst picture.

• Eric Goldman, IGN Movies

  The film feels like the victim of too many rewrites and edits, with lots of plotlines that go nowhere or feel oddly unfulfilled.

• Luke Y. Thompson, New Times

  Cannon simply doesn't have the chemistry with his co-stars that he needs; it's as if he's trying to perform a one-man show

Read all 22 critic reviews