‘Masterminds’ Avoids Cliches

Mon., Sept. 1, 1997

Jeff Sackmann, Mead

Usually, any movie with children in it falls into a mass of cliches, created by “Tom Sawyer” and continued into perpetuity by repetitious Disney movies such as “The Mighty Ducks.” To its credit, the school-held-hostage thriller “Masterminds” didn’t use more than the necessary amount of kid-movie cliches.

As usual, there had to be the parent/child fight resolved at the end, the sibling rivalry to be forgotten in a time of pressure, and, of course, a victory for the kids. But, instead of a cliche-ridden remake of “Tom Sawyer,” “Masterminds” allows the lead teen to outsmart the adults on equal ground, as opposed to letting him beat a collection of stupid grown-ups.

Vincent Kartheiser stars as Ozzie, a teenage troublemaker who spends his spare time pirating computer games and torturing his younger stepsister. Years ago he was kicked out of the elite private school his sister attends. After pulling his latest stunt, Ozzie is punished by having to walk his sister to school and class before going to school himself. When he gets there, everyone assumes a position of terror in his presence, and we soon learn that the newly installed security system is in place because of him. But before he can leave, he notices some suspicious doings around the school.

At the same time, Mr. Bentley (Patrick Stewart), the head of the security company installing the new system, is explaining to Principal Maloney (Brenda Fricker) how he is taking over the school and holding it for ransom. His number one objective: finding the 10 richest kids in the school, and holding them for $75 million ransom.

Since no one knows that Ozzie is there, and he knows the inner workings of the school as well as anyone, he manages to evade the dozens of soldiers Bentley has on his team, wreaking havoc along the way.

Ozzie’s tricks are wonderfully entertaining. First, he cranks up the boiler to steam Bentley’s headquarters, and when someone discovers that, he turns on the sprinkler system.

Stewart is revealed to be a former British SAS agent and to possess a nearly unbeatable plan for his own protection. Of course, it’s apparent fairly early that Ozzie is going to save the school (and his sister), but the entertainment is derived from watching Bentley and Ozzie butt heads. Bentley has the proper respect for Ozzie: He offers him a job, when and if he graduates.

The direction is superb; the suspense is almost unending.

Kartheiser’s performance is adequate, and Stewart is entertaining to the hilt. He plays the bad guy here as well as he did in “Conspiracy Theory” - his abilities may be better suited to the evil side than another turn as Jean-Luc Picard.

Even if you, like me, have an attitude about movies with kids in them, don’t rule out “Masterminds.” It’s original, creative and interesting.

Grade: B+

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