If the 80's taught me anything it's that teenage gangs were bad ass. 3:15 is proof of this and along with such fare as Class of 1984, Tuff Turf, The New Kids, and Savage Streets; these Anarchic, usually drug dealing baddies take no shit and step on anyone who gets in their way. Taking inspiration from the punk rock movement and America's "Just Say No" stance on narcotics at the time, these flicks made high school seem like the most dangerous place to be in the World. They made the gang antics in earlier efforts like Lords of Flatbrush and The Outsiders feel tame by comparison. But they also offered up a whole lot of exploitation silliness while they were at it.

The Cobras are the baddest of gangs in town and the opening sequence where they loiter around intimidating people lets us know this. Later that evening they find themselves in a brawl with a rival gang during which Cinco (Danny De La Paz) goes a bit too far and stabs one of them to death. This leads to the gang's leader Jeff (Adam Baldwin) quitting.

Fast forward to a year later and Jeff's moved on. He's become a star on the basketball team, hooked up with the pretty Sherry (Deborah Foreman), and distanced himself from his past. Around the same time Lincoln High Principal Horner (Rene Auberjonois) has brought in gruff cop Moran (Ed Lauter) to stage a raid on the school to try and help stem the drug problem. During said raid, Cinco tries to get Jeff to hide his stash and, upon him refusing, tells him "You're dead!" before being dragged off to juvie. This causes problems for Jeff and Sherry who are harassed by Cinco's cronies in the meantime. Eventually, Sherry ends up being hospitalized by the Cobras which sets Jeff on a course of revenge. And it's sure to be sweet as this heads towards a final showdown within the school hallways as Jeff dispatches various Cobras and has to deal with a recently released Cinco.

3:15 marks the only directorial effort from Larry Gross. Known for writing the screenplays for beloved 80s flicks 48 Hrs. and Streets of Fire (both helmed by the awesome Walter Hill of Warriors fame) he's delivered a watchable low-budget action flick. Sure, it's silly as all out and there's nothing even remotely realistic about it (I mean, come on, there's all sorts of stereotyped gangs at Lincoln including some karate dudes and black militants!), but it gets by thanks to a soundtrack filled with cheesy 80s music, a dead serious tone that at times borders on ridiculous, and a finale that delivers Jeff violently smacking around gang members with little abandon.

Making his movie debut in 1980's My Bodyguard, this marks an early starring role for the busy Baldwin (no relation to the clan of brothers) who brings an affable charm to Jeff when he's not busy kicking people's asses. He'd go on to cult fame as one of the leads on Joss Whedon's quickly cancelled sci-fi show "Firefly" but he'll forever be known to me for this, his debut, and 1983's ensemble comedy D.C. Cab. Foreman (Valley Girl, April Fool's Day, My Chauffeur, and plenty of other well-known 80s fare) plays your basic girlfriend-type here but is at least cute doing so. De La Paz is just the right amount of crazy as Cinco. One of the other drawing points of this cast is the inclusion of Auberjonois and Lauter. Both television veterans they have smaller roles as authority figures but it was cool to see them here. Also keep an eye open for Mario Van Peebles, Gina Gershon, and Rusty Cundieff (director of Tales from the Hood) in bit roles.

While it's not as outright entertaining as most of the other 80s teen gang flicks I mentioned in the opening, 3:15 does make for an amusingly dated waste of 86 minutes. There's absolutely no way you can take it seriously (even if the makers try to make you at times), but you shouldn't even try. Just kick back with your preferred snack food and smile at just how preposterous things can get. (Chris Hartley, 2/27/13)

Directed By: Larry Gross.
Written By: Sam Bernard, Michael Jacobs.

Starring: Adam Baldwin, Deborah Foreman, Scott McGinnis, Danny De La Paz.

aka: Class 89; Showdown at Lincoln High.