Christian Slater plays a shy yet disgruntled teenager who runs a pirate radio station which he uses to complain about his corruptly run high school in this captivating comedy from 'Empire Records' director Allan Moyle. Fresh from 'Heathers', Slater is perfectly cast in the lead role and manages to be believably milquetoast when socialising in public and yet cocky and arrogant when on air since nobody knows that it is him (some intriguing personal identity issues exist with this dynamic). The plot is not exactly airtight with the corrupt practices of the school feeling like an after-thought, only really introduced in the second half of the movie when the school tries to shut him down, but it is an entertaining ride nonetheless with things really spiraling out of control as the students take to supporting him more and more -- through graffiti and sabotaging the school's PA system -- as the administration react with increasing sternness to his actions. The film comes with a lot of positive messages too even if some of the teenagers overreact to his radio shadow (one microwaves all her jewelry); this is a film about freedom of expression and the need to be able to question those in higher authority and hold them to account. The film benefits from some terrific music too, and it still manages to be amusing even as it turns rather message-heavy towards the end.
Review of Pump Up the Volume
