The Substitute: Failure Is Not an Option (2001) (V)

Director:

Robert Radler

Writers:

Roy Frumkes (characters)
Dan Gurskis
(more)

Release Date:

24 April 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

An undercover policeman must infiltrate a military school's faculty to cease the actions of white supremacists.

Plot Keywords:

Undercover | Military Academy | Mercenary | White Supremacy | Hero For Hire

Cast

Treat Williams	...	Karl Thomasson
Angie Everhart	...	Jenny
Patrick Kilpatrick	...	Brack
Bill Nunn	...	Luther
Tim Abell	...	Devlin
Grayson Fricke	...	Ted Teague
Simon Rhee	...	Lim
Scott Miles	...	Buckner
Brian Beegle	...	Frey
Samantha Thomas	...	Harmon
John Michael Weatherly	...	Mauk (as Michael Weatherly)
Lori Beth Edgeman	...	Cunningham
Moe Michaels	...	Robson (as Mohamed T. El Emam)
J. Don Ferguson	...	Colonel Teague
K.C. Powe	...	Sissy
Lonnie R. Smith Jr.	...	Yulee (as Lonnie Smith)
Laura-Shay Griffin	...	Dixie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alton Glass	...	Cadet (uncredited)
Shanda Lee Munson	...	Cadet Chaney (uncredited)
Jonathan Thompson	...	Faculty Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Radler

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Roy Frumkes		characters
Dan Gurskis
Alan Ormsby		characters
Rocco Simonelli		characters

Produced by
Thomas J. Busch	....	executive producer
Robert Radler	....	producer

Original Music by
Stephen Edwards		(as Steve Edwards)

Cinematography by
Richard M. Rawlings Jr.		(as Richard Rawlings)

Film Editing by
Lou Angelo

Casting by
James F. Tarzia		(as James Tarzia)

Production Design by
Joseph Litsch

Set Decoration by
Ellen L. Kerr
Melinda Sanders

Costume Design by
Peggy Stamper

Makeup Department
Teresa Foshee	....	key makeup artist
Teresa Foshee	....	makeup effects artist
Darwin Hensley	....	key makeup artist
Darwin Hensley	....	makeup effects artist
Philip Ivey	....	key hair stylist (as Phillip 'Mr. P' Ivey)
Jeff Goodwin	....	special makeup maker (uncredited)

Production Management
Thomas J. Busch	....	unit production manager (as Tom Busch)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karen Davis	....	second assistant director
Rhonda Guthrie	....	second second assistant director
Martin Jedlicka	....	first assistant director (as Marty Jedlicka)

Art Department
Joe Branton	....	on-set dresser
Michael Choyce	....	set dresser
Joe Connolly	....	property master
David Dreyer	....	lead man

Sound Department
John Bailey	....	adr recordist
Freddy Chancellor	....	boom operator
Ben Davis	....	intern
Brendan Davis	....	boom operator
Marti D. Humphrey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andy Peach	....	sound recordist
John Sisti	....	supervising sound editor
Liz Sroka	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Chris Mills	....	special effects technician
Richard E. Perry	....	special effects technician
Bob Shelley	....	special effects coordinator
Randy Southerland	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
David Leitch	....	stunts
Simon Rhee	....	stunt coordinator
Mark Stefanich	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen Crowley	....	gaffer
Guy D'Alema	....	still photographer
Michael Fedack	....	camera operator
Donny Fowler	....	electrician
Rory Robert Knepp	....	Steadicam operator
Rory Robert Knepp	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Mark McKinney	....	electrician
David McLean	....	electrician
Jordan McMonagle	....	assistant camera
Nancy Segler	....	assistant camera
Fred Thomas	....	second assistant camera
Joseph Thomas	....	assistant camera
Stephen F. Thomas	....	camera intern
Grady Upchurch	....	second assistant camera
Steve Zigler	....	best boy electric (as Steve 'Ziggy' Zigler)

Casting Department
Chad Darnell	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fred Lloyd	....	costume supervisor
Linda N. Robinson	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Ron Orenstein	....	dailies colorist

Music Department
Peter Senchuk	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Oranz Walker	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Alicia Accardo	....	script supervisor
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Alfeo Dixon	....	location scout
Seth Fortin	....	assistant: Robert Radler
Jalyn Henton	....	office assistant
Shanda Lee Munson	....	stand-in
Day Permuy	....	assistant coordinator
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Sydney Stone	....	stand-in
Tara Tovarek	....	office assistant
Katie Willard Troebs	....	production coordinator

Distributors

• Artisan Entertainment
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Momentum Pictures (2001) (UK) (all media)

Other Companies

• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Film Finances  completion guarantor

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexuality and some language

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:MA | Germany:18 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Trivia:

The second film in which the female love interest is killed off.

Quotes:

Karl Thomasson:Whine usually makes me tired.
Jenny:[Kisses Karl] Still tired?
Karl Thomasson:No, I'm wide awake now!
[He and Jenny passionately kiss]

Movie Connections:

Follows The Substitute 2: School's Out (1998) (TV)

Just be happy you have the option.

Substitute 4: Failure is not an option.

When an old friend's son cuts off ties with his father to join an elite and viscious unit of a prestigious military college, Karl Thomasson must return to action as the substitute in the fourth installment: Failure is not an option.

Treat Williams returns to the role of Karl Thomasson, the ex- mercenary turned undercover expert in what, in my opinion, is the second best of the long running substitute series. Using the same formula as the rest of the substitute series, Williams goes undercover to track down a friend's son who has stopped any kind of correspondance with his father to join an elite mercenary squad known as the "wolverines" who are led by the sadistic Col. Brack, played by an always intense Patrick Kilpatrick.

Of course as in the other films he needs a team of specialists to help with the investigations. This time the team consists of Luthor (Bill Nunn) and Devlin (Tim Abell). Adding to the cast is Hollywood's sexiest redhead Angie Everheart in the uncertain role of Jenny. Now granted the story is getting old and the producers may want to stop at this one to save any kind of face they have left, but I must admit it's good to see Kilpatrick and Williams still doing movies.

As well, director Radler does what he can with the material he wrote and the budget seems to be better placed then it was in the last two. Yet, as with most low budget movies, the supporting acting and scenery are all too bland, with some of the young actors giving over the top performances and the setting not really ever moving off the campus. The movie is no Taps, but it keeps the excitement going at a reasonable pace but is slowed down by a few hammy speed bumps, as in a scene in which the Wolverines are repeating a four word combination in unison to show how blood thirsty they are.

The ending has a good moral statement, yet it is drug out and very heavy handed. I didn't believe Failure to be a great movie, let's face it, none of them were, but I didn't believe it to be a bad movie either. So if your a fan of low budget action or of the series itself, I'd say go out and check out the Substitute 4 tonight, but to anybody looking for an academy award winner or even a movie that takes itself seriously do yourself a favour and think: Viewing is not an option.

Overall Rating: 5.5 out of 10