The Brotherhood of Justice is based on true events which occured in 1985 at R.L. Paschel High School, a Texas High School. The gang was called The Legion of Doom, and although the movie doesn't depict it, a coach was involved who backed the gang.
The Brotherhood of Justice is a pretty good movie, even if you think Keanu Reeves isn't such a great actor, or at least is a two dimensional actor (especially in the roles he took in his 20s). Keanu Reeves is part of a group of wealthy high school guys who form a vigilante group who declares their goals to be protecting the school from a sudden wave of vandalism and theft by promoting school spirit. However, they take advantage of their position by using intimidation and violence to weed out targeted students, who they claim are upsetting what they see as the school's potential positive growth (i.e. a school with a low crime rate). Soon enough, this free indulgence gets out of hand, and the guys begin a severe abuse of power as they go from protectorates of the school to yet another unruly gang that beats up whoever they want for whatever reason they feel. Keanu Reeves is the main character of our story, and the one who must make the decision whether his loyalty to the group should trump the rising dangers created by the members of the Brotherhood.
The Brootherhood of Justice is very similar to another movie made the same year entitled 'Dangerously Close,' which was written and starred in by 80s favorite, John Stockwell (the guy from 'My Science Project'). I believe that both are based on the same events, although in Dangerously Close, they do show that the group (called the Sentinels) as being managed by a coach. And, it also told from the point of view of one of the Sentinel's potential victims, while the Brotherhood of Justice focuses primarily on its leader, Derek (Reeves).
Both are, in my opinion good, although Brotherhood of Justice turned out to be a much better film and might appeal to a wider audience given the precense of many familiar faces including Lori Laughlin, Kiefer Sutherland (playing his typical wimpy, ultra-nice guy character), Billy Zane, Gary Riley (of Stand By Me and Summer School), and Danny Nucci. This one plays out somewhat like an after school special (in morals, not in cheesiness) whereas Dangerously Close is a real Hollywood drama). Plus, the gang doesn't seem quite as creepy as the Sentiels in Dangerously Close, but you do get a sickening sense of how awful the Brotherhood in this movie was. They're much more real in this movie.
It is definitely one worth watching. Check out the final sequences during the credit, the black and white shots of the actual Texas high school teenagers from The Legion of Doom, are the same as those used in the opening titles of the original Law and Order series.
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