James Belushi as a school principal? Let's talk "The Principal."

Okay cinephiles, I just finished watching The Principal (1987) and... whew. I went in completely blind, knowing only it starred James Belushi, which is honestly recommendation enough for me sometimes. I'm a sucker for that late 80s action vibe, even when it's a little cheesy. And cheesy it definitely is, but in a fun way. This isn't some high-art, but it's got a certain grit that makes it stand out. The director, I gotta look that up, was definitely going for something specific with the hyper-violence in a school of all places. Like, the school principal is fighting off knife and gun wielding students! Insane. Belushi is, well, Belushi. He's got that everyman quality but with the ability to turn on the intensity when needed. Louis Gossett Jr. is great too as the security head, although I did raise an eyebrow at how quickly he seemed to become Belushi's right-hand man. The plot, yeesh, talk about zero subtlety. It's basically every "tough teacher cleans up the school" trope dialed up to eleven. There's a rape scene that is pretty rough to watch, not gonna lie, and feels a little exploitative. I wonder if the director regretted including something like that down the line? But despite the more questionable elements and the over-the-top action, I found myself entertained. It's a total product of its time, but there's something undeniably appealing about seeing Belushi take on a corrupt system, even if that system is a fictional high school overrun with gangs. The fight choreography is surprisingly solid, and the soundtrack is pure 80s goodness. It's interesting to note how they treated the POC characters in the film overall. Overall, is it a great film? Probably not. But is it a fun, dumb, and surprisingly engaging film? Absolutely. I'd give it a solid 6/10. Anyone else seen this one? What were your thoughts?