The movie is set in a boys' private school. As one might expect, there is a pervasive generalized sexual tension, in part among the boys and in part directed towards girls in general since they are given very little opportunity to interact with girls.

In one boy's dormitory, lewd pictures are posted on the walls.

There is a scene in which a nude man and nude woman (both teenagers) are on the ground snarling and wrestling with each other. The girl's bare breasts are visible as the couple are shown only from the waist up. In the original cinema cut the girl's pubic hair can be seen.

A fully nude woman walks down a hall toward the camera. She then walks into and around an empty bathroom, she is shown from behind, revealing her butt, and then she turns around and her breasts are briefly exposed.

There is a shower scene where the young men are shown nude but only backside views are shown.

There is considerable hazing. One incident in particular, shows a young man getting carried into a bathroom by other young men, we later see they've hanged him by his shoelaces upside down and put his head into the toilet.

A scene features a young man with a plastic bag over his face to see what it would feel like to suffocate.

In one scene, three boys are being whipped for their insolence. However, the first two boy's whippings are off-screen. The last, is shown in pain and silent agony.

Three boys are fencing, and some blood is drawn.

There is non-frequent use of mild profanities and vulgarities. Nothing stronger than "crap" though.

Three boys secretly drink vodka from a bottle in a couple of scenes. In one they finish a bottle to the very last drop and appear to be drunk.

Several of the boys smoke cigarettes with some frequency. One even gives a cigarette to a much younger schoolmate.

The whipping scene could be disturbing to some viewers, due to the fact that the main character is crying by the end of his "punishment."

The whole film presents a somewhat disturbing tone, the school is very strict on the boys, and the lingering tension remains wholly apparent throughout the film.

The last thirty minutes include a number of tense (perhaps even shocking) scenes. Once real bullets appear, the audience doesn't forget they're there.