Batch '81 is a Filipino Psychological Thriller film directed by Mike de Leon, which focuses on the initiation rites of prestigious fraternity Alpha Kappa Omega or AKO for short, and the brutal and often disturbing methods the house employs to their 'neophytes' (a term used to describe aspiring members of the fraternity) to test their loyalty and determination, told through the eyes of its Naïve Newcomer protagonist.
The work has examples of:
- Break the Cutie: The hazing ritual systematically destroys the Neophytes' dignity and self-worth, due to the horrific commands they're forced to obey.
- Downer Ending: Following a brutal battle with a rival fraternity, resulting in the deaths of the rival's leader, several of their members, and a few of their own, Sid and the (remaining) Neophytes are welcomed into AKO, completely broken and traumatized but subservient to the whims of the fraternity, with Sid at the end stating he's set to test another batch of Neophytes as Master of their initiation.
