The Faculty is a horror movie that may have slipped under the radar for many. However, it is a shining example of a teen horror flick done right. In the late 1990s, Hollywood found itself in the midst of a cultural tug-of-war. On one side, raunchy teen comedies like American Pie were pushing boundaries with crude humor and sexual shenanigans. On the other, slick teen horror films like I Know What You Did Last Summer were capitalizing on the Scream boom, set out by the legendary Wes Craven.
Caught somewhere in the middle of this cinematic battlefield was Robert Rodriguez‘s The Faculty, a 1998 alien invasion horror film that executed a clever homage to classic science fiction and a sharp commentary on high school social dynamics. Despite grossing $63.2 million worldwide against a modest $15 million budget, making it a moderate commercial success, The Faculty has never quite received the recognition it deserves as one of the era’s most inventive teen horror films. So, here’s why you should definitely give it another shot.
The Faculty: Invasion of the Body Snatchers Meets The Breakfast Club
Riffing on how institutional forces constantly threaten individuality and originality, The Faculty is much smarter than people may realize. The plot centres on the students of Herrington High School, who discover that the staff have been taken over by alien parasites. While they seem normal on the outside, inside they are ticking time bombs hellbent on turning every student into one of them. In order to preserve their school and potentially the world, a varied collection of students – including the goth girl (Clea DuVall), the jock (Shawn Hatosy), the straight-A intellectual (Elijah Wood), the classic handsome rebel (Josh Hartnett), the queen bee (Jordana Brewster), and the new girl (Laura Harris) – must put aside their social differences and band together to battle pure evil.
The Faculty‘s dexterity and self-awareness are what really set it apart from other teen horror films of its era and even today. Following his success with the blockbusters Scream and Scream 2, Kevin Williamson‘s screenplay exhibits a profound comprehension of both high school archetypes and horror clichés, being serious in all of the right moments and poking fun at the genre in deftly paced sequences. Yet the magic comes from the movie’s ability to employ these well-known components as building blocks for something more complex rather than merely taking advantage of them. The alien invasion is a metaphor for how authorities can rob students of their identity and individuality as well as a real-world threat. With real insights about teenage alienation and the need to fit in, it’s essentially Invasion of the Body Snatchers via a teenage lens.
Breaking Down the Star-Studded Cast of The Faculty
There’s no denying that The Faculty boasts an exceptional ensemble cast that perfectly captures the film’s blend of established talent and emerging stars. The adult cast features legendary movie villains like Robert Patrick from Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and the breakout Salma Hayek, who was riding high on her success from Rodriguez’s Quentin Tarantino collaboration, From Dusk Till Dawn. Alongside them was Famke Janssen (Taken), who boarded the cast as another member of the infected faculty. However, it was the film’s young stars who carried the weight of the picture.
Upon reflection, this ensemble of young thespians now feels like the who’s who of rising stars in Hollywood. Elijah Wood went on to stars as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Josh Hartnett became a heartthrob before re-emerging as a powerful dramatic actor in hit films like Oppenheimer and Trap, and Clea DuVall went on to star in critically acclaimed films like Zodiac, and the Oscar-winning Argo. To that, you can literally watch masters of their crafts cutting their teeth in this horror flick.
How Robert Rodriguez Elevates the Movie
By the time The Faculty entered production, Robert Rodriguez was a hot ticket in Hollywood. He first wowed audiences and critics with his self-funded indie movie El Mariachi in 1992. He then kept the train rolling with the action-packed Desperado, and teamed up with the hottest filmmaker of the 90s Quentin Tarantino for From Dusk Till Dawn. The lesson to be learned from all of this was that this man can make a movie with any budget given to him, rising from $7000 with El Mariachi to $15 million with The Faculty. And although it’s more commercial than his prior films, The Faculty is equipped with an indie edge.
Rodriguez brings his characteristic kinetic camera work and practical effects wizardry to the alien invasion scenario, creating memorable set pieces that feel both visceral and stylish. His background in independent filmmaking allowed him to maximize the film’s modest budget, delivering high-quality scares and action sequences that rival bigger-budget productions. Also, his punk rock sensibility aligns perfectly with the film’s rebellious teenage protagonists, while his technical expertise elevates what could have been a routine creature feature into something genuinely engaging.
In summary, unlike many teen horror films of the era that prioritized style over substance, The Faculty manages to achieve a rare balance. It’s both a loving tribute to 1950s science fiction films, and a sharp, contemporary horror movie that respects its audience’s intelligence. While films like I Know What You Did Last Summer have recently received the reboot treatment, The Faculty remains a singular achievement that stands the test of time – a hidden gem that deserves recognition as one of the most successful examples of how to blend genres, generations, and genuine filmmaking craft.
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