The Faculty wants to be two movies at once. It is a body-snatcher thriller about alien parasites taking over the teaching staff at Herrington High, and it is also a teen drama about six students who become friends through shared suspicion. That split ambition is the film’s central problem, and it explains why the movie never quite finds its footing.
Director Robert Rodriguez built his reputation on mixing genres, and The Faculty is a clear attempt to apply that approach to horror. He draws on the alien invasion formula popularized by Invasion of the Body Snatchers, then layers in teenage angst, romance, and the kind of social hierarchy found in any high school drama. The result is a film that is often clever, occasionally tense, and rarely frightening.
Trailer, via Miramax.
The Parasite Scheme at Herrington High
The setup is simple. Teachers and Principal Drake meet to discuss the school’s budget, then leave the building. When Drake returns to retrieve her keys, she is attacked by Coach Willis, and drama teacher Mrs. Olson stabs her with scissors as she flees. The next morning, the students arrive, and Casey Connor, the school newspaper photographer, notices something odd on the football field. He brings the strange creature to science teacher Mr. Furlong, who identifies it as a mesozoan, a parasite that targets cephalopods.
Casey and Delilah Profitt, the paper’s editor-in-chief and head cheerleader, hide in the teachers’ lounge and witness Coach Willis and Mrs. Olson forcing a parasite into the ear of the school nurse. They also find the body of another teacher, Mrs. Brummel. Casey calls the police, but his claims are dismissed.
The parasite scheme is the engine of the plot, and it works best when the film focuses on it. The creatures themselves are visually striking, and the idea of teachers being controlled by alien life forms is genuinely unsettling. The problem is that the human drama keeps pulling focus away from the threat. Zeke Tyler, Delilah, Stan Rosado, Marybeth Hutchinson, Stokely Mitchell, and Casey each have their own arcs, and Rodriguez tries to juggle all six at once.
Six Students, One Suspicion
Each of the six students gets a distinct personality, and the script spends significant time establishing their relationships. Casey is the harassed photographer. Delilah is the spiteful editor-in-chief who mistreats her boyfriend Stan, who is considering quitting football to study. Zeke is the rebellious repeat senior who sells illegal drugs. Marybeth is the naive transfer student who befriends Stokely, a self-styled outcast spreading rumors about her sexuality. Casey and Marybeth develop a crush on Zeke, which is reciprocated.
The problem is that these six stories do not naturally converge. Rodriguez tries to tie them together through the parasite scheme, but the connections feel forced. Stan’s football troubles and Stokely’s rumors about Marybeth exist mostly to pad the runtime and give each character a personal stake. The film’s central idea is that the students are discovering their teachers are controlled by aliens, but the plot keeps getting sidetracked by the teens’ interpersonal problems.
Cast Chemistry Over Terror
The cast is the film’s strongest asset. Josh Hartnett plays Zeke with a rebellious charm, and Elijah Wood delivers a performance that leans into Casey’s awkwardness. Jordana Brewster is solid as Delilah, and Clea DuVall brings a quiet intensity to Stokely. Laura Harris is effective as Marybeth, and Shawn Hatosy grounds Stan as a frustrated athlete. The adult cast is equally strong, with Robert Patrick as Coach Willis, Bebe Neuwirth as Principal Drake, Famke Janssen as Miss Burke, Piper Laurie as Mrs. Olson, Salma Hayek Pinault as Nurse Harper, and Jon Stewart as Mr. Furlong.
Rodriguez has spoken about his casting process, recalling how actors like Elijah Wood and Josh Hartnett stood out. He admitted that the film’s original title, The Faculty, did not resonate with younger audiences, suggesting titles like Alienated or The Others, which the studio later used for another movie. Writer Kevin Williamson said he initially passed on the script but agreed to the project after producer Bob Weinstein encouraged him repeatedly. Williamson later said he enjoyed working on the film and admired Rodriguez.
Jordana Brewster reflected on the contrast between The Faculty and The Fast and the Furious. She recalled thinking The Faculty would make the cast huge stars: “We all thought we were gonna be these huge teen stars… but it didn’t quite work out that way.” Despite the film’s initial underperformance, she is now proud of its cult status, which she finds “cool.”
Clea DuVall also discussed the film’s initial reception, noting that it did not have the impact they expected during its release. The film grossed $63.2 million and has developed a cult following since its release.
Where the Film Falls Short
The biggest flaw is pacing. The first half of The Faculty spends too much time on character introductions and teenage drama, which dilutes the tension of the parasite scheme. By the time the film finally commits to its horror premise, the audience has already lost momentum. The climax, which involves the students confronting the infected teachers, feels rushed and underdeveloped.
The film also leans heavily on visual effects, and some of the practical work is dated by today’s standards. The parasite creatures are compelling, but the gore is minimal, and the film relies on suggestion rather than graphic detail. This is a strength in some scenes, but it can feel limiting when the stakes require a more visceral response.
The humor is another mixed element. Rodriguez includes plenty of jokes, ranging from wry observations to broad physical comedy. Some land, but others feel out of place next to the horror elements. The film is not a comedy, and it is not a straight horror film either. It sits somewhere in between, and that ambiguity is not always comfortable.
Comparing Two Approaches
| Approach | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Teen Drama Focus | Strong cast chemistry | Distracts from the parasite scheme |
| Horror Focus | Compelling parasite concept | Underdeveloped climax |
The Faculty is a film with a good idea and a talented cast, but it struggles to commit to either of its two impulses. The body-snatcher premise is genuinely scary, but the film spends too much time on character development and not enough on delivering on that premise. The result is a movie that is often entertaining but rarely terrifying.
The film’s cult status is a testament to its enduring appeal, even if it never achieved the commercial success its creators expected. Rodriguez’s love for genre-mixed films is clear, and his willingness to take risks is admirable. But The Faculty remains a flawed work, one that is best remembered for its promise rather than its execution.
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