The Faculty (1998)

Yet again... I didn't get to see much else in the last weeks besides bad HK movies for getting me to sleep and some TWD episodes. Randomly changing TV channels while spending the night in a hotel in Prague (while missing my bad HK movies), I also stumbled on "The Faculty" and watched its last half. Which makes it probably the best option for a short entry....

I'm not sure if "The Faculty" is sufficiently known to be considered a "classic", but it's probably a reference movie for a niche somewhere between teen movies and light horror/comedy, which gained a bit of momentum in the '90s - early 2000, but sort of faded away after. In brief, a high school in a small city somewhere in Ohio is invaded by an alien creature that multiplies itself by corrupting human hosts. A sort of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", which is actually referred in the movie. In its first half (that I didn't see for more than 10 years I guess) we're introduced with something like six students, each with problems of his/her own, and we're getting to see the beginning of the invasion. In the second half the six students group forms a sort of rescue team after discovering that the creature has a fatal allergy to a home made drug, prepared in his garage and distributed by the high school's bad boy, who happens to also be a genius in organic chemistry.

I have to admit that when re-watching it now, the movie seemed to me more cheesy and exaggerated than I was remembering. On the other hand... well, what could you expect from something directed by Robert Rodriguez ("Spy Kids" & "Machete"). All things apart, it keeps a certain charm. Maybe it's the cast - many known names in early roles, maybe I'm nostalgic...

Rating: 3.5 out of 5