Status:
Repeat Offender
Directed By:
Robert Rodriguez
Starring:
Elijah Wood
Josh Hartnett
Jordana Brewster
Clea Duvall
Shawn Hatosy
Laura Harris
Favorite Character:
Coach Willis
Plot Summary:
High school is hell. I don't care who you are, where you're from, or what social clique you belong(ed) to. High school is four years of state mandated hell. That's even more true for the student body at Herrington High School.
The faculty at Herrington High, at first glance, is just as disaffected as their students (surprise, surprise). They live in a football town where the football team reigns supreme and gets all of the school funding, of which there is not a lot.
It's obvious they hate their jobs, they hate each other, and they hate the students (yay for public education!). That is, of course, until an unknown menace comes to the school and starts taking over the faculty one by one unbeknownst to the student body and the rest of the town.
Casey (the nerd), Stokely (the outcast), Stan (the jock), Zeke (the bad boy), Delilah (the queen bitch), and Marybeth (the new girl) all run in different social circles for the most part. They have nothing in common with each other (does anyone in high school?), but are forced to band together when they all start to notice that things ain't right at Herrington High.
Stan is accosted in the shower by one of his ancient teachers (SEXY TIME FOR STAN!!!), which Casey is a witness to (poor Casey didn't get any action...nobody the loves the nerd). Then Casey and Delilah, while poking around in the faculty lounge, find said teacher's body. And then the group as a whole is attacked by the science teacher, confirming their suspicions. The faculty, and now a majority of the student body, are playing host to an alien parasite that's here for our water.
They band together to take their school back by any means necessary...even if it means taking some of the faculty out along the way (and who hasn't wanted to take out a teacher or two?).
Favorite Quote(s):
Stan: What the hell is wrong with him?
Zeke: Nothing's wrong with him. He's tweaking, you asshole! Let him fucking tweak!
Casey: Tweak! Tweak!
Favorite Scene:
When Coach Willis talks to Casey on the football field.
Review:
Sci-fi/horror flicks are a dime a dozen, and because of the conflicting codes of the genres, they usually fall short on one side or the other. Williamson, the writer responsible for the Scream flicks, Cursed, and I Know What You Did Last Summer, knows just enough to keep that precarious balance from tipping too much to either side, but not enough to make this as successful a flick as Event Horizon, Alien, or The Thing.
Despite that, it's still a decent horror effort, and Robert Rodriguez's direction keeps it from being as ridiculous as it could have been. It's well cast - especially Robert Patrick's role as the high school's football coach, well directed, and the story is pretty solid, even if it has been done before. The biggest issue I had with it was that it felt particularly tame for an R-rated flick. I could be desensitized though considering I've seen hundreds of horror films.
If you liked Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Craft, Disturbing Behavior, and the other 90's teen horror flicks you'll like this one. If not, then you wouldn't be missing anything if you skipped this one.
Interesting Fact:
At one point, the principal suggests saving money by reusing the set from "Our Town". The joke in this is that Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" has no set.
Rating:
Trailer:
I secretly do like this one although, when we went to see it in the theaters, I had already figured out how it pretty much was going to go and who the actual alien was. But enjoyable none-the-less. Fav scene is Casey is all high and tweaking. Also any scene with ole coachie poo are good as well.
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