_**A misguided attempt at edgy high school horror satire featuring a recognizable cast**_ The premise involves several students in an Ohio high school who believe the staff has been infiltrated by some sort of entity or entities. Robert Rodriguez, known for his stylish and ‘cool’ horror films like “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) and “Planet Terror” (2007), directed "The Faculty" (1998). However, this film feels like it pushes the boundaries of edginess when portraying high school life in Middle America, bordering on satire or black comedy. Initially, I found this off-putting, but if you embrace its tone, there's some enjoyment to be had. The narrative doesn’t really grab your attention until the latter portion, where a group of students joins forces to confront the extraordinary circumstances. It shares similarities with “The Hidden” (1987), only relocated to a high school setting. Laura Harris stands out among the female cast members, though Jordana Brewster is also present, along with Clea DuVall. Bebe Neuwirth delivers as the principal, and Salma Hayek portrays a nurse, but her character isn’t explored sufficiently (so don't anticipate anything like the dance sequence from “From Dusk Till Dawn”). Famke Janssen appears as an apprehensive teacher who undergoes a memorable transformation. Among the male actors, Shawn Hatosy is noteworthy in the lead role; Josh Hartnett also makes an impression as a student fixated on chemicals. Robert Patrick, familiar from "Terminator 2," plays the coach with visible strain, and Jon Stewart has a brief appearance. The film’s length is 1 hour, 44 minutes, and filming took place in East Texas: Austin (Herrington High School), Lockhart (high school parking lot, football field & town exteriors) and San Marcos. GRADE: C+

Source on TMDB