The ’90s Sci-Fi Thriller Is One Of The Decade’s Greatest Gems, Stream Now Without Netflix

If you’ve seen the movie, you know it’s a must-watch. If you haven’t seen The Faculty, you’re only wronging yourself with the deprivation of such an excellent film. Starring Jordana Brewster (The Fast & The Furious films), Laura Harris (Stay Tuned), Clea DuVall (But, I’m A Cheerleader!), Josh Hartnett (Pearl Harbor), Usher Raymond, Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings), and even John Stewart (The Daily Show), The Faculty has an all-star ensemble cast. 

The movie was loaded with talent, and the subject matter was basic yet fun. With a Bodysnatchers theme, The Faculty gave the students at Herrington High School a challenge they would never forget. 

It all begins with the school’s football coach, Joe Willis (Robert Patrick). When Principal Drake goes back into the school one evening to grab her keys, she is met by Coach Willis. He attacks her, but she manages to get away just long enough for Mrs. Olson to stab her as she runs from the school. 

The next day, the students come back to school, and the movie takes the time to introduce some of the more poignant personalities in the story. Casey Connor (Elijah Wood) is a dedicated photographer for the school’s newspaper, but he’s always being harassed and teased by others. 

Casey answers to Delilah Profitt (Jordana Brewster), the school newspaper’s editor-in-chief and head cheerleader. Stan Rosado (Shawn Hatosy) is Delilah’s boyfriend. He is a football player who is thinking about quitting so he can focus more on his academics. 

And then you meet Zeke (Josh Hartnett) … the smart, good-looking, rebel kid who sells his own custom ecstasy-like drug to the students of Herrington High. Zeke could do a lot better for himself. Instead, he’s just floating through high school. 

Also, Marybeth Louise Hutchinson (Laura Harris) is a transfer student who befriends Stokely Mitchell (Clea DuVall). Stokely is a stylish outcast at the school who has purposely spread rumors about herself, saying that she is a lesbian, even though she has a huge crush on Stan. 

The student characters in The Faculty draw you into their microcosm with ease, and the teachers are creepy, even before they all turn into killer aliens. The cast knew they had something special before the movie was released, and since the movie’s release, the world has moved the title into the realm of cult classics. 

The movie came by its ‘R’ rating and horror specification naturally. The process of taking over another being’s body isn’t always pretty, and The Faculty is responsible for invading the entire school. By the end of the movie, things get pretty messy … just the sort of thing you want in a good horror flick.

Furthermore, the slick quips and shoutouts to classics like The Body Snatchers and The Puppet Master give the flick depth. The characters’ individuality in the story gives the movie depth (not to mention a lot of entertainment value), creating plenty of reason for fans of The Faculty to thrust it into cult classic status.

When The Faculty was released in theaters, it debuted in fifth place on opening weekend, pulling in over $11.5 million and eventually grossing more than $40 million worldwide. Most believe the movie could have done better had it not been released on Christmas Day (1998). 

Regardless, The Faculty is now streaming to watch for free on PlutoTV. It’s not one you want to watch with little kids in the room, so wait until after bedtime to enjoy it.