Well the film is out there, and this space is to both be Robogeek's review, and a place for all of you to discuss what you thought of the film, it's advertising campaign and of course my BRILLIANT performance. (Wink wink) Well, here's Robogeek's thoughts on the film...
ROBOGEEK GRADES "THE FACULTY" FOR THOSE OF YOU STILL SITTING ON THE FENCE...
"The Faculty" opened yesterday, and some of you may still be trying to decide whether or not you should check it out this weekend. Well, color me psychic, because something told me to take a break from my holiday festivities in order to put in my two cents worth.
First a little background. I'm a longtime admirer of Robert Rodriguez, having met him at Sundance in '93, where I was one of the many of the enlightened who voted "El Mariachi" to its Audience Award-winning victory. Since then, I have thoroughly enjoyed "Desperado" as well as "Road Racers" (which is well worth a rental if you haven't seen it). However, it is a well-known fact around the BPRD building that I had... serious issues with his last film, "From Dusk Till Dawn." (And while I'm tempted to elaborate, in the holiday spirit I think I'd rather just leave it at that, thank you very much.)
As for Kevin Williamson, well, let's just say that it's been with a certain measure of pride that I have so steadfastly refused boarding that particular bandwagon. Yes, Virginia, Robogeek has never seen a "Scream" movie -- nor, God forbid, an episode of "Dawson's Creek." I mean, _think_ about it.
So I had mixed feelings about "The Faculty." I was one of the many in the AICN inner circle subjected to months of mega-geeking from Harry over the project, and even took a trip to the shoot with him one day. There were several things that started to pique my interest: The cast, for instance. Screenwriter George Huang's mysteriously palpable yet uncredited involvement. Certain rumblings about the surprises that would be sprung on the audience. And hearing John Carpenter chords emanating from Robert's ever-present guitar -- an object which is rumored by some to actually be a sentient, symbiotic being that Robert confers with telepathically.
On the surface, "The Faculty" is the sort of movie I would never in a million years go out of my way to see -- except that Robert Rodriguez directed and edited it. From the trailers, poster and TV spots, it doesn't look like a particularly great movie. It looks like movies we've already seen (or, in my case, avoided seeing), over and over, just with a new twist, a new gimmick. In fact, the advertising doesn't even really accurately _describe_ the film (more on this later). On one hand, I applaud the campaign -- one of my biggest pet peeves about movie marketing is that it all too often "gives away the store" by showing far too much in a desperate attempt to attract an audience, who then end up bitterly disappointed because all the best parts (and most important plot twists) of the film have been spoiled. On the other hand, I'm frustrated by the advertsing strategy thus far because it simply doesn't do justice to the film.
There is really only one word I can use to accurately describe this film. A word that I have been saving, and that I will probably reserve exclusively for Robert's films. It may not make any sense to every one of you reading this, but many of you who will smile knowingly, nodding in content agreement.
This movie is KILLER.
"The Faculty," to my understanding, is the first in a multi-film pact Rodriguez landed with Miramax, and my impression is that his agreement to helm this project was pretty much the cornerstone of the deal. Well, if this is -- in any way, shape or form -- Robert's "sell-out" movie, then stand back and watch out. It rocks _real_ hard. And regardless of the pain his last movie inflicted on me, he is one of those few film artists I have sworn to see every film from until there are simply no more. In this case, that loyalty was vastly rewarded.
What's perhaps most exhilarating about watching this film is seeing a virtuoso filmmaker at work, deftly fulfilling the source material's potential to its absolute fullest, with acute attention to detail. What could -- in the hands of a lesser, "average" filmmaker -- lie on the floor in a puddle of mediocrity, is instead elevated to glorious heights of dizzying cinematic glee. The film is inherently limited by the ceiling imposed on it by the script, but throughout the film Rodriguez is constantly touching, scraping, scratching, pounding, head-butting, hammering, and slamming that ceiling until it shakes forth a rain of plaster. It is heroic and valiant filmmaking. It is Rodriguez in peak form -- at the height of his power, the fullness of his ability, and the sum total of his confidence thus far.
It is his most accomplished, self-assured, well-crafted, and technically masterful film yet. It is a joy. And, well, it is probably the ultimate teen geek fantasy, to boot.
And, honestly, I was surprised by how impressed I was, especially since I saw it the day after "The Prince of Egypt" altered my very cinematic world-view. It wasn't fair for _any_ film to follow that one for this audience member and quasi-critic. Yet "The Faculty" still profusely kicked ass. Quite an accomplishment.
This is a film that underpromises and overdelivers. In spades. Particularly impressive are the performances. This is by far the largest cast Rodriguez has ever directed, and there is not a weak link in the ensemble. He mines gems from each and every person on screen. And while each character is (brilliantly) introduced as a cookie-cutter caricature of a stereotype, each one surprises us over the course of the film. Everyone is so uniformly strong, I am hesitant to even name stand-outs. But I can't resist.
Among the "adults" in the film, Robert Patrick's football coach is revellingly uber-cool. He is obviously having the time of his life with this part. Sure, he could've pulled a T-1000 for this role, and it would've worked just fine, but instead he does something different -- and you just relish every moment he's on screen. I was really impressed and delighted watching him work.
But the other adults are fantastic as well, and have wonderfully juicy parts. Dutch goddess Famke Janssen (yes!) is undenyingly delicious as the English teacher, while Bebe Neuwirth -- who I absolutely adore when she's not playing Lilith -- is particularly marvellous as the principal. Perhaps the biggest surprise came from Jon Stewart, who is such a treat as the biology teacher. (Who woulda thunk he could _act_?) Also fun are Salma Hayek as the nurse (how could she not be?), Piper Laurie as the drama teacher, Daniel von Bargen as the history teacher, and Chris McDonald (who I will forever see as Lt. Castillo) as Casey's dad. (And, yes, Harry does us proud as a member of the faculty, forging a memorable impression out of just a handful of fleeting appearances.)
Who's Casey, you ask? Well, among the "kids" in the film (and, thankfully, Rodriguez didn't cast twentysomethings to play teens -- God, I'm sick of that), he's played by the young actor I have to single out -- Elijah Wood. I know, it sounds like a sign of the apocalypse, but it's true. He's fantastic. It's hard to explain why he's so great without giving away the movie -- and I could with one word. But his casting, performance, and character are particularly inspired, from his... visceral on-screen introduction to his... well, you'll just have to see. After the film, I wanted to shake his (and Robert's) hand. A job well done, gentlemen.
But all the young actors in the film are wonderful. Jordana Brewster makes a perfect "Heather" as the self-absorbed, superficial head cheerleader Delilah who gets sucked into the plot. Clea DuVall gives a performance to savor as the tortured, misunderstood loner Stokely. Rich stuff. And Laura Harris is really quite a find as the radiant Southern belle Marybeth. What looks like not much of a part at the beginning really turns into something...
On other side of the gender aisle, Josh Hartnett makes the most of his spotlight as the sardonically cool Zeke, who drives The Car. But I really want to point your attention to Shawn Hatosy's reluctant jock Stan. Of all the key cast, Hatosy has been unjustly shoved out of the limelight, when his rightful place is within it. He does some really nice work in this film, with a character that isn't quite as easily drawn as the others, in many ways.
And while this isn't a criticism of the _film_, I'd be remiss if I didn't digress to comment on the marketing campaign, which bothers me on a couple levels. First and foremost is the fact that Hatosy -- one of the main characters -- is bumped off the poster, the trailer and TV spots in favor of Usher Raymond, who has a small, supporting role. In fact, one of the promos' scenes with Usher isn't even in the film! However, audiences are conditioned by the advertising to perceive that Raymond is one of the stars of the film. He ain't.
Here's where it gets dicey. Usher Raymond, for those of you who may not know, is black -- one of only two black people with a speaking part in the film, to my recollection. He's also a talented young R&B recording star with quite a following. Obviously, Miramax/Dimension decided to capitalize on this, focusing on him rather than the virtually unknown Hatosy. Well, I've got a little problem with that.
Not just because it's unfair to Hatosy. Not just because it's unfair to Raymond. Because it's unfair to the audience -- and to a particular "demographic" that Disney/Miramax wants to see spend good money on this film. The predominantly white marketing/advertising community likes to call this demographic "urban" or "ethnic." What they mean is _black_.
If I were a young black kid, who also happened to be a fan of Usher (not that those two descriptions form a mutually inclusive profile, mind you), and I saw the ads and poster for this film, and then shelled out seven bucks to see it because I thought it starred Usher, and then spent most of the movie wondering where the hell he was, I would leave PISSED OFF. Indeed, I would ask for my money back. It wouldn't matter that the movie was great.
Raymond is good in the film -- what little of him there is. His role is fairly significant, but not very. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I'm not saying Rodriguez should have given him a bigger part, or cast more black people in the film, or any other such ridiculously righteous rhetoric. I mean, this film was set in Herrington, Ohio -- a proverbial white, midwestern, middle-class town. No problem. But to showcase Usher in the ad campaign as a lead character -- or even a supporting player of the magnitude of a Lando Calrissian or Mace Windu -- is grossly misleading, and in poor taste.
I think this film is fantastic. This film deserves to do huge business. But not at the expense of honesty. Not in exchange for racial exploitation. That's irresponsible, inexcusable.
Shame on you, Bob and Harvey. You should know better.
And as tempting as it is to close on that note for impact, to do so would be unfair to the film I'm here to review, and those who made it.
"The Faculty" is pure escapist bliss, taking the best of teen high school films (old and new) and mixing it with good old-fashioned '50s B-movie horror/sci-fi (particularly "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Thing"). There are so many influences at work here, combined in such a deftly inspired manner, that film geeks and genre fans are in for a real treat. Though the plot has a gaping hole here and there, and the Marco Beltrami school of film scoring is getting a tad tired, the pros far outweigh the cons. This movie is an exhilarating ride, one I'm anxious to take again. Go see it.
Kudos across the board to: line producer, Bill Scott; cinematographer, Enrique Chediak; music supervisor, Alex Steyermark; production designer, Cary White; art director, Ed Vega; set decorator, Jeanette Scott; costume designer, Michael T. Boyd; visual effects supervisor, Brian M. Jennings; production sound mixer, Steve Nelson; sound designer, Steve Boeddeker; supervising sound editor, Phil Benson; special makeup and creature effects, Robert Kurtzman, Gregory Nicotero, Howard Berger, KNB EFX, Inc.; digital visual effects, Hybride Technologies, Digiscope; computer graphics, Threshold Digital Research Labs; computer graphics and digital compositing, Centropolis Effects; associate producer, Tamee Smith-Zimmerman; unit production manager, Bill Scott; first assistant director, Doug T. Aarniokoski; and casting, Mary Vernieu and Anne McCarthy.
Also, I want to specifically congratulate first-time producer Elizabeth Avellan for sheperding such an ambitious and accomplished piece of work to the screen. Aside from being one of the nicest people on God's green earth, she's extraordinarily gifted, and a perfect complement for Robert. Which is a good thing, since they happen to be married and are expecting their third bundle of joy next month. ;-) Observing this remarkable partnership continue to blossom is a great joy, as it demonstrates that dreams can come true, and that good guys don't always finish last.
