Model Students? Revisiting Disturbing Behavior at 25

redmangoreviews

March 29

Julien Neaves, Editor

Plot: At Cradle Bay High School, a quartet of outcast students uncover a dark secret about a group of elite students known as the "Blue Ribbons".

Context: Last month when I posted my retro review of Sci Fi horror film The Faculty several people mentioned they would usually watch it as a double feature with fellow high school-set 90s Sci Fi horror Disturbing Behavior. I had watched the film back in the day, but I had very vague memories of it, and it didn't imprint on me the way The Faculty did. But I decided to revisit it and I'm surprised it hadn't left more of an impression on me, because it is pretty awesome. With an unnerving SPOILER ALERT (and yes, some people still expect those, even for movies that are two-and-a-half decades old) let's retro review Disturbing Behavior in three subjects.

Subjects #1 Freaks and Cliques

Come on. Look at us. Of course we want to buy some drugs

The film features a pretty cool cast. Our protagonist Steve, the prototypical new kid from another city with emotional baggage (he is haunted by his elder brother's suicide), is played by future Cyclops James Marsden. Now with Marsden's traditional clean cut good looks he seemed a better pick for one of the Blue Ribbons rather than a grungy outcast, but the actor does give it the old college try and is decent enough in the role. Katie Holmes, who was just a few months into her breakout role as the sweet Joey Potter in teen drama Dawson's Creek, is not all that convincing as angst-filled bad girl Rachel, but she does rock those midriff-bearing outfits. So, who I am to complain?

In the weirdo quartet the standouts for me were Chad Donella as very pale and very funny stoner U.V. and future John Connor Nick Stahl as conspiracy theorist Gavin Strick. This is easily my favourite role from Stahl, who is as entertaining and witty as the pre-brainwashed, outcast version as he is creepy and unnerving as the brainwashed, Blue-Ribbon version. The other Blue Ribbon characters are all effective in their own way, but Gavin is easily the cream of the crop.

I also had a blast with veteran character actor William Sadler as weirdo rat-hunting, closet genius Dorian Newberry. Bruce Greenwood does a solid job as the film's cold and calculating big bad Dr Edgar Caldicott, the man responsible for mind controlling the students, but he appears so briefly and his character is so underdeveloped that he comes off as a generic villain.

Subject #2 Horror 101

Are you a fan of premarital sex?

The horror aspect of Disturbing Behavior has held up very well. Like The Faculty, there is a persistent unsettling feeling that something is very wrong with these "perfect" students. The subtle horror is very effective and scenes like Gavin's parents secretly discussing his procedure with Caldicott are some of the best in the film. And these make it even more impactful when the Blue Ribbons explode into rage and violence.

The shocking opening really sets the mood for the dark events to come. We also have Chug turning into a hormone rage monster, the tension-filled trip to the mental hospital and the terrific finale which goes full on Body Snatchers. But the most memorable scene is Blue Ribbon Lorna attempting to seduce Steve in his living room. What starts as your typical slasher sexploit goes full psychological shocker when Lorna smashes her head against the mirror. Scenes like that elevate Disturbing Behavior above your run-of-the-mill 90s teen horror.

Subject #3 Hide Your Kids

She looks like one of those rapper's girlfriends

Director David Nutter had also worked as a director and producer on The X-Files and I could have seen the film's plot working as an episode on that popular series or something like The Twilight Zone. The premise of mind-controlled students is not the most original and it is not explored in much depth here. And that is fine as the film is not a cerebral Sci Fi Horror but just a fun popcorn affair.

And, unlike the mostly happy ending of The Faculty with the all infected students returning to normal, the film ends with all but one of the Blue Ribbons being killed (Gavin survives in your usual sequel bait) after poor Dorian sacrifices himself. Steve running off with Rachel, U.V. and his sister Lindsay (a baby-faced Katharine Isabelle of American Mary and the Ginger Snaps trilogy) was a bit cheesy and unrealistic though.

Hey there li'l buddy. You doing alright?

I had a good time revisiting Disturbing Behavior and I can tell why it remains a beloved cult classic. And I would not mind seeing a belated sequel or even a remake.

Editor Jules' Score: 7.5 out of 10

And you can check out more 90s Sci Fi and horror reviews below:

Julien "Editor Jules" Neaves is a TARDIS-flying, Force-using Trekkie whose bedroom stories were by the Cryptkeeper, learned to be a superhero from Marvel, but dreams of being Batman. I love promoting Caribbean film (Cariwood), creating board games and I am an aspiring author. I say things like "13 flavours of awesome sauce". Read more.