Scream writer Kevin Williamson teams up with From Dusk till Dawn director Robert Rodriguez for this enjoyable reworking of alien-invasion movies that's bolstered by Williamson's patented in-jokes and genre subversions. Considerably less subtle than the 1950s films that inspired it, this sci-fi horror thriller succeeds thanks to the assured performances of the teenage cast, zippy direction and the writer's refusal to take even the most tense moments seriously. Along the way, there's humorous homage paid to sci-fi related novels, TV and films. Despite a disappointing reliance on digital effects in the final third, this is classy extraterrestrial entertainment.

When some very creepy things start happening around school, the kids at Herrington High make the chilling discovery that confirms their worst suspicions: their teachers really are from another planet!