[5]

Screenwriter Kevin Williamson (Scream, Dawson’s Creek) made his directorial debut with this surprisingly mediocre horror flick about three high school students who kidnap a teacher to try and force her to reconsider a failing grade. Helen Mirren musters some wicked charm as the title character, but the trio of teen characters played by Katie Holmes, Marisa Coughlan, and Barry Watson are surprisingly flat, especially when you consider Williamson’s prior work. Michael McKean, Jeffrey Tambor, Molly Ringwald, and Vivica A. Fox appear in small, thankless roles.