Movie Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Synopsis: A popular Los Angeles high school student learns she is "the chosen one," a re-incarnated vampire slayer that has lived multiple lives and has been killed multiple times by the vampire, Lothos. She is reluctant to accept her inherited role but soon must protect her high school from Lothos and his vampire army.

Who's in it? The movie stars Kristy Swanson, Luke Perry, David Arquette, Donald Sutherland, Rutger Hauer and Paul Reubens.



Review: I needed a break after doing yard work and wound up looking for something to watch while I caught my breath on the couch. I hadn't seen this movie in a long while and decided to put it on. Even now, I still enjoy it as much as when I first saw it.

Is it a goofy movie? Yes, at least at times. However, in a world where movies tend to take themselves a bit too seriously (mostly out of fear of trolls nitpicking every mistake), there's nothing wrong with goofy from an entertainment standpoint.

In fact, in many ways, this film is superior to a large percentage of vampire movies. There is a likable protagonist (Swanson) who goes on a bit of a character arc throughout. A powerful villain (Hauer) that maybe should have gotten a bit more screen time and a plot that isn't unnecessarily complicated and moves at a reasonably fast pace. 

And let's not forget the well-timed comic relief scattered throughout the film. Just because it is a comedy doesn't mean it needs to have a joke every few seconds. In this case, the overall plot is serious, and the jokes just lighten the mood on occasion. Some of the jokes are so well timed, they become memorably pleasant surprises. This includes the death scene involving Paul Reuben's character, Amilyn. As ridiculous as that scene is, it makes me laugh every time. 

My only real complaint is the one I mentioned before, the main bad guy, Lothos, probably could have used a bit more screen time to build his character and make him more believable as a vampire that had survived for hundreds of years. Frankly, he seemed a little too easy to kill because of this.

Final Opinion: Even though it is classified as a comedy and takes a lot of liberties with vampire lore, it is still one of the better vampire films out there. It's nothing like the television show it inspired but that's not a bad thing either.

My Grade: A

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kwik Trip Kitchen Cravings Tailgater Pizza

Image
  When my wife and I decided on pizza for dinner last night, I stopped at Kwik Trip with the intention of just buying a cheap, frozen, cheese pizza for our daughters since we already had another pizza in our freezer. However, as I was walking up to the checkout counter, this particular pizza caught my eye and, even though I wasn't crazy about spending $8.99 when I already had another option at home, I was intrigued enough to make the purchase anyway. We ended up making the pizza in the oven when I got home. After trying it, I have to say it is one of my favorites. One of the things, in particular, that really stood out for me when it came to this pizza was the toppings. The combination of sausage and cheese curds was both unique and delicious, especially since the curds were fresh enough to still squeak when we were eating them. The pizza also proved to be surprisingly filling, both because of the thicker crust and the generous amounts of toppings and cheese.  Normally, when my wi
Read more

Movie Review: Damsel (2024)

Image
Synopsis: Elodie, the oldest daughter of Lord Bayford, reluctantly agrees to an arranged marriage with Prince Henry in the far-off land of Aurea because her bride price will provide much-needed relief to the starving residents of her homeland. When they arrive for her wedding, Elodie quickly warms up to the idea after seeing Aurea's beauty and even falling in love with Henry. However, soon after the wedding, she discovers it has all been a farce and she instead is thrown into a cave as a peace offering for the dragon living inside. Who's in it? The movie stars  Millie Bobby Brown ,  Ray Winstone ,  Angela Bassett ,  Robin Wright  and  Nick Robinson Review: My wife and I decided to watch a movie late yesterday evening and after striking out on horror films lately, ended up changing things up a bit with the fantasy adventure, Damsel . My wife thought it looked good from the trailer and I enjoyed Millie Bobby Brown in the Enola Holmes movies, so we had cautiously optimistic ex
Read more

Movie Review: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Image
Synopsis: Three years after saving the world in Summerville, Oklahoma, Callie Spengler, her two children, Trevor and Phoebe, and her boyfriend, Gary, have relocated to New York City resurrected the Ghostbusting business her father helped found in the 1980s, much to the chagrin of NYC mayor and long-time Ghostbuster antagonist Walter Peck. They soon find themselves once again needing to save the world when an ancient artifact containing an ancient god looking to wipe out the human race by freezing them to death is accidentally opened. Who's in it? The movie stars Paul Rudd , McKenna Grace , Carrie Coon , Finn Wolfhard , Dan Aykroyd , Annie Potts , Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson . Review: I had some serious doubts when Hollywood decided to reboot the Ghostbuster franchise in 2021 but I enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife more than expected and was excited to see this movie as a result. I didn't get an opportunity to see it at the theater as I had hoped but did watch it last night
Read more