Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer should be a mess, but it's not. It's a mini-comic triumph, and although it's technically a teen movie, it's in the tiny genre of sophisticated, darkly funny teen films such as Heathers and Pump Up the Volume. [4 Aug 1992, p.C1]

Actress Kristy Swanson provides the ideal combination of energy and comic disdain that characterize a most unlikely savior. While it would be a mistake to oversell Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the sad and/or happy truth is that you could do worse on a warm summer night. A lot worse. [31 Jul 1992, p.1]

Buffy is amusing for a time but its destiny is to die in a disappointing, long-winded conclusion. The second half feels stretched out and muddled, as if screenwriter Joss Whedon drove a stake through his script. However, in his depiction of the vapid SoCal world, Whedon knows the territory.

The direction of Fran Rubel Kuzui (Tokyo Pop) suggests that she's more comfortable with character than action, and Joss Whedon's script has some fun with Valley talk (both genuine and ersatz) but strains to sell the story.

In short, when Buffy starts getting fangy, it stops being tangy. It gets all serious and earnest and flops as a teen-age love story and as a vampire thriller and even as a parody. It's not even a "Fright Night," much less a "Near Dark," and only hints at a "Lost Boys" ambience. [31 Jul 1992, p.38]

Buffy isn't heinous, just disposable. As a friend tells Buffy while she eyes a fashion purchase, "It's so five minutes ago."

Director Fran Rubel Kuzui's frenzied mistrust of her material is almost total. Somebody should have given her a garlic necklace -- or a Miltown -- and told her to chill out.

This movie isn't a classic but the action is cool, the jokes are funny and the cast is great. The movie is a decent movie and it's what you expect, no more no less. Give the movie a shot and you'll enjoy it, I've seen way worse movies than this, B+.

If I had watched the movie before the series, I probably wouldn't have looked at the show's face. If you haven't seen Buffy before, stay away from the movie. Or watch the movie knowing it's a B-Horror unrelated to the show. Because the series is a much more serious production than the movie with its successful techniques compared to its period. The movie may have inspired the Scary Movie series. I wouldn't be surprised if it is true.

Final Thoughts: If you’re looking for a night of campy cringe with a 90s filter, then Buffy the Vampire Slayer might just be the worst possible example (#notmybuffy - I’m being cruel at this point, aren’t I?), but it is an example. Short flashes of wit are there and it’s fun to see the first portrayal of a now beloved character, but I highly recommend watching the show instead. Pushing past the severely aged first season will show you how a painstakingly built coming-of-age supernatural dramedy should be done. . . #notmybuffy For an in-depth look and more posts like this, please check out my site (yes, I'm begging): ****/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-stand-alone-in-depth-review/

This really is the stupidest vampire film ever. It is not big and it is not clever. The actors are good but the film is terrible. It is too tame for a vampire film and it is too boring for a teen film. The series is much better than this shallow rubbish.

So I was a huge fan of the TV show which was awesome and has basically nothing in common with the original movie, except having a teenage girl named Buffy whose destiny is to slay vampires as a Vampire Slayer. This movie was so boring, I literally, fell asleep 15 minutes into it. I woke up 15 minutes from the end and surprisingly it didn't seem like I missed any of the plot to me. I asked the group of friends I saw it with what I missed during my hour or so nap, they informed me that I hadn't really missed anything lol. My advice is just stick to the awesome TV show, which was cheesy but great because it didn't take itself seriously (it poked fun at itself and its characters from time to time) but had great character development, drama, and brilliant writing in the later episodes (The Musical episode was great!). As for the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie well I am giving it a 3/10 since that is the highest red review I can give it, since I slept through most of it I will give it the benefit of a doubt that there was something worth watching that I missed during my snooze.