You Ruined My New Jacket.......Kill Him A Lot!

Normally, this would be one of those "oh, that's interesting" type of reviews with nothing much to say. However, it deserves its own post because it marks the second time my viewpoints have been polar opposite with the Geek Status Quo.

For Buffy the Vampire Slayer turns 20.

The Movie, not the show.



That's right, much with my "subversive" Saga-loving, I adore this movie and don't care much for the massively popular television show it spawned several years later.

And I'll be perfectly honest. I haven't seen more than a few minutes of the show here and there, but it was more than enough to clearly see that it was nothing at all like the movie. And I understand completely if Joss Wheadon felt he had to do this since the suits messed with his idea in the first place. He is the creator, after all, and the only one with the right to how his creation goes.

But I have a hard time understanding why more people don't love this movie.

First of all, nothing against Sarah Michelle Geller, but Kristy Swanson will forever own this role for me. She looks the part more. She's a lot more instantly likable.

The effects are more grounded in reality. It kept it simple with vampires. And vampires that actually looked like vampires, rather than gargoyles.

More than that, though, there's the star power in this flick. Donald Sutherland as Merrick, the resident Obi-Wan. Rutger Hauer as the head vampire. Small, early roles from such names as Hilary Swank, David Arquette, and Ben Affleck. Stephen Root, having nearly nothing to do as the principal, makes the most of his time as always. The only weak spot would be Luke Perry as the love interest, but he's still at least tolerable.

Hands down, though, the best performance is the right-hand vampire (who loses his right hand) Amilyn, played to perfection by Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens hot off his bogus nearly-career-ending scandal. He gets the great lines, he gets to be the most (intentionally) menacing he's been in his career, and he gets one of the most hilarious "death" scenes I've ever seen.

It's a silly movie that revels in its silliness, but still manages to have some truly suspenseful and legit scary moments. And I'd watch this over and over again before I'd watch a frame of the series again. But that's me.

None of the other girls ever gave me this much trouble.