Buffy the Vampire Slayer ** (1992, Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, Rutger Hauer, Luke Perry) – Classic Movie Review 2733

Director Fran Rubel Kuzui’s fondly recalled 1992 fantasy action comedy Buffy the Vampire Slayer has a great cast, is written by cult name Joss Whedon and spawned the long-running hit TV series (1997–2003) that he created.

Kristy Swanson stars as Buffy Summers, the high-school cheerleader and the ‘Chosen One’, who is taught how to slay vampires by Donald Sutherland’s mysterious Merrick, after he tells her that she is the Slayer.

Alas, this promising teen horror spoof proves juvenile and is as low on laughs as it is scares. A disappointingly carelessly planned and handled film, it unfairly provides unrewarding roles for Luke Perry as Pike, the boy who helps Swanson’s Buffy and Rutger Hauer as the head vampire Lothos.

In the star role, Swanson is very pretty but allowed to be little more than decorative, while Sutherland gives a powerful turn as Merrick till his role is suddenly cut short. Despite one or two entertaining scenes, especially at the start, a decent enough premise is thrown away through the underdeveloped screenplay’s lack of imagination and ambition.

It is interesting though that it is the girl who does all the macho stuff and the boy who is simply passive and reacting.

Also in the fascinating cast are Paul Reubens, Michele Abrams, Hilary Swank, Paris Vaughan, David Arquette, Randall Batinkoff, Candy Clark and Natasha Gregson Wagner. Ricki Lake has a cameo as waitress in the scene where Pike and Buffy officially meet for the first time.

Joss Whedon started in TV at 25 writing episodes of Roseanne and Parenthood before his film debut here as writer. His father and grandfather were both successful TV writers.

Luke Perry (1966–2019).

RIP Luke Perry died of a massive stroke on 4 March 2019 at 52. He was best known for  playing Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990 to 1995 and 1998 to 2000), The Fifth Element (1997), Normal Life (1996) opposite Ashley Judd, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). He said of his role as Dylan McKay: ‘I’m going to be linked with him until I die, but that’s actually just fine. I created Dylan McKay. He’s mine.’

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2733

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