Although Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an extremely popular television series with plenty of passionate fans to this day, many of those fans might be unaware of the show's origins. Before turning his idea into a series, Joss Whedon had written this story as a movie that was released in 1992.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was not as well-received as the show would eventually become. After being forgotten for years, it started to gain a cult following, with some praising its version of the high school hunter of the undead. However, there are others who would have preferred the movie to remain a forgotten first draft to a much-better TV series.
Iconic: The '90s Feel
The movie version of his story feels incredibly outdated when it is re-watched today, but it is outdated in the best way possible. From the '90s fashion to the references of the era, this is a great nostalgic trip back to the decade for anyone who lived through it, in particular as a teenager.
Anyone who grew up during this era will have a lot of fun revisiting the Buffy movie now. It almost feels like Clueless or other teen movies of the era— albeit with a lot more vampires.
Forgettable: Terrible Editing
Joss Whedon has largely denounced how the finished movie ruined his original script. He said so much of the script was rewritten during the filming that it became incomprehensible. Watching the final product, it's not hard to see where his frustrations come from.
The editing for this movie is quite terrible and makes the film seem really messy. It feels like chunks are missing at certain points, leading to unearned character moments and developments. It distracts from what could have been a fun story.
Iconic: Cheesy Humor
Whedon was also not happy with how the final film did away with the darker material in his original script. While Whedon would get to combine horror and comedy a lot more on the show, the lighter approach does work pretty well for the movie.
Given its short runtime and the goofy premise, it is perhaps wise that this film embraced the cheesy humor. At times, it almost feels like a spoof movie. The jokes aren't all winners, but the overall tone is quite effective.
Forgettable: No Horror
As we get closer to Halloween, any fans that might seek out this film for some good scares are likely to be disappointed. While the humor works quite well, there is really nothing scary about this movie.
With one or two moments being creepy at best, it's a shame the movie didn't embrace the horror elements more. They wouldn't have needed to abandon the light approach, but even something like Ghostbusters has more scares than this film.
Iconic: The Teen Hero
While Sarah Michelle Gellar may have turned the character of Buffy into an icon, this version of the hero is pretty interesting. When we are introduced to Buffy in the movie, she is not a very likable character as she is self-centered and meanspirited.
Seeing her journey from a spoiled teen into a warrior is fun. There is also some good stuff with her trying to balance life as a high school student with being a vampire slayer. It's a nice set up for some of the things the show would get to explore in greater depth.
Forgettable: Donald Sutherland
Likely the biggest name attached to the movie at the time was Donald Sutherland. The acclaimed actor of countless movies co-starred in the film as Merrick, the ancient trainer of the slayers who recruits Buffy.
Sutherland is a great actor in a number of memorable performances, but he is sleepwalking through this movie. It feels like Sutherland is reciting his lines with the bare minimum of effort. His performance is unconvincing and thus makes his relationship, one of the film's most important, a total bore.
Iconic: The Young Cast
It's always fun to look back on movies and see some future Hollywood stars appearing in their early roles. That is part of the fun of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as there are a number of familiar faces, some of whom made their big screen debuts in this movie.
In the midst of his success on Beverley Hills 90210, Luke Perry plays Buffy's love interest. Hilary Swank appears as a high school mean girl. David Arquette is a young teen vampire. We even get to see Ben Affleck in a small role as a basketball player.
Forgettable: The Villain
In a movie about a young teen battling evil vampires, one would hope that the villain of the film would be a memorable one. Alas, even with the great Rutger Hauer playing the role of vampire lord Lothos, it is an entirely forgettable baddie.
Hauer does his best to bring a spark to the character, but it feels like the role was cut way down somewhere in the process. By the time he does arrive to pose a threat, he is one of the least interesting characters in the film.
Iconic: Paul Reubens
While the main villain might not be very memorable, the secondary villain of the film is an absolute blast. Paul Reubens plays Amilyn, Lothos' henchman who goes around collecting victims and building an army.
Even the movie's biggest critics must admit Reubens is a highlight and gives a hilarious performance. His death scene alone is worth checking out the movie for, and is one of the funniest— and longest— demises in movie history.
Forgettable: The Show Is Better
There is a lot of fun to be had with this movie, but when watching it now, it's hard not to think about how much better the show is. The cast is perfect for their roles, the characters are more likable, the lore is more interesting, and the writing is much better.
Regardless of what the movie does well, it will always be in the shadow of the series and pale in the comparison. It might've carried more weight as a campy cult classic if it was the only Buffy that ever existed, but it isn't, and so it'll always just feel like a rough trial run for the definitive Buffy product.
NEXT: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Ways Buffy Got Worse And Worse