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Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 4.1/10
Reviews Counted: 34
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 23

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 3.9/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 4

No consensus yet.

audience

liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 317,218

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Movie Info

The idea of fusing teen sex-comedy and horror genres into a boffo box-office bonanza seems like classic braindead Hollywood-think... but somehow, beyond all reason, the makers of this film manage to pull it off. Much of the credit goes to director Fran Rubel Kuzui (Tokyo Pop) who chooses wisely to let the jokes and action rip by so quickly that viewers won't have time to realize there's practically nothing going on. Also excellent is Kristy Swanson as the bubble-headed cheerleader who learns

PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.

Action & Adventure, Horror, Comedy

Directed By: Fran Rubel Kuzui

Written By: Joss Whedon

In Theaters: Jul 31, 1992 Wide

On DVD: Sep 4, 2001

20th Century Fox

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Trailer & Photos

Cast

Kristy Swanson
Buffy
Donald Sutherland
Merrick
Rutger Hauer
Lothos
Paul Reubens
Amilyn
Luke Perry
Pike
Michele Abrams
Jennifer
Hilary Swank
Kimberly
Paris Vaughan
Nicole
David Arquette
Benny
Randall Batinkoff
Jeffrey
Candy Clark
Buffy's Mom
Andrew Lowery
Andy
Sasha Jenson
Grueller
Stephen Root
Gary Murray
Natasha Gregson Wagner
Cassandra
Mark De Carlo
Coach
Ben Affleck
Basketball Player
Chino Binamo
Vampire
Al Goto
Vampire
Michael Kopelow
Student
Ricki Lake
Charlotte (uncredited)
Paul Lane
Robert Berman
Chi-Muoi Lo
Vampire
Rick Logan
Bloody Student
James Paradise
Buffy's Dad
David Sherrill
Knight
Ben R. Scott
Vampire
Terry Jackson
Vampire
Sharon Schaffer
Vampire
Lincoln Simonds
Vampire
Johanna Ray
Mike Johnson
Vampire
Tony Maxwell
Student
Kurtis Epper Sanders
Thomas Jane
Zeph
Liz Smith
Reporter

Critic Reviews for Buffy the Vampire Slayer

All Critics (34) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (24) | DVD (19)

Joss Whedon's script has some fun with Valley talk (both genuine and ersatz) but strains to sell the story.

October 15, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

A bloodless comic resurrection of the undead that goes serious just when it should get wild and woolly.

October 15, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Top Critic

A slight, good-humored film that's a lot more painless than might have been expected.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

As a friend tells Buffy while she eyes a fashion purchase, 'It's so five minutes ago.'

May 12, 2001 Comment

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Top Critic

The jokes are pretty good, the premise is just off-the-wall enough to keep you tittering.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Hal Hinson

Washington Post

Top Critic

The second half feels stretched out and muddled, as if screenwriter Joss Whedon drove a stake through his script.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

Flippant horror comedy that birthed the TV show.

February 9, 2009 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Charles Cassady

Common Sense Media

Enjoyable, but now basically a footnote to the TV series.

October 15, 2007 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine

| Comment

Emma Cochrane

Empire Magazine

Quite why Perry, as romantic interest, is still trying to convince peopel he is of high school age remains a mystery.

October 15, 2007 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

This pallid crossbreeding of vampire horror with Valley Girl vamping has no surprises.

October 15, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Unfocused stuff, pitched at undemanding teenagers.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

A sometimes entertaining mess. (The TV series is, shockingly, a whole lot better.)

April 17, 2005 Comment

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

Grease in the 80s... with Vampires. Ugh.

November 2, 2004 Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher

| Comments (2)

MaryAnn Johanson

Flick Filosopher

From this whole thing, who comes out the best? Paul Reubens! Who knew?

June 2, 2004 Comment

Widgett Walls

Needcoffee.com

My favorite TV show is Buffy, I still can't believe it came from this horrible movie.

November 19, 2003 Comment

Alex Sandell

Juicy Cerebellum

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an average horror comedy that is purely designed to be fun and entertaining. Though flawed, and not perfect, the film manages to be quite amusing. However the film is no where close to the TV series, which was darker, better executed and acted. Not saying that this film is bad, but this film

October 9, 2011

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

Now a very stereotypical vampire film with all the cliches and predictable stuff you can imagine which now is really quite lame to watch even if you look past the cute retro appeal.The effects and makeup are very basic much like the acting but at the end of the day this was a film for teenage girls to swoon over Luke

July 21, 2011

Phil Hubbard

Super Reviewer

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Latest News for Buffy the Vampire Slayer

December 22, 2011:

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