Buffy The Vampire Slayer 1992

Janet Maslin, New York Times: A slight, good-humored film that's a lot more painless than might have been expected. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Joss Whedon's script has some fun with Valley talk (both genuine and ersatz) but strains to sell the story. Read more

Time Out: Unfocused stuff, pitched at undemanding teenagers. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: A bloodless comic resurrection of the undead that goes serious just when it should get wild and woolly. Read more

Hal Hinson, Washington Post: The jokes are pretty good, the premise is just off-the-wall enough to keep you tittering. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: The second half feels stretched out and muddled, as if screenwriter Joss Whedon drove a stake through his script. Read more