Urban Legend - 1998

Synopsis From Back Cover:

When New England college student Natalie finds herself at the center of a series of sadistic murders seemingly inspired by urban legends, she resolves to find the truth about Pendleton's own legend - a twenty-five-year-old story of a student massacre at the hands of an abnormal psych professor.  As the fraternities prepare to celebrate the macabre anniversary Natalie discovers that she is the focus of the crazed killer's intentions in the ultimate urban legend - the story of her own horrific murder. 

I'm a sucker for horror movies, and I tend to enjoy them as long as there are no huge gaps in the story line or over the top gore.  You cold argue that some of the jumps that happen in Urban Legend could be huge gaps, but for whatever reason I choose to ignore them with this one.  And thankfully, this movie was made before the Hostel or Saw movies, so the gore is kept to what's necessary.

I'm almost positive that I saw this one in the theater, and I know I saw the first sequel the same way.  Like most horror franchises, with the exception of the Scream movies, the first is really the only one worth watching.  It took me a few years to finally buy it on DVD, and then it took me a few more years to finally watch it at home.  Since then, I've seen it about a half dozen times, and I find myself enjoying it every time.

This was back in the day when Jared Leto was still hot, Tara Reid was still somewhat sane, Joshua Jackson still looked like a little boy, and Rebecca Gayheart was still "The Noxzema Girl" to most people. It was a time when the slasher genre was on a rise, and horror movies seem to have become just a little tongue in cheek.

Urban Legend is nothing to write home about, but it's not a bad movie either.  It's fun to watch, has a decent plot, and the acting isn't horrible.  As a matter of fact, Rebecca Gayheart is amazing in the movie.  Her performance, and yes, this will be a spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen the movie, as a psychotic college student bent on revenge, is spot on.  I don't think many actors can hold a handle to her when she goes totally batshit crazy.  During the unmasking of the killer scenes, you kind of forget that you are watching a performance.  She does such a bang up job, you really think she's lost it.  Hands down, she is one of the best horror movies villains around.

I know a lot of you guys don't like horror movies, but if you haven't seen this one yet, you should.  I promise it's not over the top scary.  The way the killer takes the victims out, using urban legends, is so ridiculous, that is allows a little levity to enter into those scenes.   Yeah, you are watching someone get killed, but it's done is such bizarre ways, your brain will not allow you to think what you are watching is real.  It's only when Rebecca Gayheart's character is revealed as the killer, that any sense of "reality" will settle in.  Her performance alone is enough to watch this one.  Promise.