Urban Legend (1998) Horror Movie Review

by Mark McDonough
(Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

Released: September 25, 1998
Directed by: Jamie Blanks
Writer: Silvio Horta
Starring:

Jared Leto as Paul Gardener
Alicia Witt as Natalie Simon
Rebecca Gayheart as Brenda Bates
Michael Rosenbaum as Parker Riley
Loretta Devine Reese Wilson

Kevin Williamson's Scream (1996) and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) resurrected the American slasher film and paved the way for movies like 1998's Urban Legend. Directed by Jamie Blanks, the film's premise revolves around victims being killed via the formula of old urban legends. The college students in the film, portrayed by a who's-who of ‘90s teen stars, must deal with the realities of myth come to life.

Urban Legend opens with a bang... or should I say an axe. Without giving too much of the plot away, let's just say the opening sequence will probably make you check the back seat of your car the next time you go for a ride. Unfortunately, the best part of the movie may very well be the aforementioned scene, but there are plenty of elaborate murders to go around. What the story lacks in substance, it makes up for with the chilling murder scenes of some fresh faced leading men and leading ladies.

Jared Leto (Requiem For a Dream (2000)), Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)) and Tara Reid (pre-botched-nipple surgery) are perhaps the most recognizable names that appear on screen, but some horror veterans help carry the movie. Danielle Harris, previously the child star of Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) and Halloween 5 (1989), plays a sex obsessed goth college girl (every fan boy's dream) and the cast is helmed by horror icon Robert Englund. Englund is most known to the general public for his original incarnation of Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare On Elm Street franchise and to horror freaks for various other appearances in the horror genre, including Eaten Alive (1977) (where he was Buck and he liked to... well you know), Wishmaster (1997), and 2001 Maniacs (2005), among many others.

The film centers around students investigating a story of a massacre that occurred at their school in 1973. When our protagonists Natalie (Alicia Witt) and Paul (Leto) look deeper into the story, they find all evidence has been removed from the school's library. They then begin unraveling a mystery that leads them from the likes of the janitor all the way to the principal (Englund). Along the way we have the murders of almost everyone in the story, each one being subject to an urban legend themed death.

Urban Legend is by no means the pride of the slasher genre, but it does have its moments. At the very least you get to see some obnoxious college students meet their demise. The executions consist of a hanging, a dog in the microwave, and soda being replaced by chemicals to complete the ol' pop rocks death to name a few. Despite the script being convoluted at times, it does keep the viewer guessing as to who the killer really is. Ultimately it shows that if someone has their headlights off, you probably shouldn't flash yours at them, because it may just create a serial killer.

If you are looking for a horror classic, you have come to the wrong place. However, if you came to see gorgeous young people being slaughtered as a result of their own stupidity, then this may just be the movie for you. Did I mention the cast is really good looking?