Leofwine_draca Just another of the glut of teen slashers following in the wake of SCREAM, this one is much more entertaining than I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. For a start, the acting is better, and plus there is a higher gore content. URBAN LEGEND, while obeying all of the most copied clichés in the genre (particularly the jump scene when someone is bumped into, this happens five or six times in the film), still manages to be quite entertaining, in a funny-bad way.For a start, the cast is better than usual. While the main cast members are the fresh-faced, flawless beauties that we've all come to know and hate, even they aren't too bad. Alicia Witt is boring in the title role, while Jared Leto just needs to look pretty and run around a bit. The best actor of the bunch is Joshua Jackson, who is likable as the class joker, although unfortunately he isn't in the film for very long. John Neville fills the shoes of the headmaster well enough, while Robert Englund enjoys his small role as a suspicious college lecturer. Brad Dourif also has a small, scene-stealing cameo appearance as a stuttering garage attendant.The film benefits from a clever, tricky opening murder with a twist that I didn't see coming. After this excellent scene though, it just goes downhill, as to be expected. Bland college life is punctuated by some brutal murders, most of which are mildly clever and diverting, although horrendously contrived. The blood flows quite freely in these scenes, although they aren't really all that gory, apart from an excellent moment when John Neville is run over by a car and crushed into a row of spikes. This is the best murder of them all.The identity of the murderer is kept secret right up until the end, so it's quite fun playing guess the killer. However the fact that the killer wears a giant parka and carries an axe is very clichéd and the ending of the film is just plain stupid, with the killer coming back time after time after time for one last chill. These drawn out endings are really grating after a while, and you just want the film to end, not go on longer. While URBAN LEGEND isn't brilliant by a long way, it's a lot better than I thought it would be (due to all the negative comments heard on release). If you're a slasher fan then its an above average example of the genre, if not, it's a good film to watch with friends and to play guess the killer with. I did, and I had a lot of fun.

Woodyanders A group of college students find themselves the victims of a vicious killer who an obsession with popular urban legends. It's up to the scared, yet intrepid Natalie Simon (a spunky and appealing performance by Alicia Witt) to figure out what's going on before it's too late.Director Jamie Banks keeps the engrossing story moving along at a snappy pace, builds a reasonable amount of tension, stages the murder set pieces with rip-snorting panache, and delivers a satisfying serving of gore. (However, Banks does go a tad overboard with the cheesy fake scares.) Silvio Horta's clever script not only offers a refreshing tweaking of the final girl by making Natalie someone who has a dark history and hence isn't entirely innocent, but also offers another welcome departure from the slasher norm by having the psycho turn out to be a vengeful woman with a valid beef against Natalie that elicits the viewer's sympathy. The solid acting by the capable cast keeps this picture humming: Jared Leto as eager and unscrupulous reporter Paul Gardener, Rebecca Gayheart as Natalie's perky gal pal Brenda Bates, Michael Rosenbaum as the jerky Parker Riley, Joshua Jackson as the jerky Damon Brooks, Loretta Devine as sassy security guard Reese Wilson, Tara Reid as brash disc jockey Sasha Thomas, Robert Englund as the creepy Professor William Wexler, Danielle Harris as moody Goth slut Tosh Guaneri, and Natasha Gregson Wagner as the doomed Michelle Mancini. Brad Dourif has a cool uncredited role as sinister stuttering gas station attendant Michael McDonnell. Christopher Young's spirited shivery score hits the shuddery spot. The glossy cinematography by James Chressanthis makes impressive use of the widescreen format as well as boasts all these breathtaking gliding crane shots. A fun fright flick.

keithbrown-90195 Urban Legend leans very heavily on slasher tropes. Think of any slasher movie cliché and it's probably in this movie. There are cheap jump scares, a twist ending, and inept authority figures. In spite of all this, I really loved this movie. The kills are brutal and mean, and they're very creative for the most part. The opening scene put a huge smile on my face. The characters are standard, but I liked them. Natalie is our final girl, but she was probably the most boring character in the movie. Jared Leto plays Paul, the campus reporter, and he doesn't even look much older nowadays! Other characters include Brenda, Natalie's best friend; Damon, the practical joker; Tosh, the goth roommate; Reese, campus security; Parker, the frat guy; and Sasha, the sexy radio DJ. The movie is a whodunit, so we're constantly guessing who the killer might be. Apart from the opening, I'd say my favorite scene would have to be Sasha's chase at the radio station. It's the classic scene with a hot girl in a tiny dress being chased through the hallways by the crazy killer. There's an urban legend twist though, because her screams for help are broadcast over the radio so all her friends hear her die. It's an awesome scene with good camera-work and lighting and music. All in all, Urban Legend is a fun watch, with some classic scenes and a few famous actors in cool roles. Give it a chance!

jasonsobin Alright here's the deal - the movie itself makes no sense. VERY unrealistic. The ending is ridiculous and illogical. BUT - If you like the typical slasher, urban legend type movies (When A Stranger Calls, Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer series, etc.) then you'll enjoy watching this. If you watch horror movies to laugh at the horrible acting, like I do, then this is a definite movie. Great to watch with friends and make fun of the logic of the writers and the annoying blonde girl screaming and doing dumb stuff. Basically, if you're looking for a smart psychological thriller, horror type movie this is NOT for you. If you're looking for a fast paced and stupid movie to have a good time with, you should watch Urban Legend.