URBAN LEGEND (1998)

After SCREAM reignited the horror genre in the mid-90s, what followed was a slew of popular teen horror films that defined the remainder of the decade. Not only did many of the posters all adopt the similar look of the Scream movies, but many took the ‘whodunit’ subplot and applied that to the storylines. One of the most notable to do this was 1998’s URBAN LEGEND. This year by itself was a busy year for the teen horror craze. Urban Legend takes place in a college setting where people are getting killed based on popular urban legends. Hearing thumps on top of your car unaware it’s a dead body, pop rocks causing death, the ‘kidney’ heist, flashing your headlights at an oncoming car at night whose lights are turned off; these are all referenced or re-enacted. Additionally, the story keeps the killer in disguise and doesn’t reveal who it is until the end; with the final motive tied back to one of the main character’s backstory. The mystery approach works well, and keeps you further entertained. It’s also got to be said the entire cast is stacked for its time: Jared Leto, Danielle Harris, Tara Reid, Michael Rosenbaum, Joshua Jackson, (not to mention cameos from the great Brad Dourif and Robert Englund) lending further creditability to this outing. Watching the charismatic players in a great horror mystery, Urban Legend is one of the better flicks to come out of the teen horror renaissance of the late 90’s. Check it out.

SLASH SCENE: The opening scene with Brad Dourif

SLASH SCORE: 4.5/5