'Legend' follows contrived formula

By Rhonda Spies, On-Line Forty-Niner

Tuesday, September 29, 1998

Most people have heard of them, yet they have no traceable source. There is no proof that they really happened, yet they cannot be proven false. They are urban legends, which are contemporary tall-tales and bits of mythology that emerge and change throughout time.

Many have heard the story about the baby sitter who received crank calls from a person threatening the children whom she is watching, only to have the call traced to upstairs.

Did Mikey, from the Life cereal commercials, really die of a lethal combination of Pop Rocks and Pepsi? Some of the stories are humorous and some are terrifying.

In the movie "Urban Legend," directed by newcomer Jamie Blanks, a group of students find out that urban legends can be fatal. On the 25th anniversary of a legendary campus massacre, a hooded killer starts bumping off students at Pendleton College, using methods derived from popular urban legends.

The film's protagonist is Natalie (Alicia Witt), who throughout the movie suspects a bizarre link between the murders. Natalie's main concern is protecting her friends and finding the killer.

As increasing members of the college community lay dead around them, Natalie's friends are too preoccupied with other things to consider that the deaths might be more than a coincidence.

Ambitious school-paper reporter Paul (Jared Leto) is only interested in a story that will win him the student Pulitzer Prize.

Brenda (Rebecca Gayheart), Natalie's best friend, is more interested in flirting with Paul than helping Natalie find the real killer.

Sasha (Tara Reid), the host of a sex advice show on campus radio, is less concerned with impending danger and more concerned with her radio show.

All the victims are associated with Natalie.

Is it the tasteless practical-joker Damon (Joshua Jackson) or the creepy professor (Robert Englund) who teaches a course in urban legends?

The movie spins a web of curiosity for two hours until you reach the point where you just want to find out the outcome so you can leave.

The first and last 15 minutes of the movie are the most interesting.

Towards the middle of the movie, you can predict what is going to happen next until the end picks up and puts the audience in the dark again.

There is a definite twist that will simultaneously shock you and make you laugh.

This is your basic and typical "Scream" and "Halloween" type horror film.

There are a number of genuinely scary moments and some clever scenes, but eventually the film collapses under the weight of its all-too-familiar plot.