Jeepers Creepers *** ½
Written and Directed by: Victor Salva
Starring: Gina Phillips, Justin Long and Patricia Belcher
Rated R (violence)

Perhaps ‘horror’ is too strong a term for Jeepers Creepers. It’s got some scares, some icky things happen, but it’s also got laughs. It’s not a comedy, however. The closest I can come to describing it would be a mix between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Stephen King. The ‘bad thing’ is a supernatural, unstoppable demon-thing, but it has personality, and the film is one of the most original thrillers to come along in years.

I won’t bother with a plot summary, because part of the fun in a movie like this is not knowing what is going to happen. Instead, I’ll set the stage: Trish (Phillips) and her brother Darius (Long) make a particularly gruesome discovery in the basement of a church. Bad mojo go now!

Jeepers Creepers doesn’t try to be ‘hip’ or ‘edgy’ or any of the other buzzwords that usually surround movies like this. It doesn’t break the ‘fourth wall’ and make self-referential jokes about rules or things like that. It doesn’t promote the soundtrack. If anything, it’s a throwback to what a ‘horror’ movie was before Freddy and Jason and Michael Meyers. That’s right – there were horror movies before slashers existed!

Jeepers Creepers hearkens back to the creature feature. It’s not as nail-biting as Alien or The Thing from Another World (remade by John Carpenter as The Thing), but its heritage is clear. The task at hand, however, is how to make a creature feature work in 2001.

Salva’s answer is: less is more. Less gore, less violence. Most of the violence happens off-screen. We see the results, but not the actual act itself. And the blood can probably be measured in pints, rather than gallons. What we’re left with is atmosphere. (Watch out – I’m gonna be jumping media here...) In ‘survival horror’ video games like Resident Evil (which is being made into a movie) and Parasite Eve, the really, really scary parts are when you see that something has happened, something very bad, but what, exactly is unclear. Sure, a zombie breaking a window right in front of you will make you jump, but when you see broken furniture and blood on the floor, that’s even more creepy. You’re fixated on what MIGHT happen, what COULD happen. The tension keeps building, and that’s where the lasting appeal lies. Not in how much gore you can put on the screen, but in how far you can stretch the tension and the audience.

Another thing that modern horror audiences expect is a motive. Norman Bates was insane, Freddy Kreuger was out for revenge, the xenomorph in Alien was a predator – what of the Unnamed Terror in Jeepers Creepers? Well, if you realize that the title of the movie is also the title of a song, that should point you in the right direction. So, we have the why, but not the WHY. Why does it need to do these things? I smell a franchise, and, unlike I Know What You Wasted Five Bucks On Last Summer, this one could be really, really good. A mythos needs to be fleshed out. Questions need to be answered. Trust me – when you see this movie, you’ll want to see more.

Jeepers Creepers isn’t Night of the Living Dead by any stretch of the imagination. Nor is it The Sixth Sense. It’s aimed at teens, but it’s not over-burdened with brand-names and postmodern humor. It’s a little bit campy, but not a parody of the genre. The campiness actually makes the film work better. It’s a traditional summer horror flick. And by traditional, I mean one that would have been part of a double-feature at the drive in. William Castle is probably sleeping soundly tonight.

Friday, August 24, 2001
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back ***
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Starring: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Will Ferrel, Jason Lee, Ben Affleck
Rated: R (language and sexual innuendo)

Grant’s gone on vacation this week so I (Travis Kline, weekend jock) will be writing this review…

Kevin Smith takes us on one last trip through the View Askewineverse in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. If you ever wondered what happened to Dante and Randall after Clerks, or how the tonight show gig worked out for Brodie from Mallrats than this is a movie for you. Smith ties up all the loose ends from Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma in this hilarious final chapter of the New Jersey series.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is reportedly Kevin Smith’s final comedy as he looks to move on to bigger and (maybe) better projects. If you’re like me, the idea of a Kevin Smith World War II movie scares you, but if you’re going to end an era, JSBSB is one helluva way to do it.

This movie is not for everyone. If you are easily offended and dislike “vulgar” language you should probably avoid this one. There are plenty of cheap laughs in this film, but that’s the whole point. You should also avoid this film if you liked Chasing Amy more than Mallrats or Clerks. There are NO deeply emotional plot points in this movie. This is slap-stick comedy plain and simple. Look for Drama somewhere else.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back revolves around the world of the title characters Jay and Silent Bob as they go on a cross-country quest to stop production on a movie based on their lives. Of course they get into all sorts of side adventures along the way and meet almost all your favorite characters from Smith’s other movies as well. All the character’s story lines are completed and you see who’s with who, who doing what and so on. JSBSB also features some of the funniest cameos I’ve seen to date, they are worth the price of admission alone. The movie also spoofs Hollywood in a big funny way.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back spares no one. Everyone is fair game in this side splitting comedy from one of the best directors of our time. Is this a film you take your parents or grandparents to see? No, you might not even what to take a date to this movie, but if you are looking for a good movie to see with you friends, JSBSB is perfect for you.