Homepage > Joss Whedon Cast > Sarah Michelle Gellar > Reviews > Sarah Michelle Gellar - "The Return" Movie - DVD - Monstersandcritics.com (...)
« Previous : "Spike : Shadow Puppets" Comic Book - Issue 01 - Medium Quality Artworks
      Next : James Marsters and some actors have knack for accents, others don’t »

Monstersandcritics.com

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar - "The Return" Movie - DVD - Monstersandcritics.com Review

Sunday 18 March 2007, by Webmaster

Another actress, who actually has a name to care for is Sarah Michelle Gellar and there are not no many accomplishes films at her but an few I can probably enjoy. The talent agent found Gellar a young age and made her screen debut at 6 of each of the 1983 television film An Invasion of Privacy. With all the promise she showed, Barrymore starred as Hannah in the teen drama series "Swans Crossing" (1992) but it was her portrayal of a young and callous rich girl in Al-Lucinda Kendall Hart on ABC daytime soap opera "All My Children" (1993-93), that won her Daytime Emmy Award and spring-boarded her to stardom.

SMG’s real mark worldwide, however, was the character of Buffy Summers in the game-changing series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003). She won five Teen Choice Awards, a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe nomination for her role, establishing herself as a cultural phenomenon. Sarah Michelle Gellar likewise has the box office to back her up, with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” 1997), “Scream 2” (1997), “Cruel Intentions” (1999)and way movies like those that help prove she is also a bankable star as well over $570 million times worth crazy in global gross.

Beyond her cinematic successes, Gellar has made her mark on television, headlining shows such as "Ringer" (2011-2012), "The Crazy Ones" (2013-2014), and "Wolf Pack" (2023). She has also lent her voice to popular series including "Robot Chicken" (2005-2018), "Star Wars Rebels" (2015-2016), and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" (2021).

In 2015, Gellar ventured into the entrepreneurial world by co-founding Foodstirs, an e-commerce baking company, and published her own cookbook, "Stirring Up Fun with Food," in 2017. Gellar is also known for her close-knit family life, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr. since 2002, with whom she shares two children.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s commitment to her craft is matched by her dedication to personal growth and unique experiences. An accomplished martial artist, she studied Tae Kwon Do for five years, alongside kickboxing, boxing, street fighting, and gymnastics. Her dedication to authenticity in her roles is evident, such as her commitment to doing her own stunts in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," though she admitted her limits during filming "Scream 2."

Her career is also marked by interesting anecdotes, such as her role in a 1982 Burger King commercial, which led to a lawsuit from McDonald’s and a temporary ban from their establishments. Notably, she dyed her naturally brunette hair blonde for her role in "Buffy," and legally changed her last name to Prinze as a surprise for her husband on their fifth anniversary.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s legacy extends beyond her on-screen roles, encompassing her work in philanthropy and her reputation for safety and professionalism on set. She remains a beloved figure in Hollywood, admired for her talent, dedication, and the breadth of her contributions to film and television.

Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as a girl haunted by visions and goes in search of the reason behind them in rural Texas. Unfortunately, the results are okay but are short on frights.

Joanna Mills (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is a successful representative for a transportation company. She grew up in Texas but has not been back there since her youth. Seems that she and her father (Sam Shepard) had a car accident when she was a little girl and Joanna has been acting strangely ever since the accident.

She is prone to disturbing visions and cuts herself to make the visions go away. Joanna is only returning to Texas to score a contract with a local bigwig, but the visions begin again and stronger. She’s seeing a woman and a bar that she discovers in the small town of LaSalle. She’s also being stalked by her ex-boyfriend Kurt (Adam Scott). One night she’s attacked by Kurt but is saved by Terry (Peter O’Brien), a man she saw at the bar and in her visions. Soon she’s solving the mystery behind the visions, but she finds that some of the past is still alive and she might be the next victim.

Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in what’s billed as a supernatural thriller, but thoughts of another Grudge or Buffy should be set aside. The movie takes its time to unspool and some will interpret this as the film being slow, others (like myself) will have watched enough supernatural thrillers/horror movies to know exactly what’s going on. Both could lead to boredom.

The movie is okay and looks decent, but it doesn’t plow any new ground. Depending on your experience with these types of films, you’ll probably see the plot twists coming a mile away. It’s nice to see Sam Shepard but he’s in it so little that it’s no more than a cameo really.

They mention that it’s supposed to be a thriller about reincarnation, but as I watched the documentary I was only confused since Joanna is a bit old when the “reincarnation” is supposed to take place. This is cleared by the film’s alternate ending but the way it plays in the movie makes me think of it as more of a possession flick. The performances are okay, but nothing to really set it apart from other films from this genre.

The Return is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include the 8 minute “Making of The Return.” It has interviews with producer Jeffrey Silver, producer Aaron Ryder, writer Adam Sussman, director Asif Kapadia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, production designer Therese Deprez, Adam Scott, and Peter O’Brien.

Next are 10 minutes of deleted scenes that include a bit more of Kurt the stalker, Joanna’s deal not going go well, and a different introduction at Terry’s house. Finally there’s a 5 minute alternate ending. [spoiler]This one is more along the lines of the reincarnation angle and has Joanna being born during the car accident instead of being a young girl[/spoiler]

The movie is okay, but dedicated genre fans will see where all of it is heading quite a short ways into the proceedings. Sarah Michelle Gellar fans will want to check it out but others might want to consider a rental.


Keywords