Because Slater had those (Demented) "Leadership 101" quotes firing by the dozens:):).
Surrender was not in his creed.

Everyone did a superb job, including Cameron Diaz. But if the Academy could ever truly recognize movies like this, Slater should've gotten an oscar nod. I can't watch him in any other movie without seeing him as Boyd. He's probably a truly nice guy, but he's so damn convincing as Boyd. The character's written really well but it still takes the right guy to play him, and I'm not sure it could've gotten better than Slater.

He acted like such a king!
Yes indeed, a psychotic, murderous, narcissistic king. Just perfect
Boycott movies that involve real animal violence! (and their directors too)

Piven!! "I'm not cracking up!" heh - well, you said it, I think they all played to perfection, but Christian Slater and Jeremy Piven stole the show for me. But I don't want to pick one when even the scene at the gas station, with the extras really making it work, again to perfection, also because of the editing, slow motion, it's all masterfully done This is one of my favourite movies ever, I had enormous laughing fits when I first saw it, and this type of exaggerated and accellerated sequence of events spinning out of control, is quite rarely filmed like this, and to Very Bad Things I was - still am - extremely sensitive, it tickles me.
The sound mixing and cinematography are out of the ball park as well, 10/10.

I HATED THIS MOVIE.
But i agree with you, about Slater. the one part i liked, was when he flipped out and stabbed the security guard.